Julia.86
2018-02-12 10:08:15
- #1
Hello everyone,
with us, it is (finally) slowly getting serious with the house construction.
Provided the seller of the plot does not back out at short notice, we have the appointment at the notary in March to draw up the purchase contract.
A few weeks ago, we accepted an offer from a general contractor (GU) to look at the aforementioned plot and development plan together to see if our house wish could be realized there.
A draftsman looked at everything with us, listened to our wishes and ideas in a 2-hour conversation, and took notes.
Last week we then met in the office to review the first draft. Since then, we have planned to give a list with our wishes and ideas during further discussions with planners (we want to meet with 2-3 more companies to find the right one). Unfortunately, not everything that was really important to us was considered, and too much attention was paid to things that are merely "nice-to-have." >.<
The planner recommended that we calmly think through his draft at home, see what we like and what does not work at all.
Before we give him our feedback, I would also like to hear your opinion on this draft. Maybe you experienced builders will notice something we are not so aware of, or you dismantle our thoughts on it, which can also be very helpful.
Here follows first the completed questionnaire:
Development plan/restrictions
Plot size: 743m2, 20m x 37m
Slope: yes, sloping backward, the draftsman estimates the height difference at about 3m (if we own the plot, we were advised to obtain the soil survey with leveling to enable the best possible house planning. We will do that.)
Site coverage ratio: 0.3
Floor space index: 0.6
Building window, building line and boundary: see attachment
Perimeter development: 3m distance to neighbors, 7m to the street
Number of parking spaces: not specified; 2-3 desired
Number of stories: 2 full floors allowed
Roof shape: only pitched roofs
Style: open construction method
Maximum heights/limits: with downhill development, eaves height max. 4.50m above finished floor level
Other requirements: cistern is mandatory with 50l storage volume per m2 of sealed surface
Requirements of the builders
Style, roof shape, building type: solid house, rectangular house shape, no bay windows, etc., gable roof
Basement, stories: 1.5 stories + basement, possibly with a small apartment/secondary unit in the basement; ground and upper floor approx. 150m2 in total
Number of people, age: 2 adults (31 + 31), 1-2 children planned
Room requirements on ground and upper floor
Office: family use or home office?: both; should be integrated on the ground floor (as a sleeping option in case going up stairs is not possible due to illness. I am somewhat "preloaded" in this regard professionally as an occupational therapist)
Sleep guests per year: 1-2
Open or closed architecture: rather closed
Conservative or modern design: rather conservative?
Open kitchen, kitchen island: no, closed, if possible a kitchen-living room
Number of dining seats: daily 2-4
Fireplace: chimney flue gladly included
Music/stereo wall: no
Balcony, roof terrace: no
Garage, carport: if possible double garage, otherwise normal garage, my boyfriend would like a door from the garage into the house
Utility garden, greenhouse: maybe a small part for herbs etc.
Other wishes/special features/daily routine, also reasons why this or that should or should not be:
Shower/WC on the ground floor (similar reason to the guest room, also a second shower practical if children are around);
It would be nice to have a small pantry or storage room near the kitchen;
"Dressing room" (rather walk-in closet) in the master bedroom is nice-to-have but not a must;
Because of the slope, we thought about planning a small apartment/secondary unit in the basement (e.g., if the mother-in-law living alone can no longer stay in the old house for health reasons; she actually does not want to leave there; or later for the child), and very importantly a separate entrance from outside preferably without stairs (in case of wheelchair/walker; and if rented out so the staircase does not have to be shared)
House draft
By whom was the plan created:
- Planner of a construction company
What do you particularly like? Why?: we really like the layout on the upper floor, also that the children’s rooms are the same size; on the ground floor we like the location of the kitchen and guest room better than in our self-drawn draft (which I will attach as well)
What do you not like? Why?
Basement: that we basically have no more cellar because the secondary unit occupies the whole floor (apart from the utility room); hardly any possibilities to place furniture in the living room of the secondary unit due to many doors; bathtub must go, shower would be difficult to access like this;
Ground floor: the large utility room (unfortunately necessary since no cellar room is available, and actually a good solution for the door into the house), we would prefer a kitchen-living room, but it is probably not feasible with this floor plan?;
For us, however, the biggest problem is the staircase. On the one hand, I am not sure whether the wardrobe will work for a family with children later. On the other hand, the idea that I might have to share the staircase with strangers (e.g., half asleep in the morning going down to the ground floor and meeting unknown visitors of the secondary unit resident? For me not an option!) is terrible!
Price estimate according to architect/planner: €391,000 (KFW 55, air-water heat pump, excluding earthworks - estimated by planner at €18,000 -, painting, garage)
Personal price limit for the house: approx. €300,000
Preferred heating technology: geothermal (individual decision in our building area) otherwise air-water heat pump
If you have to do without, which details/extensions
- you can do without: maybe some square meters, especially the upper floor seems quite generous; door from garage into the house not a must, same with pantry; fireplace; secondary unit
- you cannot do without: closed kitchen, very reluctantly without the work/guest room on the ground floor, separate entrance for the secondary unit
Why has the draft turned out the way it is now?
Draft by the draftsman
Corresponding/which wishes were implemented by the architect: door from garage to house, closed kitchen, dressing room, secondary unit in the basement (although differently than planned)
What is the most important/basic question about the floor plan summarized in 130 characters?
Do you see other critical points? Do we see problems that do not exist?
I fear we want too much for our budget; where do you see potential savings?
I hope I have not forgotten any important points; otherwise, please feel free to ask.
Thank you very much for reading this long post. I look forward to constructive criticism and suggestions of any kind
PS: By the way, the slope is not as drastic as it looks in the external views; the draftsman could not depict it differently with his program.

