Location of city villa or single-family house on 500 m2 plot - rectangular

Dear all,

the architect’s draft is finally here.
Since a lack of clarity has already been criticized, I am attaching the standard questionnaire again here. I won’t start a new thread because some circumstances can be better explained from the previous discussion. I will try to remember to include a link here every 7 posts.

Development plan/restrictions
Plot size: 500 m²
Slope: no
Site coverage ratio: §34, building authority statement: approx. 0.23
Floor area ratio: §34, building authority statement: approx. 0.4/0.46?
Building window, building line and boundary:
5m to the street, 3m to neighbors, see site plan. (4.5m to the NE boundary, as right of way for pedestrians, vehicles and lines is required for rear neighbors (SE) and BU construction road of 4.5m)
Edge development: None present (or will be demolished) Planning option: Carport and shed at rear neighbor (SE)
Number of parking spaces: 1
Number of floors: 2
Roof type: hipped roof (current planning status, other roof types possible)
Style: urban villa
Orientation: NW - SE
Maximum heights/limits: max ridge height: 9m (according to city planning management)
Further requirements: "Should blend into the neighborhood"

Requirements of the builders
Style, roof type, building type:
Simple, modern, restrained, no other preference from the builder (TE), symmetry, large windows, large rooms, space and light for plants for the builder’s partner.
Basement, floors: no basement, 2 floors
Number of people, age:
3 people now, 5 people planned (39, 29, 8, x, y).
Space requirements on ground floor, upper floor
GF: (living/kitchen), guest shower bathroom, housekeeping/utility room, office.
UF: 4 bedrooms, 1 bath (tub + shower).
Office: home office
Guests per year: max. 20 people/nights
Open or closed architecture: open
Conservative or modern construction: modern
Open kitchen, cooking island: open, island possible, not mandatory
Number of dining seats: 6
Fireplace: no
Music/stereo wall: home cinema: 3 speakers near TV, 2 behind/next to viewers, 1 subwoofer fairly freely placed.
Balcony, roof terrace: no
Garage, carport: gladly, but not mandatory, or later (budget constraints).
Utility garden, greenhouse (gladly later)

My partner and I have staggered daily routines. I get up around 6 am and go to bed by midnight at the latest.
She sometimes also gets up to take the little one to school but then goes back to bed. Normally she goes to sleep around 3-4 am.
For this reason, a dressing room (not trapped through the bedroom) would actually be great, but due to lack of space probably not feasible. We have basically agreed that I can also pick out my clothes the evening before and have them ready.

House design
Who is the planner:
- Architect commissioned by general contractor

What do you particularly like? Why?
Living rooms and children's rooms oriented to the south.
4 bedrooms accommodated, office accommodated, guest shower bathroom accommodated. Coat storage space managed in the hallways.
Housekeeping room pushed into the northeast corner (unattractive location), second entrance by the parking space, large open room in the S(W).
Maximized contiguous garden area.

What do you not like? Why?
Open room is now a long corridor, could feel tunnel-like and not open. The architect says he doesn’t believe it will feel tunnel-like if the clear room height is at least 2.50 m and the windows are high enough.
Housekeeping room not on living level. Children’s rooms somewhat complicated and not fairly allocated.

Price estimate according to architect/planner:
252,500 excl. painter, carpet, tiles, excl. ancillary construction and incidental costs, excl. outdoor facilities
Flat rate general contractor price

Personal price limit for the house, incl. equipment:
300,000 excl. ancillary construction, incidental costs, furniture & kitchen

Favored heating technology:
Air-to-water heat pump (included in house price)

If you had to go without, which details/extensions
-could you do without:
Photovoltaics, carport/garage can be later, outdoor facilities can be later, separate dressing room.

-could you not do without:
separate office, guest SHOWER bathroom.

Why has the design turned out as it is now?
The architect worked based on the first self-attempt and then modified it further due to change requests in a telephone call.

