Floor plan feedback single-family house for 4-5 people, 200 sqm on a 500 sqm plot in BW

850,000€ is such an emotional boundary for us

That is a nice term that suggests a certain factual elasticity.

Open the dressing room from the hallway.

If dressing room, then exactly like that.

We are still considering whether we really want the pantry, or rather invest the space in the kitchen.

The pantry has become a revived trend. The larger kitchen would be my favorite. Also, the appearance of the building structure would benefit if the kitchen were somewhat larger and a balcony emerged above it. However, not the budget.

To be honest, so far we have only talked about the interior planning with the planner and have somewhat neglected the exterior views.

Planning a house from the inside out is one of several good approaches. The room layout especially on the 1st floor is very pragmatically solved. The planner has arranged the windows symmetrically to the outside. Aside from your wish that they not be floor-to-ceiling, it is worth checking whether they could be wider and whether the symmetry is more helpful or more harmful when thought from the inside out.

I find your other comments about the appearance of the house exciting. Unfortunately, I don’t have a very good aesthetic sense. Do you have an idea how it could be done better and differently?

Assuming that the building height is more or less fixed by the neighboring buildings and a nearly square plot of only 500 sqm allows little room for a building in a proportion that appears less narrow and tall, I agree with you that the appearance can still be significantly influenced by the façade design. The division of space over almost four floors causes that neither outside nor inside this large house will evoke a feeling of spaciousness. For me as a builder, that would be a show-stopper. This does by no means mean that the design is bad or that it would be wrong to build the house like this.

Here it becomes clear how important it is to think intensively from the very beginning about how one wants to live. Which lifestyle the house should support to the same extent as which functions it should have.
Simple questions like:
"What characterizes a room in which I feel comfortable?"
"What really makes a day beautiful in my own home, what causes a day to be bad?"
"What role do light and the connection between inside and outside play for me in which season?"
"How do I wish for the development of the children during the time they live with me in the house?"
"What is our family life like during the week, on weekends, during holidays, on special occasions… and what makes life pleasant and beautiful for us at these times and occasions?"
"What colors and shapes particularly appeal to me, which repel me?"
For this process we took about 8 months loosely. Only then did the briefing with the architect come, and only after that the first draft, which immediately fit 95%. Nevertheless, we took several more months to let the design settle; the changes were not big, but ultimately important. We also already had the plot. It was this process that led us to build a house that fits our life very, very well. Much is non-standard. So what. If your house fits the way it is drawn, you can be indifferent to how others find it. What really matters is only that it fits you and your family.

Do you have to know him? Who is he supposed to be? Blogger? Vlogger? They didn’t invent the world either and are often wrong.
Recently, there wasn’t any really great work seen here from an allegedly well-known female architect from YT.

Several not-so-great ones. Andreas Zink should be known if you are looking for a "prefabricated" house consultant especially in Lower Bavaria (and understand Bavarian fluently). Together with mainly colleagues Beuler and Freyermuth, he belongs to those I recommend in a broader sense as "competitors" (apart from the fact that with them you practically exclude the Steiners). But even construction method specialized consultants are already "better than nothing," if at least provider-neutral.

He does offer all service phases. I have already been inside houses where he was in charge of construction management.

There are also good pure construction managers. But in my opinion, the best is when the planner knows both halves from regular practice (and last but not least continuously updates their price estimates fresh).

What do you mean by that?

I mean the case constellation that mainly motivated me to write the cellar rule: namely that someone absolutely wants to build without a cellar, although their sloped plot speaks against a slab-on-ground house. Many people look shockingly often into DIY store newspaper inserts for the prices of "L-blocks" and then dream of unrealistic price differences compared to the cellar. They then put in one scale of their milkmaid’s calculation, for example, 80k for a cellar, and in the other three ten-packs of L-blocks. Now they have instead a rule of thumb that has proven itself over decades (I look back on four decades of construction planning).

We easily took 8 months for this process. Only then came the briefing with the architect and only then the first draft, which fit 95% right away. Nevertheless, we took several months to let the draft settle, the changes were not big but ultimately important. We already had the plot, too. It was this process that led us to build a house that fits our life very, very well. Much of it is non-standard. So what. If your house fits you as drawn, you can not care how others find it. The only thing that really matters is that it fits you and your family.

