Bungalow floor plan 160-170 sqm with basement

Our architect worked based on our wishes and at the same time creatively free. We described how we want to live and what we find beautiful, and he turned it into a [worin]. Expectation exceeded.

It was the same for us. In our case, a small general contractor. The boss is an architect. He came, had previously looked at the property, sat with us in the living room and asked many questions. He took down exactly the wishes and sketched a first draft by hand.

It is important that you know what you want. Give him
Bungalow, room program.
Not just bedrooms, but bed with the dimensions (extra length, extra wide bed frame), 4m continuous wardrobe
Bathroom with rain shower, 2 sinks, bathtub for 2, etc.
large entrance area, wardrobe with 4 m shoe cabinet so that the handbag and shoe collection fits. The 8m bookshelf, screen for the projector, sewing corner, etc. Everything that defines you and what is important to you.

With basement/attic, I wouldn’t say anything at first, let him plan.
Not with angles, etc. either...
Maybe you have a good one who brings an idea you hadn’t thought of, and you say wow.
Let them work and surprise you. After the first proposal, you can always intervene and say no, that’s not it.
If I look at the first proposals that came, totally different.
1. was an architect paid by the community – was supposed to see how our wishes fit on the property – confirmed what we didn’t want
2. general contractor 1 accommodated everything in 160 sqm, really good. We never would have thought that
3. general contractor 2 did not accommodate everything in 230 sqm and totally missed the mark.
4. general contractor 3 worked everything out with us slowly, step by step. Input from 1-3 was also incorporated.

Well, he’s doing his job: building customer houses. You wouldn’t go to a baker with a bread roll recipe!

Yes, he probably knows that. He is a professional after all.

You write a room program, but that should also be in the pinned posts on how to do it.
-what you imagine: spacious, bright, preferably hip roof, all on one level, 2 children, no walk-in closet needed, etc.
And then the design is discussed together, you ask questions, he explains, blah blah, and then he revises it.
But if you give him something beforehand, the professional passes it to his assistant or intern to trace with all the mistakes you include. Then I say: goodbye, money wasted, botched.

Makes sense..

My thought was, I draw what we want... The experts from the house building forum confirm it’s good, I hand it over to the architect.. He takes it over with a few optimizations. Perfect.....
Well, that didn’t happen....

Then I’ll probably do it the way you all suggest....
I give the architect the information about what we want and let myself be surprised....

By the way.. The architect said he currently receives about 5-10 inquiries per week.... That’s really intense right now if that’s true.... Although he only does complete buildings, with all service phases.. so many drop out immediately....

If drawing little houses helps you with your stage fright before the architect meeting, then do it. But the architect is not an enemy you have to defend the bungalow against like a lioness. And it is by no means certain that his concept would be contradictory. Give him a fair chance to surprise you. In the last two to three weeks before the architect meeting, keep yourself only passively involved here, i.e., avoid your own thread (and thereby also the subdiscussion about resistance to advice) and only publish any interim drawings once the architect has intervened.

I'll probably do it that way.

It was the same for us. In our case, a small general contractor. The boss is an architect. He came, had looked at the property beforehand, sat with us in the living room, and asked a lot of questions. Exactly noted the wishes and sketched a first draft by hand.

It is important that you know what you want. Give him
Bungalow, room program.
Not just bedrooms, but beds with dimensions (extra length, extra wide bed frame), 4m run of wardrobes
Bathroom with rain shower, 2 sinks, bathtub for 2, etc.
Large entrance area, wardrobe with 4 m shoe cabinet so that the handbag and shoe collection fits. The 8m bookshelf, screen for projector, sewing corner, etc. Everything that makes you who you are and what is important to you.

Regarding basement/attic, I wouldn’t say anything at first; let him plan.
Also not with angles etc...
Maybe you have a good one who comes up with an idea you hadn’t thought of and you say wow.
Let them work and surprise you. After the first proposal, you can still intervene and say no, this isn’t it.
If I look at the initial proposals that came in, totally different.
1. Was an architect paid by the municipality – was supposed to see how our wishes fit on the property – confirmed what we did not want
2. GC 1 fitted everything on 160 sqm, really good. We never would have thought that
3. GC 2 didn’t fit everything on 230 sqm and was totally off
4. GC 3 worked everything out slowly with us, step by step. Input from 1-3 was also incorporated.

Thanks... we have already met on the property and discussed a few details whether we could even come together....

I probably have to realize here what I can and what I cannot....

Your task is to clearly express your needs.

The task of the architects/planners is to translate these into building form.
Give them a long leash to get impulses.

It becomes difficult at some point not to lose yourself. There are so many great things, ideas, floor plans, and you always have to ask yourself: does this fit? Is this still our dream?
Every objection is justified.
You have to weigh whether to ignore the objection.