Initial Floor Plan - Backyard Development - 1.5 Stories

Hello everyone,

we would like to present to you our first floor plan draft and ask for your honest feedback. The house is planned for 2 adults + possibly 2 children in the future and is to be built on a plot in the countryside. We are currently in the design phase and look forward to all constructive feedback and suggestions for improvement. The plot is a backyard development, which means there are some restrictions. For example, we are not allowed to exceed a ridge height of 7.0 m and an eaves height of 3.7 m. Additionally, the allocated plots are not yet developed, so we still need to build a road here. We have been assigned plot number 4 on the site plan. More details can be found in the notes..

Development plan / restrictions

[*
Plot size: approx. 27.5 m wide × 41 m deep (~1,100 m²)
[*]Slope: no slope, flat terrain
[*]Site coverage ratio (GRZ): 0.4
[*]Floor area ratio (GFZ): 0.4
[*]Building window / distances: 3 m boundary distance, house positioned on the right side, garage may be on the boundary
[*]Number of floors: 1.5 floors (max. 7 m ridge height, approx. 3.7 m eaves height)
[*]Roof type: gable roof, min. 25° pitch
[*]Style: modern country house style
[*]Orientation: south is at the top of the plan
[*]Maximum heights: 7 m ridge, 3.7 m eaves
[*]Further requirements: We still have to develop the plot with a road. The style must match that of the neighborhood.



Builders’ requirements


[*]Building type: single-family house, 1.5 floors, no basement
[*]Residents: 2 adults, later 2 children
[*]Room requirements ground floor: Parent area entirely on ground floor (bedroom, dressing room, bathroom), living/dining/kitchen area (living area preferably separated), utility room with access to garage, guest toilet
[*]Room requirements upper floor: 2 children's rooms, 1 office, 1 bathroom, storage room
[*]Office: for home office and flexible use
[*]Overnight guests: rare (max. 2–3 × per year)
[*]Architecture: open, friendly, with clear sightlines
[*]Construction style: rather conservative-modern (no flat roof, but bright materials, clear lines)
[*]Kitchen: open kitchen with island
[*]Dining area: spacious, table for 6-8 people
[*]Fireplace: optional, more as design/coziness factor, rather no
[*]Music/stereo: haven’t thought about it yet
[*]Balcony/roof terrace: no
[*]Garage/carport: double garage, direct access to utility room, cars could be parked under the covered entrance so that the garage can be used as parking space as we will not have an attic
[*]Garden: usable garden area, terrace facing south -> I would like to plan a conservatory for the future in the terrace area or optionally build it directly. Since we will have a garden facing south and fields behind it, a conservatory is desired as a separated area to be used year-round.
[*]Special features:
[LIST]
[*]Smart home planned
[*]Parent area consciously located on the ground floor
[*]Conservatory desired in the future or built directly

️ House design

[*
Planned by: architect
[*]What is especially liked:
[LIST]
[*]South orientation with bright rooms
[*]Functional floor plan and parent area


[*]What is (still) not liked:


[*]Children’s bathroom upstairs possibly too large
[*]Bedroom too small
[*]Pantry/storage with door to utility room, utility room might be reduced in size in favor of pantry
[*]Closets in children's rooms block windows and could cause poorer lighting
[*]Driveway to garage uncertain. The garage may need to be moved further back

[*]Price estimate according to architect: not yet available
[*]Personal price limit (house + equipment): approx. €500,000, entirely self-built, plot is paid for
[*]Heating technology: geothermal heat pump with drilling, underfloor heating, technical room probably in the utility room in the garage

Why the design is like this

We wanted a house that is family-friendly, functional, and suitable for aging in place in the long term and that fits the development plan. The basic idea: parents live entirely on the ground floor, children live upstairs.

We are currently still in the optimization phase and would like feedback on:

[*]Room layout on the ground floor (hall, sleeping area)
[*]Living/dining/kitchen area: solution with an adjoining conservatory. Living area preferably separated so children or parents can take separate paths when guests come.
[*]Garage size
[*]Children’s bathroom: size and possibly can the storage room be made larger and the bathroom smaller. Possibly separate the WC from the children’s bathroom from the rest?

We look forward to your honest feedback! What would you improve or arrange differently? Thank you in advance for your time and suggestions

The children's bathroom is no longer too large if the toilet is moved forward into the area with sufficient headroom. I would omit the wall between the utility room and the pantry.

At first glance, I quite like it. The site plan doesn't give me any information now.

Children's bathroom: size and possibly. Can the storage room be made larger here and the bathroom smaller? Possibly separate the toilet from the children's bathroom from the rest of the bathroom?

The bathroom is fine as it is. Treat the children to a bathtub that you can also use (not for bathing, but for all sorts of things that life and the day's work bring). The toilet then between the window and the washbasin.

The basic idea: parents live entirely on the ground floor, the children live upstairs.

Nice idea. Unfortunately, it doesn't work as long as the children are of preschool age.

I would change the door hinge and install nice cabinets on the long side. The pantry is virtually ineffective as it is too narrow: what fits in there can be accommodated in 2 tall cabinets with a depth of 60 cm.

Second look: the open plan/kitchen will be dark. The roof covering is to blame. There are no compensating windows. Even with glass as a roof covering, light is lost. I wouldn't do it that way.

Unfortunately, I cannot see how the house is supposed to be laid out on the plot. None of the site plans have a north arrow, and apparently, everything seems to be oriented differently.

Living/Dining/Cooking area: solution with an adjacent conservatory.

Where is a conservatory supposed to be? And what do you expect from a conservatory?

A pantry strip of 100 cm depth should actually be better assigned to the utility room. Regarding the windows in the kitchen area, I agree with .

The ground floor hallway is very large with very little use. I would move the main entrance and the entrance to the living area about 70 cm to the left (i.e., the currently planned wardrobe would also be correspondingly narrower). This creates space on the right side of the vestibule and hallway to install a built-in closet row for sufficient storage of all jackets/coats/shoes/bags, etc. – basically for hallway needs.

Please draw the north arrow on the site plan. Where is the street?

Thank you very much in advance for your ideas. Increasing or changing the stock has already been noted. I would now plan the conservatory where the terrace area is. I would expect that it provides a bright space to relax in throughout the year and to look out into the garden/distance. I have spoken to many people who would not want to miss the conservatory and spend much more time there than in the living room.

I am attaching the site plan. I hope my amateur drawing helps a little..