On a smaller scale, the optimally six-week dough rest is also a highly potent measure, more effective as a break than some continuous wandering around.

Me again, I measured the ground floor to see how to fit the technical room well. And found out that the drawn platform staircase does not have the roughly required 3 meters in length. Have the architect check that again. As a start, my unfinished rough draft of the idea that the balcony could be placed on an extension. is right when he says that 10 sqm more or less (or let it be 20 sqm) will not be noticeable in the garden.

Hello, I want to understand quite a few things better, so:

KFW40 house, approx. 150-170 sqm (that was the initial wish, although the wife wanted it somewhat bigger). It did turn out like that.

What exactly did she want bigger and why? So far it’s only a plan....

Living room approx. 35 sqm was the specification.

....by whom and why?

Development plan from the 1930s. Still valid but there have already been many approved deviations in the neighborhood.

....in this respect, an experienced architect should first explore what is possible there and especially clarify such matters in advance

that we probably have to at least put up the attic.

....possibly a washer-dryer column can be installed in case going up and down becomes too annoying at some point.

what’s that supposed to mean?

Balcony, roof terrace
Balcony desired. Initially for the cats. Later maybe also for the kids when they want to hang out there with friends.

What about the gazillions of cats who don’t have a €30,000 balcony? I never see boys or teenagers sitting on balconies; I see them (or rather not) in dark, shielded rooms.

Preference goes to a wooden carport for 2 cars with a shed behind it. The planner says a prefabricated garage (6x9m) is the cheaper solution due to its all-inclusive nature.

I want to disagree because I have exactly such a carport with an extension. Besides, I wouldn’t like the prefabricated solution at all.

Who made the plan:
Independent building planner (who also takes on construction management) and works together with a freelance architect.

Why doesn’t the architect make the plan alone? Do you have references or have you seen houses already built?

Large master bathroom with a 2-person bathtub

....but I can’t see that planned anywhere so far

Since we have a behaviorally conspicuous child, we would like to close off the stairs.

I would definitely include this circumstance, whatever its impact, in the planning and absolutely consider the special needs of the child, who is getting older, in both directions. Simply “close the stairs” seems too narrow-minded in the planning phase.

He has already talked us out of some things during the planning phase because they were too expensive, not feasible, or impractical.

Can you name these “talked-out wishes” for us?

Honestly, I find the house quite boring and unattractive considering the expected costs. The proportions and the external appearance are dreadful.

I can only agree with this opinion, adding an exclamation mark. My basic feeling when looking at the drawings would be the same. I want inspiring designs, ideas, thoughts from which in the end a feasible but still visually pleasing product emerges. To me, it looks like an older suburban house to which a covered balcony was eventually added.

Unfortunately, I don’t have a very good aesthetic sense.

That is no problem in itself, and taste or aesthetics can be perceived differently. However, for such an expensive “life project,” I would not accept this justification. Engage more with it, look at things, ask for references, drive around and find out which style of house, especially inside, might appeal to you. It can turn out quite differently in the end, but just saying “I have no sense for aesthetics” sounds too short-sighted to me.

After I tell the architect what is important and beautiful in our life or should be, I expect him/her first to explore the possible parameters and not to rely on assumptions about what the building authority might think. After that, I expect, alongside a functional, fresh floor plan, at least a rough representation of an exterior view including the terrain. I don’t really see that here, at least not in a form that would make me smile as a sign of my anticipation for the planned house.
I would seriously consider to whom I would entrust the realization of my house construction. As already expressed, the author of the current drawings would definitely not be my choice—not because I prefer more modern-looking buildings. I also know very stylish houses with classical and/or older styles, but that’s not what I see here either.

wattndattn?

A washer column or washer tower is something like this

That is a nice term that suggests a certain factual elasticity.

Exactly. The factual elasticity is the buffer that ensures this project will most likely not lead us into existential financial problems.

The pantry is a fashion that has become modern again. The larger kitchen would be my favorite. The appearance of the building would also benefit if the kitchen became somewhat larger and a balcony was created above it. However, not the budget.

Yes, the extension with a balcony on top is also on my mind. Then the balcony would either run along the entire length of the house or only be on this extension. So far, it also serves to shade the terrace. However, that could possibly also be solved with a sun sail and/or awning.
I can also very well imagine a large kitchen without a pantry. Nowadays, intelligent storage space can be created in tall cabinets. And the larger kitchen appliances that really only have to be used three times a year don't have to be near the kitchen.