with us, it is (finally) slowly getting serious with the house construction.
Provided the seller of the plot does not back out at short notice, we have the appointment at the notary in March to draw up the purchase contract.
A few weeks ago, we accepted an offer from a general contractor (GU) to look at the aforementioned plot and development plan together to see if our house wish could be realized there.
A draftsman looked at everything with us, listened to our wishes and ideas in a 2-hour conversation, and took notes.
Last week we then met in the office to review the first draft. Since then, we have planned to give a list with our wishes and ideas during further discussions with planners (we want to meet with 2-3 more companies to find the right one). Unfortunately, not everything that was really important to us was considered, and too much attention was paid to things that are merely "nice-to-have." >.<
The planner recommended that we calmly think through his draft at home, see what we like and what does not work at all.
Before we give him our feedback, I would also like to hear your opinion on this draft. Maybe you experienced builders will notice something we are not so aware of, or you dismantle our thoughts on it, which can also be very helpful.
Here follows first the completed questionnaire:
Development plan/restrictions
Plot size: 743m2, 20m x 37m
Slope: yes, sloping backward, the draftsman estimates the height difference at about 3m (if we own the plot, we were advised to obtain the soil survey with leveling to enable the best possible house planning. We will do that.)
Site coverage ratio: 0.3
Floor space index: 0.6
Building window, building line and boundary: see attachment
Perimeter development: 3m distance to neighbors, 7m to the street
Number of parking spaces: not specified; 2-3 desired
Number of stories: 2 full floors allowed
Roof shape: only pitched roofs
Style: open construction method
Maximum heights/limits: with downhill development, eaves height max. 4.50m above finished floor level
Other requirements: cistern is mandatory with 50l storage volume per m2 of sealed surface
Requirements of the builders
Style, roof shape, building type: solid house, rectangular house shape, no bay windows, etc., gable roof
Basement, stories: 1.5 stories + basement, possibly with a small apartment/secondary unit in the basement; ground and upper floor approx. 150m2 in total
Number of people, age: 2 adults (31 + 31), 1-2 children planned
Room requirements on ground and upper floor
Office: family use or home office?: both; should be integrated on the ground floor (as a sleeping option in case going up stairs is not possible due to illness. I am somewhat "preloaded" in this regard professionally as an occupational therapist)
Sleep guests per year: 1-2
Open or closed architecture: rather closed
Conservative or modern design: rather conservative?
Open kitchen, kitchen island: no, closed, if possible a kitchen-living room
Number of dining seats: daily 2-4
Fireplace: chimney flue gladly included
Music/stereo wall: no
Balcony, roof terrace: no
Garage, carport: if possible double garage, otherwise normal garage, my boyfriend would like a door from the garage into the house
Utility garden, greenhouse: maybe a small part for herbs etc.
Other wishes/special features/daily routine, also reasons why this or that should or should not be:
Shower/WC on the ground floor (similar reason to the guest room, also a second shower practical if children are around);
It would be nice to have a small pantry or storage room near the kitchen;
"Dressing room" (rather walk-in closet) in the master bedroom is nice-to-have but not a must;
Because of the slope, we thought about planning a small apartment/secondary unit in the basement (e.g., if the mother-in-law living alone can no longer stay in the old house for health reasons; she actually does not want to leave there; or later for the child), and very importantly a separate entrance from outside preferably without stairs (in case of wheelchair/walker; and if rented out so the staircase does not have to be shared)
House draft
By whom was the plan created:
- Planner of a construction company
What do you particularly like? Why?: we really like the layout on the upper floor, also that the children’s rooms are the same size; on the ground floor we like the location of the kitchen and guest room better than in our self-drawn draft (which I will attach as well)
What do you not like? Why?
Basement: that we basically have no more cellar because the secondary unit occupies the whole floor (apart from the utility room); hardly any possibilities to place furniture in the living room of the secondary unit due to many doors; bathtub must go, shower would be difficult to access like this;
Ground floor: the large utility room (unfortunately necessary since no cellar room is available, and actually a good solution for the door into the house), we would prefer a kitchen-living room, but it is probably not feasible with this floor plan?;
For us, however, the biggest problem is the staircase. On the one hand, I am not sure whether the wardrobe will work for a family with children later. On the other hand, the idea that I might have to share the staircase with strangers (e.g., half asleep in the morning going down to the ground floor and meeting unknown visitors of the secondary unit resident? For me not an option!) is terrible!
Price estimate according to architect/planner: €391,000 (KFW 55, air-water heat pump, excluding earthworks - estimated by planner at €18,000 -, painting, garage)
Personal price limit for the house: approx. €300,000
Preferred heating technology: geothermal (individual decision in our building area) otherwise air-water heat pump
If you have to do without, which details/extensions
- you can do without: maybe some square meters, especially the upper floor seems quite generous; door from garage into the house not a must, same with pantry; fireplace; secondary unit
- you cannot do without: closed kitchen, very reluctantly without the work/guest room on the ground floor, separate entrance for the secondary unit
Why has the draft turned out the way it is now?
Draft by the draftsman
Corresponding/which wishes were implemented by the architect: door from garage to house, closed kitchen, dressing room, secondary unit in the basement (although differently than planned)
What is the most important/basic question about the floor plan summarized in 130 characters?
Do you see other critical points? Do we see problems that do not exist?
I fear we want too much for our budget; where do you see potential savings?
I hope I have not forgotten any important points; otherwise, please feel free to ask.
Thank you very much for reading this long post. I look forward to constructive criticism and suggestions of any kind
PS: By the way, the slope is not as drastic as it looks in the external views; the draftsman could not depict it differently with his program.