What makes it especially good or bad in your opinion?
I now find it good and can imagine it nicely. I am more looking here for warnings that something does not work at all and optimization suggestions.

What is the most important/basic question about the floor plan summarized in 130 characters?
Are there obvious mistakes, traps, impossibilities?
Should the windows on the NW be larger (wider)? Floor-to-ceiling windows on the GF NW (street) side?

Notes on the images:
Kitchen dining table will probably be different. I would make the peninsula narrower and put a bench or directly chairs on the opposite side.
Site plan: I have agreed with the rear neighbor that we will not put our distance to the northeast boundary at 5m but rather about 4.5m. 3m driveway with 0.5m on one side and 1m clearance on the other side is enough for us.
We are allowed to drive onto their property to turn around (it is clear that this will not be a building encumbrance).

Many thanks in advance for all constructive answers.

Best regards

Tolentino

Dear all,

the draft from the architect is finally here. Since a lack of clarity has already been criticized here, I am attaching the standard questionnaire again. I am not opening a new thread because some circumstances can be better explained from the course of the discussion. I will try to remember to post a link here every 7 posts.

Development plan/restrictions Size of the plot: 500 m² Slope: no Floor area ratio: §34, building authority statement: approx. 0.23 Floor space index: §34, building authority statement: approx. 0.4/0.46? Building window, building line and boundary: 5m to the street, 3m to neighbors, see site plan. (4.5m to NE boundary, since pedestrian, driving and conduit rights are required for the rear neighbors (SE) and BU construction road of 4.5m) Edge development: None present (or will be demolished) Planning option: Carport and shed to rear neighbor (SE) Number of parking spaces: 1 Number of floors: 2 Roof type: Hipped roof (current planning status, other roof types possible) Style: Urban villa Orientation: NW - SE Maximum heights/limits: Max. ridge height: 9m (according to city planning management statement) Other requirements: "Should fit into the neighborhood" Builders’ requirements Style, roof shape, building type: Simple, modern, restrained, no other preference from the builder (TE), symmetry, large windows, large rooms, space and light for plants for the builder’s partner. Basement, floors: No basement, 2 floors Number of persons, age: 3 persons now, 5 persons planned (39, 29, 8, x, y). Space requirements on ground floor, upper floor Ground floor: (living/kitchen), guest shower bath, utility/housekeeping room, office. Upper floor: 4 bedrooms, 1 bathroom (bathtub + shower). Office: Home office Overnight guests per year: Max. 20 persons/nights Open or closed architecture: open Conservative or modern construction: modern Open kitchen, kitchen island: open, island possible, not mandatory Number of dining seats: 6 Fireplace: no Music/stereo wall: Home cinema: 3 speakers by TV, 2 behind/next to viewers, 1 subwoofer quite freely. Balcony, roof terrace: No Garage, carport: Gladly, but not a must, or later (budget constraints). Utility garden, greenhouse (gladly later)

My partner and I have staggered daily routines. I get up around 6 am and go to bed by midnight at the latest. She sometimes also gets up to take the little one to school but then goes back to bed. Normally she doesn’t go to sleep until around 3-4 am. For this reason, a walk-in closet (not caught through the bedroom) would actually be great, but due to lack of space probably not possible. We have actually settled on me picking out my clothes the evening before and laying them out ready.

House design Who planned it: - Architect commissioned through the general contractor

What do you particularly like? Why? Living rooms and children’s rooms with southern orientation. 4 bedrooms accommodated, office accommodated, guest shower bath accommodated. Cloakroom space fitted in the halls. Utility room pushed into the northeast corner (unattractive location), second entrance at parking space, large all-purpose room in the southwest. Connected garden area maximized.

What do you not like? Why? The all-purpose room is now a long corridor, could seem tunnel-like and not open. The architect says he does not believe it will seem tunnel-like if the clear room height is at least 2.50 m and the windows are high enough. Utility room not on living level. Children’s rooms slightly staggered and not fairly divided.

