Optimization of floor plan for a single-family house with 180 sqm gable roof without basement

Hello everyone,
we are currently in the middle of planning our detached house described here. We would be very grateful if you could share suggestions and criticism with us. We really appreciate every tip and hint.


Bebauungsplan/Einschränkungen
Plot size: 967 sqm
Slope: rises evenly 1 m from north to south, slope of approx. 1 m from east to west (even)
Site coverage ratio: None
Floor area ratio: None
Building window, building line and boundary: Northernmost outer wall may deviate max. 6 m from the building alignment of the neighboring development to the east.
Edge development: Yes, boundary development with the neighbor allowed
Number of parking spaces: at least 2
Number of floors: No restrictions
Roof shape: Gable roof > 35°
Orientation: Driveway from street 2 (north)
Maximum heights/limits: Ridge height 11 m
Further requirements:
- no floor-to-ceiling windows on the street side in the upper floor.


Requirements of the builders
Style, roof shape, building type: Gable roof with 42° pitch (north/south orientation), knee wall 1.25 m
Basement, floors: No basement, 1.5 floors
Number of people, age: 4 people (2 adults, 2 children)
Room requirements on ground and upper floor:
- Ground floor: kitchen, dining room, living room, office, pantry, utility room, WC with shower
- Upper floor: 2 children's rooms, bedroom with dressing room, bathroom, (office from ground floor could also be moved to upper floor)
Office: family use or home office?: Home office
Open kitchen, cooking island: Open living-dining area; no cooking island
Number of dining seats: 6
Fireplace: masonry heater
Music/stereo wall: No
Balcony, roof terrace: terrace on ground floor with southwest orientation, no balcony on upper floor
Garage, carport: 1 garage directly at the house; 2 more garages already located at the edge of the plot (northwest boundary)


House design
Planned by:
- Do-it-yourself
What do you especially like? Why?:
- Ground floor: layout and room sizes; orientation of the rooms.
- Upper floor: bedroom orientation towards north
- Bathrooms stacked above each other (lower costs?!)
What do you not like? Why?:
- Space utilization on the upper floor, children’s rooms may be too large?!
- Division pantry / utility room -> concerns that pantry is warmed by utility room
Preferred heating technology: Air-to-water heat pump + masonry heater / brine-to-water heat pump with collector loop + masonry heater


If you have to give up, which details/extensions you could do without: 3rd gable on upper floor facing south
Which you cannot give up: bedroom in northeast, utility room and pantry in northeast


Why is the design as it is now?
- Considerations based on the experiences of two builders
- A mix of many examples from various magazines...


What is the most important/basic question about the floor plan summarized in 130 characters?

- How could we optimize the layout on the upper floor while keeping the room arrangement on the ground floor unchanged?
- Do you have further ideas regarding type and position of the stairs?

- How could we optimize the design on the upper floor while keeping the room layout on the ground floor the same?

By planning again and this time starting with the upper floor.

The children's rooms are not too large, but wonderfully spacious. If you are worried about a pantry being too warm, create an insulated wall to the utility room. A bit more generosity with daylight and window positions would especially benefit the first floor. In my view, the design is quite successful - if one wants to complain: The house is neither "clever" nor cost-optimized. So what, if that is not the priority.

Thank you very much for your quick responses. Do you have any ideas for us on how we could make the floor plan even more "clever"? You probably mean the dormer and the additional gable facing south with the cost hint, right? Or how could we make the house construction more cost-effective? Thank you very much for your assistance!

The "spark" comes when an expert translates the clients' life wishes into architecture. The connoisseur then recognizes this. As in art - a non-artist can recognize quality when they see it. Unfortunately, I am not an expert in the field of architecture, but I am knowledgeable enough to recommend that you search for a good architect. You can recognize this person by their questions and interest in the project. On the topic of "cost-optimized" - enclosed space costs money. Your design uses this space very generously without deriving any discernible benefit from it. One could say more if scaled furniture were drawn in. Although interior walls are cheaper than exterior walls and thus a more square floor plan has an advantage in this regard - with a rather rectangular building, the enclosed square meters inside can be optimized better for use - less pure traffic areas are created.

Concerns that the pantry is heated by the utility room

Better consider whether it is useful at all. A real piece of furniture or an electrical appliance like a freezer won’t fit in there.