Floor Plan Feedback Single-Family House - Weberhaus

Hello,

Thank you all for taking the time to critically review the planning. In fact, there are many points that have made us think again, and we will probably need a bit more time for the planning after all.

Many questions were also raised on the last two pages, which I probably won’t be able to answer all.

The (missing) site plan was mentioned several times – sorry about that, I am attaching it now for completeness.

Regarding the living situation: We are 34/37 and currently childless. Since we don’t know if that will stay that way, we didn’t plan the children’s room too large, as otherwise it would be a big empty room.

The bathroom is actually a contentious point – as mentioned at the beginning, we are not happy with it yet and I have the feeling that we want too much here. Garden view, second bedroom access, large, washing machine, toilet near the door.

Concerning the 3 levels: It is indeed intentional that my home office is in the basement. I’m at the office 2/5 days anyway and don’t work on weekends. That means the room remains unused 4 out of 7 weekdays. Currently my office faces south and I constantly have the blinds down there anyway.

In a basement we also see the advantage of not having to build a garage or something similar to do handiwork or store things.

The sliding doors seemed to us like a very space-saving alternative. But I understood that they are more for the eye than for the ear.

All in all: Thanks for your feedback. We will seriously reconsider and certainly modify some things (e.g. sliding doors, bathroom anyway).

All the best!
Stefan

In a basement, we also see the advantage of not having to build a garage or something similar where you do workshop work or store things.

When I look at the heights in the site plan, I mainly see a strong indication in this basement that you haven’t read the 11ant basement rule ("With or without a basement: a rule as a decision-making tool"). only praised it highly on Easter Sunday *happy*

The sliding doors seemed to us to be a very space-saving alternative. But I understood that they are more for the eye than for the ear.

Some (/these) sliding doors are mainly stigmas of "planning" with building permit and working plan finishers who, unlike independent architects, do not talk clients out of even the biggest nonsense wishes. So "double-stitched," just in case someone overlooks the prominently placed fancy downpipe box in the living room. Is it actually supposed to be illuminated? *SCNR*

Some things (e.g. sliding doors, bathroom anyway) we will thoroughly reconsider and certainly change.

No, please don’t change anything here. This design is not worth even a sixteenth of a thought energy improvement effort. Into the bin with no farewell tears, or phrased as a Monopoly card: "You have gained an insight. Go immediately to a freelance architect with it!" Good that your children don’t see this misfire yet.

Well... in the end: thanks for your feedback.

The thanks that motivates me the most is when those warned in time also hear the warning shot. The drafting clerks, mistaken by many naive housebuyer customers as "architects," placed in the process flow between salesperson and production, save architects’ fees at first glance, but practically speaking are money slots for money thrown away on plannerically inferior products purchased. They do provide without malice poor performance, but due to lack of qualification. A home is supposed to be a place to live for many years. You don’t go to the shoe repair-locksmith-shop package deal for a bridal hairstyle, even if Ali is really nice.

Since we don’t know if it will stay that way, we didn’t plan the children’s room too large, because otherwise it would become a large empty room.

And whoever has a hobby goes to the basement. Later hobby wishes that require daylight are forbidden. A free room could serve that purpose, if you have one.

In a basement, we also see the advantage of not having to build a garage or similar space where you do craftwork or store things.

You prioritize a basement and therefore storage space more than living or recreational rooms. What do you have in total: a multipurpose room with just under 36 sqm, a master bedroom that is larger than necessary, and an average-sized children’s room. The walk-in closet counts as wardrobe space, so storage space, plus one level of storage space (basement), of which a small room is to be used as an office. Whoever wants to withdraw goes to the basement.

What about the thermal envelope? At that price, the basement is not of living space quality, because then the entire basement would have to be included in the thermal envelope?! I would inquire about that, because you are paying a lot of money for very little house! In comparison, a detached house without a basement of 160 sqm has about 1/10 healthy secondary space, with you it is roughly about 1/3. And that for 2 people. The office with a basement window would not be a living space, that would not only be a problem when you do HO (home office) and not mobile work, but might also cause insurance issues. You at least have a second escape route. However, this staircase won’t be cheap.

