Floor plan discussion based on existing thread

What said. Additionally: Long distances from the door to the kitchen with groceries. Why is the terrace only accessible from the kitchen? Horrible dressing room, very narrow bedroom.

Addendum: Your hallways will be as dark as the Middle Ages. I don’t know if you’re allowed to build a room on the ground floor on the right side of the plan without windows... If an architect messed this up, then he slept through his studies.

Kitchen garden, greenhouse yes

Open-plan room, terrace liked

But you wouldn't have adequate access to the kitchen garden from the kitchen?!

It really looks like a "simple, square, small house"

It is also

A covered entrance with columns, but a bay window or a setback, a dormer or or or would be first ideas, depending on what money is left.

How much cash is available?

The wishes can be as big (or small) as they like – everything depends on the budget.
I’m surprised you dream of columns in front of the door when you plan the entrance before the parking space in such a way that there are no possibilities for that at all.
In principle, the way to the kitchen is more of a slalom than practical.

And otherwise: think in 3D! First deal with the plot: how much house is feasible on the slope? Then deal with 2D.

I once tore down the other thread: the "waiting for a small interest rate dip" reads as if some things are not feasible or money is limited. Hobby and HO, something like that can also fit under the roof. You prospective builders always forget the roof, which is already there anyway and can be converted into great rooms (in EL). With a gable in the window, fully usable living space is created with inexpensive conversion for a fraction of the cost of an additional floor. Just try to leave behind the idea of the standard villa with a partially buried basement and come back down to the plot and budget.

As I said, too little info. The crucial questions are not answered, which are:

- Budget: roughly estimated, you are at 160sqm x 3000 = 480K. Plus the basement with sauna, WC and knickknacks, estimated 80sqm x 1500 = 120K (probably more), so we are at 600K just for the house. You haven’t included any landscaping yet, which you can’t omit with a slope. Not to mention garage or carport. So I casually add 100K on top. A bit of upgrading, kitchen, connections, fees - 50K. That’s all calculated rather tightly - yet we are at 750K. Is that roughly what you budgeted?

Otherwise missing:
- Distance regulations for outbuildings - also to the street
- Reference point ridge height
- The depth of the plot is unclear. You didn’t indicate where it begins. Do the 5.50m still count? The 4.39m?
- The floor plan sketch contains mistakes that would never happen to an architect. That is very implausible. The outer walls look far too thin. Roof slopes not considered.

So far, the impression is that you prefer to deal little with your plot and possibilities. That’s okay - a good expert will advise you accordingly and if you like that, everything is fine. Basically, as the builders you are always responsible for your own luck. So if someone delivers botched work because you approved the plans as they are, that’s your bad luck. Therefore, a minimum of skepticism is good.

With the current info we won’t really discuss properly here, as it is too contradictory. But when you’re back from the architect, you surely will have something to show. Ideally you need sections, elevations, site plan and floor plan with real wall thicknesses and heights. Then we’ll gladly support you.

Good morning! Thank you very much for taking us on again.

I will try to explain step by step:

Budget: Well, I see the two upper floors rather at 140m² instead of 160m². Also, we are located very rurally here, where people still know and help each other well. In most trades we have acquaintances where we partly only pay for materials and will do a lot ourselves. We hope to manage with 500k but are currently waiting for more precise costs from the architect. We may have to raise the budget a bit, which is feasible.

Distance regulations: As far as I know from the architect, outbuildings only need to be approved by the municipality. After first inquiries there are no fixed rules and we just have to stay “somewhat” away from the street. The architect wants to plan accordingly and clarify finally.

Reference point height: According to the architect’s inquiry to the municipality, the definition is indeed unclear. In consultation with the municipality, we plan to use the averaged value of the four corner points of the house as reference.

Plot depth: see attachment, the plots have meanwhile been merged. 27x28.5m

Mistakes: I have already noted the wardrobe in the dressing room, I will gladly take another look at the wall thickness question. We plan to build with pumice stone.

Basically, of course we are involved in our project, but we also have a certain trust in the architect. We know each other and we have seen several houses she has built nearby. That’s why we are basically convinced that the project will be well implemented. Nevertheless, we want to bring in everything that we notice and that could lead to problems at this point in time. That is why I am registered here.

We are currently still waiting for the heights and the more detailed design, which I will gladly bring then. Sections and elevations are naturally still missing, but basically there is already a floor plan and it is also sketched how it should lie on the plot, I’m happy to discuss that already :-)

Best regards!

But from the kitchen you wouldn’t have adequate access to the utility garden?!

It is as well

How much money is available?

The wishes can be as big (or as small) as they want – everything stands or falls with the budget.
I’m surprised that you are dreaming of columns in front of the door when you plan the entrance in front of the parking space so that there are no possibilities for it at all.
In principle, the way to the kitchen is more of a slalom than practical.

And otherwise: think in 3D! First deal with the basis: how much house is feasible on the slope? Then deal with 2D.

That about the access is correct. But it would not be a top priority for us either.
The thing with the budget is of course right; as mentioned, we are currently waiting for the cost breakdown. Then we will see if we stick to it or if wishes are still possible.

I once took down the other thread: the “waiting for a small interest rate dip” reads as if some things are not feasible or the money is finally limited.
Hobby and home office, that can also be under the roof. You building hopefuls always forget the roof, which is already there and can be converted into great rooms (in EL). With a gable window, fully functional living space is created with cost-effective conversion for a fraction of the cost of an additional floor. Just once leave the thoughts of the standard villa with a lowered basement and come back to the plot and budget.

Basically, you don’t want to waste money, and no matter how much you can afford: whether it is 3.6% or 4.1% interest, in the end you pay much more because of it, and you don’t want that, even if you can afford it.
We can basically spend more than our initial desired budget, you just have to ask yourself whether you want to spend it.

Regarding the roof, a roof pitch of 30° is planned in the current design, which with the maximum ridge height of 8m results in the space under the roof not having sufficient height to be usable as living space.
Or do you mean that the basement should be dispensed with for that?

Addendum: Your corridors will be as dark as the Middle Ages.
I don’t know if you’re allowed to build such a room on the ground floor, right side of the plan, without a window...

If some architect tinkered with this, then he must have slept during his studies.

Hello SoL,

we have noticed that too; the architect wants to install a skylight above the stairs, which will provide brightness. The only question is how to clean it...

We only really finalized the windows at the last appointment; not all are included in the draft. Both the guest toilet and the storage room will be provided with a window.

Best regards