Floor plan single-family house city villa approx. 240m² without basement

This is a somewhat smaller construction company with a very good reputation that has existed for quite some time.

Unfortunately, it is still not without risk if you stylistically "deviate from their style."

Everyone also says about architects that they never stick to a budget, so why should that make more sense?

That is nonsense, and I have already explained several times (including in this forum) in which cases, why, and regarding which types of architects this sometimes applies (but it should not be generalized). It makes sense because an architect has learned conceptual design, whereas a general contractor’s draftsman is supposed to uncritically and without independent creativity fine-tune customers’ wishes to be approval-capable and implement them into working drawings. If you are solvent, they should not talk you out of surfaces (such as roof terraces that would be sufficient for the governor’s New Year’s reception).

Who is "Rensch-Haus"?

Rensch-Haus is a German prefabricated house manufacturer with a design line that I would describe as "Miami Vice architecture," so basically "US-Mediterranean" (also with hip roofs). That unites you with R.Hotzenplotz: this "hip-roof neo-Bauhaus."

No, construction is towards the Slovenian border – I’m from Austria.

I have not been active there so far.

Thank you very much for your feedback, we are aware that the prices are rather going to rise. But I also have to work with what the construction companies tell me, currently still in the green zone. off topic: I haven’t been here for long, but it seems to me you can write the budget is 10 million and someone says it’s not enough;)

Thank you for not taking my opinion regarding the wasteful size badly. Aha, you are building in Austria. Possibly the prices are (still) somewhat different there. In principle, I find your project very nice. Just a bit oversized (my personal opinion).

I find a discussion about whether a house is too big to be rather pointless as long as it fits the budget. I do not get the impression here that it is a matter of money. Much more important for me would be the question of whether it is wise to save money on a successful planning by a true professional? You can always still build with the general contractor, but for the planning, I would, in your place, look for a proper architect.

I don't really like the "open space" like this. The kitchen almost seems like a separate room because of the pantry, and the dining area doesn't seem particularly spacious either.

Regarding separate toilet + shower room upstairs: In some other countries, this is quite common (I know this from Japan, there are surely others). The drains obviously have to fit (the shower is directly above the airspace, if I see that correctly – no idea if that's possible), but I don't necessarily see anything wrong with the separation itself. I think often the rooms are just placed next to each other anyway for connection reasons (but it doesn't have to be that way).

A friend of mine wanted that too (without any Japan reference) and in the end, he was persuaded to put a toilet in the larger bathroom "because that's how it's done"... and now it's basically only used if overnight guests use it after/before showering (so basically not at all) (otherwise guests use the separate toilet).

I find a discussion about whether a house is too big to be unproductive as long as it fits the budget.

That a free person is also allowed to invest their money in square meters is one thing. Another thing is that, in my opinion, it makes a difference whether additional square meters are created out of desire (i.e., the attitude "I treat myself") or whether they involuntarily emerge as a "byproduct" of unprofessional planning. In the latter case, the additional costs are regularly not associated with an increase in enjoyment.

I find a discussion about whether a house is too big rather unproductive as long as it fits the budget. I do not get the impression here that it is failing because of money. Much more important for me would be the question whether it is wise to save money on a good plan from a real professional? You can always still build with the general contractor, but for the planning I would look for a proper architect in your position.

Saving on the planning is of course not particularly wise. So far we have actually decided against the architect because we had quite clear ideas. But if it now turns out that our ideas and the previous planning implementation of these are not optimal in some areas, then we have to reconsider that. The idea of saving was not decisive at all...