Price estimate according to architect/planner: 252,500 excl. painter, carpet, tiles, excl. enclosures & incidental construction costs, excl. outdoor facilities Lump sum general contractor price

Personal price limit for the house, incl. equipment: 300,000 excl. enclosures, incidental construction costs, furniture & kitchen

Preferred heating technology: Air-to-water heat pump (included in house price)

If you had to give up, on which details/extensions - can you give up: Photovoltaics, carport/garage can be later, outdoor facilities can be later, separate walk-in closet.

- cannot give up: separate office, guest SHOWER bath.

Why is the draft like it is now? The architect worked based on the first self-attempt and then modified it further due to change requests during the phone call.

What makes it particularly good or bad in your eyes? I now like it and can well imagine it. I am mainly looking for warnings that something really does not work and suggestions for optimization.

What is the most important/fundamental question about the floor plan summarized in 130 characters? Are there obvious mistakes, traps, impossibilities? Should the windows on the NW be bigger (wider)? Floor-to-ceiling windows on the ground floor NW (street) side?

Notes on the images: Kitchen dining table will probably be different. I would make the peninsula narrower and put a bench or directly chairs on the opposite side. Site plan: I have agreed with the rear neighbor that we place our distance to the northeast boundary not at 5m but rather about 4.5m. 3m driveway with 0.5m on one side and 1m distance on the other side is sufficient for us. We are allowed to drive on their property to turn around (it is clear this will not become a building burden).

Thanks in advance for all constructive answers.

Best regards

Tolentino

I like the floor plan on the ground floor. The dining area is naturally not huge because of that, but you want to optimize that anyway. On the ground floor, the cloakroom is quite far from the entrance. This might cause dirt to be carried far inside. Regarding the exterior view: The large glass element looks great – how is shading managed? I remember a thread where shading afterward for a large element was somewhat complicated. I would forego the floor-to-ceiling window with the railing on the upper floor, especially since the view is otherwise so nicely clean.

Regarding the exterior view: The large glass element looks great – how is the shading arranged? I remember a thread where the shading for a large element was somewhat complicated afterward.
I would do without the floor-to-ceiling window with the railing on the upper floor, especially because the view is otherwise so nicely clean.

I completely forgot to comment on that. Yes, my wife also really likes the large window. We are waiting here for the surcharge from the general contractor.
I fear it won’t happen, unless surprisingly cheap. On the one hand, it’s about a stair window, on the other hand about the northeast side (so probably no shading needed). Actually, we wouldn’t even get to enjoy this view, it would then just be a shop window for the neighbors. However, my partner definitely wants a bright hallway and finds it hard to warm up to the idea of taking two 2m high window elements instead.

The almost floor-to-ceiling window in the smallest children’s room was drawn in by the architect, and I was unsure whether that was artistic freedom or had some deeper meaning—possibly to maintain the proportions, since it is wider after all?

On the ground floor, the cloakroom is quite far from the entrance. This might cause dirt to be tracked far inside.
Regarding the exterior view: The large

Directly opposite the entrance there is actually still a cloakroom. You could put a large shoe cabinet there with some hooks. And the "upper clothing cloakroom" then in front of the stairs...

Oh, one more question to the group:

The utility room has no window except for the side door. So that would have to be a lockable patio door. Is that bad?
Should there still be a small window there, for example, on the north side?
Upstairs, should I still put a window with a high sill on the north side in the bedroom?

Arrgh. While snipping the EG ground plan, I made a mistake. There is a small area duplicated, so the proportions are no longer correct. Here is the correctly assembled version:
[ATTACH alt="GR2_EG_200429korr.png" type="full"]46161[/ATTACH]

And the "upper wardrobe" then in front of the stairs...

I mean, of course, in front of the guest bathroom...

First of all, thank you for the exemplary retrieval of the questionnaire for the current plan. That looks quite nice. Instead of decorative glazing bars, the stairway window could also be subdivided by satin-frosting of partial areas.