Multi-family house (3 residential units, basement living area, double garage): Suggestions for planning

By "architectural basic idea" I mean: What is the house supposed to represent? Is it "just" a functional volume that meets legal, technical, and organizational requirements, or does it have a design attitude/statement that also represents the client and shapes the living environment for the coming decades? What is the quality of the place that is being created there? The house design is - neutrally phrased - very neutral.

Hello,

although floor plan discussions are not really my thing – by the way, there are some really skilled users here who have practically internalized it :D – I want to respond; also against the background that we have been "talking" for a while now.

For example, I myself am severely limited in mobility due to serious illness ...

I would like to join nordanney, because with the above history I really do not understand the design as presented; I also think it is not really well thought out for a person with your limitations.

Example: Should you someday be dependent on a wheelchair – which I really do not wish for you, I hope your arm muscles and lungs are well trained, because you have quite a distance to cover before you can take the key in your hand. There are better solutions for disabled/wheelchair-accessible entrances. For the above reasons, *I* would also consistently build "wheelchair accessible"; the submitted ground floor plan, for example, does not allow you to enter the guest toilet/children’s bathroom with walking aids. If the objection is floating in your head now that you can use the regular bathroom, I preemptively answer that there are physical conditions where every centimeter of distance counts. We have already discussed the sense and benefit of balconies; as a smoker, however, I can understand the loggia :D

The children are supposed to get their own area upstairs; then I ask myself why the planning does not also consistently provide a children's bathroom? Would you like to have to overcome a floor for every toilet visit despite the available floor space and possibilities? I also do not like the separation of the children's area + possible granny flat. Someone’s privacy is constantly violated ... unless the granny flat remains empty until one of the children moves in or both move out and it is rented to others. But then the problem of privacy remains; even if a caregiver moves in. The basement provides a good template for the upper floor ;)

The completion price you suggested I consider untenable; I have estimated roughly at EUR 500,000 and have not even included the garage or painter, flooring, etc. If the plan is realized, in the end a well-filled "6" will more likely appear on the bottom line.

But what honestly worries me – and this is not even my construction project – is the time pressure you are subjecting yourself to ...

Best regards from the Rhineland

I would install a regular window and place the sink underneath. There are nice solutions for this. If you like, I can send you our solution as a design idea for your wife. ;)

: I am a mathematician and not an artist. I probably couldn't distinguish a house with an "a-basic idea" from a house without one, but I am willing to learn.

: nordanney I just sent you a private message because of the family reasons.

So let's go all the way back, namely to the starting thread, and keep things in perspective. What was requested was a ground floor with all the necessary rooms, accessible without stairs or changing floors. nothing more and nothing less. As already recognized, the topic "barrier-free" is nothing extraordinary, but it gets more interesting with "wheelchair accessible." Now, one could accuse every builder of building "wheelchair accessible" right away, since one gets older, could have an accident tomorrow, or could suddenly find themselves in that situation without any involvement. My background might suggest these things, but nothing more.

I admit the upper floor is a compromise of many considerations. We deliberately removed the children's bathroom because we don't want two bathrooms on the floor. I know what the bathroom looked like back in the days for my sisters, and changing floors has never hurt anyone. Similar to the discussion about laundry chutes yes/no. We canceled that as well.

What I didn't quite understand is where you see a difference between upper floor and basement. Even if I imagine 2 children's rooms in the basement, I still have to realize a staircase hallway, 3 doors, 1x granny flat and 2x children's rooms? But I also have to confess, we currently have no definite plan as to whether and how we will rent out (holiday apartment, permanent rental, weekend commuters, single, couple).

The tight schedule is not from us, but we are not entirely opposed to it. Our architect would quite like to still get the 2015 stamp.

: Gladly here in the forum or by email?

Morning

I am not / not yet in your situation, but when I look at my "fellow patients"..
So I have planned accordingly
on one level and without steps or thresholds at house and terrace doors
1.0 m wide interior doors
sufficient maneuvering space in all rooms except the guest WC

What you are planning is certainly somehow usable if the structural situation is like that, but with your conditions I would thoroughly reconsider the construction in that form.

Olli

:

Whatever. :) In any case, I have to go to the computer for that. I can send you pictures tomorrow during the day. :)