The division of the space into practically four floors means that neither outside nor inside will give the feeling of spaciousness in this large house. For me as the builder, that would be a show-stopper.

Currently, we live in a 170sqm terraced house for rent. Here the area is spread over 3 full floors, so roughly 55sqm per floor:
Ground floor: living room 40sqm, storage space 2sqm, kitchen 9sqm, hallway 3sqm, guest WC 2sqm
Upper floor: parents approx. 22sqm, bathroom approx. 12sqm, children 1+2: each 11sqm
Attic: studio approx. 40sqm + balcony + boiler room (2sqm) + storage room (2sqm)
This is a very tall and narrow house. At least we know what we're getting into.

"What characterizes a room where I feel comfortable?"
"What really makes a nice day in your own house, what makes a day bad?"
"What role do light and the connection between inside and outside play for me in which season?"
"How do I envision the development of the children during the time they live with me in the house?"
"What is our family life like during the week, on weekends, during holidays, on special occasions... and what makes life pleasant and beautiful for us at those times and occasions?"
"What colors and shapes especially appeal to me, which repel me?"

For this process, we took about 8 months. Only then came the briefing with the architect and then the first draft, which fit 95% right away. Nevertheless, we took several months to let the draft settle; the changes were not big but ultimately important. We also already had the plot. It was this process that led us to build a house that fits our life very, very well. Much of it is non-standard. So what. If your house fits as drawn, it doesn't matter how others find it. The only really important thing is that it fits you and your family.

Important questions! We have been pondering for several years about what our house should look like and what we expect from it. For such big projects that I am doing for the first time, I am also somewhat externally guided. I don't want to overlook anything and do not necessarily trust myself to judge whether a floor plan is perfect or only 80% suitable for the requirements.
Generally, a large open house and the special needs of our child unfortunately exclude each other. Open elements always invite him to throw the furniture around. From that point of view, many doors are actually for protection of the house, ourselves, and the child. Everyone needs their retreat options. Life sometimes must be divided between rooms. I'd rather put the computer in another room because otherwise it would be destroyed. Broadly speaking, this also applies to the TV (we had to buy two new TVs in the last two years because the 4-year-old broke them). Still, this is something that can stay in the living room, as we also like to cuddle together on the sofa in front of the TV.
A large and flexible outdoor area is also important to us. Hence the desire to build as high and slim as possible.
Last week I visited a friend. She has a 2-year-old child. I was amazed at how she could simply have a shelf in the room with toys. That would not work with us. The older one would systematically destroy that. Hence the wish for storage space. If it is to last a while, it must be put away. And far away.
Also one of the reasons for a kitchen with a pantry. You can lock things away there. Otherwise, lockable kitchen cabinets and a lockable fridge are needed anyway. Ideally, all cabinets are lockable. The same applies to the house and the garden. Otherwise, we might eventually have incidents with the child running away, as happened about a year ago with a poor boy from northern Germany reported in the press.
It might also be worthwhile to realize an airlock or entry vestibule there, not only as a barrier against dirt.

There are also good pure site managers. But the best, in my opinion, is when the planner knows both halves of the game from regular practice (and last but not least continuously checks his price estimates fresh).

Yeah, one of the reasons why I trust the current one quite a bit is that I know houses he has built and he is currently building two houses again as site manager with a developer in the same town. Hence my assumption beforehand was that we would get realistic assessments here.

@nordanney is right when he says that 10sqm more or less (or even 20sqm) will not be noticeable in the garden.

We discussed again this weekend: a cellar is clearly a requirement. Whether new or old, we will still check. It would be nice to just build on the existing cellar. We have to see if two full floors are possible then. And above all, we must first look into the cellar with one or two experts. We don't want storage rooms scattered everywhere. Yes, it might become a flea market asylum. But in our current life situation, we won't be able to deal with collector issues.

Have the architect check that again. As a start, my unfinished rough draft for the idea that one could put the balcony on an extension.

We will do that. The last thing I like is a special dimension with smaller steps or steeper incline.

What exactly did she want bigger and why? There is only one plan so far...

