Floor plan planning single-family house / bungalow - 155 sqm

What was the other reason that you absolutely want a bungalow? What bothered you so much about the other designs?

Hello Katja, I’m replying to you already, my husband is still at work. We originally planned a single-family house, ground floor + upper floor with knee wall and basement, which was offered to us turnkey for €750,000. Since that exceeds our budget, we first considered eliminating the basement. But even then the floor area quickly becomes quite large with a technical room and storage room on the ground floor and an upper floor that starts at 50 cm with sloped ceilings (knee wall according to the development plan). To be honest, we thought that a single-story building would simply be cheaper for us because then we wouldn’t have sloped ceilings that we would have to "compensate" with additional sqm to have enough space. We were probably wrong there. We can gladly share the design (basement + ground floor + upper floor) this evening. With the variant basement + ground floor, you would also have to make sure that there aren’t too many “dark” rooms downstairs. Both the children’s rooms and the master bedroom should have daylight, as well as the family bathroom. I also wonder whether this variant really ends up being cheaper. It was important to us, for example, that you can get out of the kitchen into the garden to eat. With a basement that fully protrudes to the front towards the southwest, you would need a raised balcony or something similar... and that might cast shadows on the rooms below... We will get in touch in detail this evening :-) Thanks already!

If the single-story design is desired by the authorities, but there is a slope throughout the building/residential area, in my opinion it is a good statement of the development plan to at least be able to build the basement as a full floor. If this were read more often and as a builder one also deals with why and what advantages there are, there are great options that look smoother than alternative villas that are forced onto an uneven plot of land at all costs.

Hello Ypg,
a basement as a full floor should be "allowed" since the houses around also have residential basements.
Best regards, Franzi

The problem with split level is in my opinion that you can only build something like that with companies that have done it many times before. However, maybe with prefabricated house providers who have it in the standard range, you can get a bargain compared to other providers.

Whereas Laux, contrary to his self-description, is not a prefabricated house builder but a turnkey general contractor delivering site-ready, who also has a commendably regional scope of action. The classic nationwide "prefab" house builders unfortunately only rarely have split level in their range (and then only in the private insured catalog).

We originally planned a single-family house, ground floor + upper floor with knee wall and cellar, which was offered to us turnkey for €750,000. Since this exceeds our budget, we first considered eliminating the cellar. But even then, the floor area quickly becomes quite large with technical and storage rooms on the ground floor and an upper floor that starts with 50 cm slopes (knee wall according to development plan). Honestly, we thought that a single-storey building would simply be cheaper for us, since we then wouldn't have slopes that we have to "balance out" with additional sqm to have enough space. We were probably wrong there. We can gladly share the design tonight (cellar + ground floor + upper floor).

The assumption of being wrong is probably correct. From the prices of the general contractor offers – no matter whether high or low – often false general conclusions are drawn. I am looking forward to the old design (I wanted to see it in the beginning anyway). It is not uncommon for those concepts unfairly discarded to come closer to the truth.

I really like the proposed split-level floor plan.

No, with a basement living unit you don’t need an elevated terrace/balcony or anything else. There are also no dark rooms. roughly sketched it out. I would probably plan roughly like this: Basement: living/dining/cooking mostly in the part that fully protrudes from the ground. Garden access available. House technology, WC, stairs get the side where floor-to-ceiling windows are not possible. Ground floor: 3 bedrooms and bathroom. As long as the kids are small, one child's room is your bedroom. In the beginning, not every child needs their own room. The utility room should also find a place there. Attic: parents and office, when the kids are older. Can later be expanded into a parental unit. Storage space is still available.

Take a look on the internet, preferably on Pinterest, for "building knee wall cabinets."

Due to the low knee wall height, I would probably plan more like this:
Ground floor: Living / Dining / Kitchen, Hallway, Utility room, Parents’ room, Guest WC with shower
Upper floor: 3 children’s rooms, Bathroom, Office.

By the way, I wouldn’t build a split-level if the slope runs as assumed.

Hello Ypg,
a basement as a full storey should be "allowed" since the houses around also have residential basements.
Best regards, Franzi

I told you so :)
However: I would also think twice about the split level and/or basement. A basement, whether a full storey or not, means restrictions that you don’t have otherwise.
The price range is roughly calculated and generally said from cheap to expensive:

regular gable roof house with converted attic, gable sides guarantee you a lot of light
hip roof house with converted attic, dormers would have to be added here
two-storey, always the alternative for small plots where every sqm must be used
bungalow
bungalow with basement

For the variant of basement + ground floor you’d also have to make sure that there aren’t too many "dark" rooms downstairs.

I don’t see that as a problem because you can—again generally speaking—install many normal windows in the basement.
Whereas...

Honestly, we thought a single-level building would simply be cheaper for us since we wouldn’t have any sloping ceilings that we’d have to "compensate" with extra square meters to have enough space.

...a single-level building from a certain size has a lot of circulation area and/or you don’t get light from the windows centrally into the house anymore.

It’s also a problem if you (from the frying pan into the fire) opt for an elaborate roof structure instead of relevant sqm, which basically is the hip roof. As a U-shape with open beam ceilings etc., that structure will certainly cost you roughly 20-25k more and forgoes storage space and living area under the roof. Living space under the roof automatically arises from a certain roof pitch. You don’t have to pay for that in advance—except for the interior finishing, of course. In relation to a bungalow, you save again on the size of the base plate. Last but not least, a nice gable roof house is naturally much better in terms of energy values than a bungalow.

You now have a design, but much of it is planned too small. That’s not the alternative for building a cheaper house.

In terms of the room program you need at least:
12 sqm per child’s room, so 36 sqm
15 sqm bedroom
12 sqm family bathroom
25 sqm central dining and meeting area
15 sqm kitchen (if combined with the dining area, then less)
2 sqm pantry
16-20 sqm living room
8 sqm office (12 sqm if also to be used as a guest room)
5 sqm extra bathroom
12 sqm utility room
5 sqm laundry room
12 sqm hallway
_________
172 sqm
If stairs, then of course roughly another 10 sqm plus some hallway meters.

That would be around 100 sqm on the ground floor, 70 sqm in the attic... you basically get 30 sqm for free if you don’t dwarf the knee wall. Or as suggested: generate the storage space under the knee wall. Works well with dressers but also with DIY built-in wardrobes.

Don’t underestimate the living space under the roof slopes between 1 and 2 meters. They make a well-planned room generous. That means: not only the roof slopes constrain. Minus and plus... cancel each other out :)

The slope of 120 cm... that needs to be looked at. Some construction companies dig that out for you in one day so that you do recognize the slope but you can confidently enter the house as well as reach the terrace without boundary embankment.
I just noticed: that also means "on the slope."

Since a planner is involved and a house with 3 children’s rooms is not rocket science: is it possible that you want to reinvent the wheel by giving him tasks that cannot be solved?
You will get 170 sqm in compact construction for around €500,000.
Therefore: I would first have a standard house planned by a professional and then raise one issue or another so that your house comes out. I don’t see a bungalow in that size with that roof structure below €600,000.

I add again: or 70 sqm ground floor, 70 sqm basement, 30 sqm attic... the builder has to say what comes cheaper on the plot.