Floor plan design: Single-family house; 140 sqm; without basement; 730 sqm plot

Tell the architect to make a cut on the left and right side of the staircase. Then you can see the problem.

In my opinion, it really looks awful. The architect designs the entire house around the beautiful straight staircase and then you end up with such a messed up underside. I would accept that in the basement but not in the living area. Especially since the extremely steep staircase to the attic is not really necessary. You might lose about 1 m2 of usable floor space in the attic. I also have a space-saving staircase to the attic, and it’s difficult when something large has to be carried up. Luckily, I have to go up there rather rarely.

Especially since the extremely steep staircase to the attic is not really necessary.

Instead of badmouthing this staircase now, I would simply praise a fixed staircase to the attic. What is revolutionary in the bungalow to create missing, easily accessible storage space can also be done in the gable roof house. As already said: make the house a bit wider so that everything gains a bit, adjust so that the dimensions are correct everywhere, tune some things, and plan the staircase a bit longer. However, I must also say that I don’t have everything in my head anymore (there are too many floor plan discussions here by now ;) )

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If you actually bring home €8000 net, then increase your payment to over €2000 and make the house a bit wider. If not you, who else can still afford it. Then all the mentioned defects can be fixed.

For the monthly installments, we have set a limit similar to eBay. This will not be changed for now.

In my opinion, that really looks terrible. The architect designs the entire house around the beautiful straight staircase and then you have such a messed-up underside. I would accept that in the basement but not in the living area. Especially since the extremely steep staircase to the attic is not really necessary. You might lose about 1 m² of usable floor space in the attic. I also have a space-saving staircase in the attic, it’s hard to carry something big up there. Fortunately, I rarely have to go up there.

Apart from a few changes, we already like the ground floor very much. We probably still have to think about the upper floor and the staircase to the attic. We definitely want the fixed staircase and would also sacrifice comfort (pull-down staircases are not more comfortable either). But of course bulky things must also fit into the attic. The 1.5 m ceiling height when I reach the attic is already an argument...

For the monthly installments, we have set a limit similar to eBay. That won't be changed for now.

Sorry, but we are not on eBay here, or at any other auction or bazaar. I am always quite frugal when planning, but you have to distinguish between stinginess and frugality. Your draft is lacking in the width of the kitchen, office/guest room, the two children's rooms, and the attic (stairs). None of this is satisfactory. If you calculate precisely (unfortunately, the wall dimensions for the children's rooms are not available), they only have a floor area of 13,x... mathematically, they have about 10-11 square meters of living space. You don't want to take away a little daily joy just because you limit a monthly installment, assuming the money is there?!

Sorry, we are not on eBay, any other auctions or at the bazaar here. I am always quite frugal when planning, but one must also distinguish stinginess from frugality. Your draft is lacking in width for the kitchen, office/guest room, the two children's rooms, and the attic (stairs). Nothing is satisfactory. If you calculate exactly (unfortunately the wall measurements for the children's rooms are not available), they only have a floor area of 13,x... mathematically they have about 10-11 sqm of living space. You don't want to take away a little daily joy if you limit yourself to a monthly payment, assuming the money is there?!

Thank you for your honest opinion. When I see what the plot cost us and what the shoebox will cost us, that sounds to me like anything but stinginess. Just because I currently have a good salary does not necessarily mean it will be like that until retirement. Kitchen, office, and children's rooms should have been eased by the enlargement towards the south (though I do not even believe that children's rooms necessarily have to be >14 sqm). We will surely find a solution for the stairs as well. For now, I will go back into reading mode and will get back to you when there are new drawings from the architect. Thanks to you, we now have a long list of things we first need to clarify.

I’m going back to reading mode for now.

This is a very good idea. Also for me. Hopefully you can sort out the deficiencies pointed out here well and forward them to the architect.