As I said, we currently have 170sqm in a terraced house. We live on the ground and upper floors. The attic is basically storage, computer room, and a chest freezer is also there because there is no space further down. It annoys us that we have to store our files/books/food on the upper floor. Hence the feeling that 170sqm is actually too little. I think if you reordered the 170sqm well, we would manage well in our current situation. But since family growth is at least temporarily planned in the form of an au pair for a minimum of 3 years, then better one more room.

What about the trillions of cats that do not have a balcony for €30,000? Boys or teenagers sitting on balconies I never see, I see them (or rather not) in dark, secluded rooms.

They live just as well! We could just as well fence off a small area in the garden. It's simply a matter of taste.

I want to contradict that, because I have exactly such a carport with an extension. Besides, I wouldn't like the prefab solution at all.

Good to know. I strongly prefer this solution. I don't yet see us parking a Zapf box in the garden.

Why doesn't the architect do the planning alone? Have you seen references or already built houses?

If I understand correctly, he only needs the architect for the signature? I'm not sure if he is authorized to submit plans. We never met the architect behind.
We met him through a developer for whom he also does planning and site management. We didn't get along with the developer, but the contact to the planner seemed to fit well.

... but so far I see none of these planned anywhere

Well, on the top floor there is already a large bathtub drawn in. There might still be room for a bigger one. I can also imagine making more space in the upper-floor bathroom by arranging a T or a U (preferred) in the bathroom, thereby limiting the necessary fittings (shower, WC, sink) to one wall. There should also be room for a large tub if it is to go there. Moreover, the wall on which the bathtub stands can probably still be shifted a bit under the roof slope. So far, it is planned at the 2m line.

I would definitely include this, however it may affect things, in the planning and absolutely consider the special needs of the child, who is indeed getting older, in both directions. Simply "stairs closed off" I initially consider too short-sighted in the planning.

I have outlined this somewhat above: open areas invite throwing (so no open areas). A big garden (= lawn) for romping and some play equipment. Retreat opportunities important for everyone. Lockable storage. Lockable enclosed garden + house.

Can you name these "talked-out wishes"?

Among others, the carport in favor of the prefab garage.
Then a flatter roof (about 15 to 20° pitch). It was our actual wish to limit ourselves to 2 full floors plus cellar and leave the attic just as it is. That fits perfectly with a flat roof.
He wants to leave out the dormer on the steep roof for now until we get a calculation result and can reflect whether we still want the dormer or not. It would mainly be an optical element from outside. I currently can't imagine that it adds much value to the dressing room.
Raising the house by 80cm (so you don't have to dig up and model the entire garden): then the 2 full floors are no longer enough height-wise because the roof has to be so steep. We will definitely have this problem if we keep the existing cellar. But we really have to check that with the building authorities and with an architect/structural engineer looking at the cellar.
Keeping the old cellar — it is a nightmare to insulate and make waterproof. You might as well dig new. At least that's how I understood it.

For such an expensive "life project," I would not accept this justification. Deal with it more, look at things, ask for references, drive around and find out which style of house, especially inside, you might like.

Well, one of the bigger problems for us is time. Our kids demand maximum attention whenever they're not in daycare. And the rest of the time is either working or sleeping. That is also one of my bigger worries: where to find the time for the house building project?
I would most like to outsource the whole thing. We probably wouldn't even be able to go for 2 or 3 days to sample options if we were to sign with a prefabricated house manufacturer. The child would have destroyed the sampling center in less than 5 hours. Childcare is not possible in our situation. A trip to the Fellbach prefab house center would be possible once. But that would require a day off or we would have to take the kids along. Then one parent is fully occupied with childcare and doesn't get much of the houses.
All in all, not an optimal condition for house building, which consumes a lot of time.

As already stated, the author of the previous drawings would definitely not be my choice, not because I prefer more modern-looking buildings. I also know very stylish houses with classic and/or older styles, but I don't see that here either.

Why not? Yes, the sketches may be questionable. But one must clearly say most of these sketches were inspired by us. Cellar makes no sense? We asked for it. House too cubic? He first planned on 2 levels with an unfinished attic. Then we asked to use the space and reduce the ground area. So I would look for the fault here more with us. Perhaps another planner would talk us out of things more or steer us more skillfully to a good solution, studied or not. But I would see the main person responsible for the current planning less in the planner and more in us.