With offspring, a daycare capped by home office wouldn’t be possible. Personally, I also find it too black-and-white to want to be “darkened” by a north-facing basement window from a annoyingly bright south side.

House planning follows demand. If the demand is not yet clear and could soon change, plan flexibly. Having is better than not having. Most builders plan their two children’s rooms without having a child. But usually exactly those two are planned. Some also prepare by having a multipurpose room for guests, office, or hobby that could be converted into a children’s room if needed (for a third child).

With your 34/37, you should know how high the probability is that a child will come to you. Accordingly, you only need to plan. I know many who built at 50+, so without kids. We did too. Although without a basement, deliberately so, but the bright above-ground multipurpose/guest/sports/sewing or hobby room is indispensable. One reads in it, another crafts, a third watches soccer there while the wife has her girls’ night. The trend is towards multifunctional rooms – the more, the better. I can’t imagine anyone voluntarily going to the basement to have some peace and quiet.

I have the feeling that we want too much here. Garden view, second bedroom access, large, washing machine, toilet near the door.

Maybe you are putting all your wishes for the house into the bathroom? So just that class for itself and forget that it could be the house that is great. And the bathroom would then be a part of the whole. A wellness oasis without a noisy washing machine, dirty laundry in front of the tub, and a throne toilet, but simply with the function of switching off, lockable with just one door.

It is actually intended that my home office is in the basement. 2/5 days I am at the office anyway, and I don’t work on weekends. That means the room remains unused 4 out of 7 weekdays. Currently my office faces south and I constantly have to pull the blinds down anyway.

May I ask on which PC your wife’s private matters are handled?

No, please don’t change anything here.

I wouldn’t either... I suggest you let everything sink in and read calmly over the weekend and rethink every single room. Also many daily routines including conflicts, illness, malaise, child with everything and/or separate activities in the house. There are rooms as compromises and there are life situations with compromises. And there are situations that allow no compromises. Only after that do things continue: whether with your little tower, which is buried 1/3 underground, or maybe something else.

Perhaps it should be said in general that a cellar with living quality is more expensive and would have only disadvantages for living and working compared to building above ground. Also, no one wants to constantly haul their bicycle into the cellar and then dig it back up again when a wooden shed next to the house does the job much better and cheaper.

There are often good reasons to build a cellar. But none of them apply to you, as far as I can tell. Therefore, my advice is: sit down again and seriously consider whether you really want to place the expensive rooms completely underground, making them even more expensive and at the same time worse?

There are often good reasons to build a basement. But in your case, none of them apply, as far as I can see.

especially since

Plot / Restrictions: 762m² plot in residential area, old building, no slope, 20*38m, garden facing ENE No building restrictions (no floor area ratio etc.) 1 parking space

the plot is quite large and, according to the information, has no restrictions. And then there is still the question of "possibly a practice with customer visits" open .. if allowed, such a thing should always be planned so that customers do not have to pass through private rooms.

A washing machine in the bathroom is only done in an apartment. Why don’t you plan a small utility room? That's where the dirty laundry can lie, delicate hand wash can be in the sink, and the washing machine’s spin cycle won’t be disturbing. So you lie in the bathtub, a scent of sweaty sportswear in your nose while the washing machine meditatively runs its spin cycle. The children's room is somewhat small in relation to the house. Home office in the basement, commercial space with customer visits as well. Daylight doesn’t hurt either of these rooms. A workshop at ground floor level is also much more pleasant. I would only plan 2 floors. I can imagine the practice in a small annex, for example like in the Rensch-Haus Orlando (I pass such a model every day, so that’s why I use it as an example). If there is no practice, it can become a sewing room, man cave, teenager’s room, etc.