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

Basement, storage room: Position the door in the middle and install a sliding door either within the wall or on the outside – this makes the room more usable. Ground floor, kitchen/dining: poorly planned, far too many traffic routes, narrow passages, and too cramped around the dining table; the terrace should have a flush sliding door if it is to be wheelchair accessible. Instead of the ramp, I would consider a lift, as such a ramp also costs a lot of money. Upper floor: Children's room without a nearby bathroom? What about sick children (stomach flu, etc.)? Storage room – entrance area – awkwardly laid out. Why not install glazing next to the balcony door in the living room (also choose a sliding door)? That would bring more light and air into the room.

.. sorry just saw now, the EG kitchen has already been adjusted.

I would reconsider the concept!

Either resize the house and build it as a 2-family house and then accommodate the children downstairs in the granny flat, or enlarge it and make it work.

Honestly, this is a very unusual floor plan! Who is going to buy this house from you? With 2 rooms that are directly connected to a common staircase, no water, no toilet, no kitchen, etc.?

If the attic is to be rented out to others, then it can also be designed as basically 2 apartments – 1 for rent and one for the children – with a children's bathroom and connections for a kitchenette in one room or in the hallway, then, when the kids have moved out, the children's apartment can also be rented out.

Thank you for your feedback. As I said, many details come during implementation. We can still move doors then. With windows, I’m not sure whether the building authority needs to be involved again. On Wednesday, we will sit down with the structural engineer for the first time, let’s see what changes might still come up. We initially left out sliding doors/windows; we have to look in detail what that will cost additionally. Overall, we have a tight budget, so we have to see first; planning is still pending.

Ground floor, kitchen/dining: poorly planned, way too many traffic routes, narrow passages yet too tight around the dining table,

We don’t know yet whether the dining table and kitchen will be exactly as planned. Kitchen planning is still pending. We will bring our dining table (160 cm length) with us. Currently, we also have it placed with the head against the wall, 4 seats + a child’s chair at the head. Furthermore, we also plan a seating area in the kitchen.

Instead of the ramp, I would consider a lift; such a ramp also costs a lot of money.

See above, that’s our thinking too, especially since a stairlift is subsidized by long-term care insurance.

Upper floor:
Children’s rooms without a bathroom nearby? What about sick children (stomach flu, etc.)?

Yes, deliberately, max one bathroom per floor. The attic floor is flexible anyway. Sick toddlers are with mom and dad anyway. When the children get older, the attic floor will be used differently anyway; possibly one child will move into the granny flat.

Storage room – entrance area – awkward layout

Any ideas on how to improve? No idea what can be done here. It is important that we have to prove at least 6 sqm of storage space per residential unit.

Why not side-glaze next to the balcony door in the living room (also choose a sliding door), that would bring more light and air into the room

Lots of light is always good; it just has to be checked for costs.

Yesterday our building permit arrived by fax, so it took a little longer than 3 months. Now we still have a busy schedule and preliminary work in April and hope that it can start in May. :)

Today was the big day, groundbreaking. I couldn't be there myself, but my wife was able to take a few pictures.

So, who finds the mistake? :)

Hello. Has the upper floor now remained the same as in the old blueprints? I find the situation for the children unhappy, to put it simply. If a child needs to go to the bathroom, they have to unlock the ground floor (Attention) fully dressed and armed with a bunch of keys. If a child wants to shower, they also have to carry the completely new outfit along with the keys. Since strangers live in the house, you can’t walk up/down half-naked! Walking barefoot through the cold stairwell at night in pajamas to get to the bathroom?! Honestly...

This also affects you on the ground floor! If the children have playmates, study partners, or visitors in general, you might as well leave the apartment door open because someone will be thirsty/hungry or needs to use the bathroom. On top of that, you never know who comes in at night. In-laws or children both have a key. Drafts come as a bonus. Dirt from the stairwell too.

What if the tenant turns out to be a troublemaker or generally intrusive or frightening? Should the children still lock their bedrooms?