Our floor plan design for an affordable house

All windows in standard hardware store size rough opening 102

You mean 113.5 for "110"?

OF COURSE north is at the top of the plan. I don’t think it’s fair of you to start bickering here with or others just because they and she are thinking ABOUT YOU, since you neither oriented the plan nor added a north arrow.

I didn’t want to bicker, and honestly I don’t find the little jab unfair, especially as also made sharp comments. You know, those who dish it out must also be able to take it . Basically, I am very grateful for all your comments and also your patience – you could just stop writing altogether, but you still make the effort. I think that’s great!

True, I didn’t add the north arrow, but as far as I know I did mention in one of the first posts that the garden side (to which the living/dining area is oriented) is southwest. I also thought it was in the site plan, but I think I may have cut off the compass rose there, that’s possible. However, when the discussion about orientation flared up, I explained multiple times exactly how the house is oriented. Really multiple times.

And actually, the orientation isn’t our main issue; we have already thought carefully about it and are sure about it. Of course, that doesn’t mean you can’t still make a suggestion about it.

Maybe you missed that it was me who uploaded your site plan including the north-south designation? I have to admit, I only estimated the position from your description in #1. But there is definitely more south than west, so you are right, the sun is probably sufficient in the living room.

But that doesn’t change the fundamental statement: you placed the utility and ancillary rooms in the sun and part of the living space in the dark north. This is wonderfully visible from your sun path graphic. I colored the sides of the house differently for you, maybe then you understand what I mean:


Red is sun, blue is shade. And yes, of course some sun rays from the sunset also reach the living room. The graphic is only meant to illustrate where the bright rooms are and where the dark ones are.
I would also immediately support your plan if there were compelling reasons to require the utility room there, but I see none. Maybe some late info will come regarding short connections to the street or the like, but so far as interested readers we know nothing about that.

You probably didn’t understand something at all. I am not rotating the house, I’m mirroring it. So that the utility room ends up in the blue corner. However, I would also change the rooms a bit.

No, it’s 5 to 6 meters and she can’t manage that – especially in winter, since this window is also higher and narrower than the rest.

But what am I saying. Let’s wait for the offers. Then the house will probably shrink down to some standard mini floor plan or will become a duplex and the whole fuss will be for nothing.

Thanks, , that is a very detailed (and almost non-sharp ) explanation. I do see what you mean. But it’s not just about where the sun falls directly, but rather when I use the rooms when the sun shines there. We’re rarely awake at sunrise, but usually at sunset, that was our thought. Someone else suggested the rotation, that’s true. Sorry for the confusion. Mirroring would be possible, but then it would have to be done completely. Just swapping kitchen and office (I think suggested that) I would find silly, as then kitchen and utility room would be quite far apart. With the possibly planned later extension, it could become difficult if the entrance door shifts to the northwest. The plot access is on the northeast side (so the path to the utility room, regarding the lines, is actually shorter). And the TV wall without window would then be in the east. Unfortunately, that doesn’t really convince me...

I observe:
The room layout on the ground floor fits the cardinal directions very well and does not need to be changed. Kitchen in SE, living room in S and SW up to NW. Fits.
The ground floor can remain open if desired, although I would rethink the stairs a bit. Whether a stairwell partially separated from the living room wouldn’t be more practical, even if it had less style.
The upper floor fits quite well. I would improve the bedroom by putting the little ironing room to the northeast, the bedroom to the SE.
My gallery would get a wall or something like that and become a storage room.
Now we have to wait and see how the prices turn out.
Saving potentials would be Hansapor instead of Ytong. Instead of floor-to-ceiling, normal windows. All windows in common hardware store sizes with rough opening 102.

Upstairs could of course be mirrored. I would even find that practical for the bedroom to wake up to. However, then the bathrooms are not stacked (which is supposed to save money by short piping) and morning sun in the bathroom is also not bad. That’s why we kept it this way so far.

I just reluctantly replaced the stairs again with a spiral staircase, which really saves space ... even if I like it much less. Do you like it better? …yes, we still have to wait for the offers, that will take a while. Before that (once we have finally finalized the floor plan ) I still have to plan the windows in the facades. So far especially the northeast facade with the entrance door looked pretty crappy.

You know, those who dish it out also have to be able to take it .

That is no problem.

I do see what you mean. But it’s not only about where the sun shines directly, but when I use the rooms that the sun shines on. At sunrise we are rarely awake, at sunset actually always, that was our thought.

Uh no.
Detach yourself just a little bit from your daily rhythm. That can drastically change over the years and please don’t start the chorus about how you are different from everyone here. The older generation here used to sleep until 10, now they are awake at 7.
Besides, that doesn’t really matter anyway. The goal is to design an open bright living space. If you stand in the middle of this room (where the dining table is now), according to my plan you have LIGHT ALL DAY, because the openness of the rooms completely follows the course of the sun. The room is open from east to west and with appropriate window planning there is always daylight. It wouldn’t matter when anyone is awake (there are still more family members anyway).

Just swapping kitchen and study (I think suggested that) I would find silly, since then kitchen and utility room would be so far apart. With the possible planned extension for later, however, it could get difficult if the front door moves to the northwest. The driveway to the property is on the northeast side (so the route to the utility room, in terms of lines, is indeed shorter there). And the TV wall without a window would then be in the east. Unfortunately, I can’t really warm to that…
Of course, you could mirror it upstairs. I would even find that practical for the bedroom to wake up. However, then the bathrooms are not on top of each other (which is supposed to save money due to shorter piping) and morning sun in the bathroom isn’t bad either. That’s why we have it as it is so far.

Those are trains of thought when you have fixated on a floor plan and now want to desperately squeeze it into a new scheme. But that’s not how it works. The old plan gets crumpled up and you start from scratch. That’s how it works.

By the way, the lines to the utility room cost a lot of money too. I think the rough estimate is about 1000 per meter? That varies a lot though – but you have gas there, right? Draw the existing utility connections on the street into your plan.

You mean 113.5 for "110"?

yes

The bathrooms on top of each other: do not change. Swap bedroom and dressing room so that the bedroom no longer directly borders the children's room. Where the palm tree is drawn in upstairs, a small wall, behind which a storage room for stuff. Front window: urgent need for action, it looks terrible. Window in the storage room can then go. Another 500 - 1000 saved. Pay attention to the window size 113.5. We have that throughout. All blinds and rollos, everything fit from Ikea or Danish. Bed warehouse. You save later over 1000 euros if you pay attention now. Downstairs: don't get confused, with the gas boiler the utility room is big enough for washing machine, dryer, Billy with doors for cleaning stuff etc. Ours is also sufficient, is one sqm larger but has an outside door, which I recommend you plan. That way you have an entrance for dirty stuff. Also take a utility sink with cold water tap in the utility room. How often do I need water quickly! Bucket under, tap on, done. Karsten

Karsten, you two are at 4, more comes up, and then 1 sqm is not little at that size. Although the OP is not unskilled in craftsmanship. There may still be one or another clever solution later.