Planning a single-family house - opinions?

The privacy screen is less about costs, costs don't seem to be such a big deal anyway ;) ... but simply about the fact of having a fairly long wall/fence/hedge right in the middle of the area.

Do you think it’s enough to move 2m away from the boundary? In Germany, at least 3m are mandatory.

One more note about the garage... I would always plan to park the bicycles rotated 90°. That way, bumps to the car are inevitable. And I would also plan it so that you don’t have to move other bikes to get to your own.

So we have certain requirements that even the best, most expensive, and most independent architect would not solve differently, because otherwise I would not plan with him/her.

With this attitude, working with an architect really makes no sense.
Only the "planners" who can now make a lot of money remain, as there is no alternative.

And what does the client get for it:
- Stiff neck when reversing out of the garage,
- an entrance with 40 cm of wardrobe space for each resident
- a fitness room in the public area
- a mini guest WC
- a dysfunctional kitchen as a walk-through room, the cooking island with basement feeling thanks to the monster cantilever of the upper floor and privacy wall
- a dining area with the same feeling
- a living room without space for cabinets
- an uninspired upper floor, also without separation of parent/children area
- a TV corner upstairs (please keep a tally on the wall of how often it is used)

Overall, incredibly little value for an amount where you have to be happy if the first digit is a 5.

Architects versus planners is a separate discussion and I would prefer not to revive it here in this thread for the umpteenth time (there are plenty of other threads about that). The fact is that in both groups (architects and "planners") there are good and less good ones (as in every profession) and I would immediately hire an architect if I were not satisfied. As for me, I can at least claim that my planner, with whom we will primarily work from now on, belongs to the first group because we have discussed all alternatives thoroughly (but if, for example, the solar exposure simulation casts too much shade when the house is west-facing, then I don't need to discuss that alternative anymore, or if too much of the north garden remains, which we do not plan to use, then that option is also crossed off).

I would like to briefly comment on your list, which could certainly be made to a comparable extent for one of your construction projects as well, because simply the demands/priorities are different:

- Nackenstarre beim Rückwärtsfahren aus der Garage,

There are about 10 m between the privacy screen (living hedge) and the property boundary. Reversing should be possible there, unless I buy a Dodge Ram...

- einen Eingang mit 40 cm Garderobe für jeden Bewohner

3.2 m of closet space is planned / 4 = 0.8 m + a guest wardrobe, which we still need to plan (location and size of the windows have not been finalized yet; currently only a draft).

- Ein Fitnessraum im öffentlichen Bereich

What is wrong with that?! Basically, it would have been planned in the basement, but as this is not possible due to groundwater, it is on the ground floor. It also plays an important role for us, so I think the northern location with access from the anteroom on the ground floor is well planned. Also, the view to the nearby stream and forest (about 150 m) is a deliberate feature, for example during time on the home trainer.

- ein Mini-Gäste-WC

Well, I’m not a fan of 4 m2 large WCs. But of course, it depends on the guests, how long they typically spend on the toilet per visit, and which size is perceived as comfortable here. I could do a field study and then possibly find out that a 2 m2 toilet is not sufficient...

- eine disfunktionale Küche als Durchgangsraum, die Kochinsel mit Souterrain-Feeling dank Monster-Auskragung des OG und Sichtschutz-Mauer

Well, not much to say here. This area (i.e. arrangement of kitchen, pantry, dining table, ...) and the overhang of the upper floor is planned almost 1:1 like the architect-designed house of our relatives, because we like it very much and one feels very comfortable there.

- Ein Wohnzimmer ohne Stellfläche für Schränke

We do not want cabinets in the living room.

- Ein uninspiriertes OG, auch ohne Trennung Eltern / Kinderbereich

I agree with you here. This area will definitely be revised before the plan is finalized.

- Eine Fernsehecke im OG (Bitte Strichliste an der Wand wie oft sie genutzt wird)

We definitely want that and the tally marks on the wall would have to be small to make it work. The following functions/approach:

- At least for the next few years, no own TV in the children’s rooms (because of the similar ages of the children, the content will remain virtually identical in the coming years). The children should at least still meet when watching TV.

- "Break" in the long corridor and daylight.

- Alternative TV spot if the partner wants to watch something the other absolutely does not like... ^^

As I said, I believe every builder can create a list from another plan that he would not design that way. And that is a good thing, because otherwise all houses/floor plans would look the same.

In any case, many thanks for the suggestions. Such discussions should certainly happen in forums and that’s what I expected.

Best regards Jochen

Consider nevertheless:

Personal needs and fashion certainly change in every phase of life (e.g. on the topic of WC, living room cabinet, north side)

I, a sun worshiper before the Lord, sought some shade on the north side in this fine summer and am glad that I don't need a thousand privacy hedges to block compost, garbage, and storage space in the garden from my view out of the house, since rooms around the house were created in the garden.

A plot should be planned with a house construction including functional rooms – these will definitely be needed alongside laid-out lawn areas. A planner who does not notice the mistaken edge development will also not see other things and will not be able to counteract them with the actually necessary knowledge.

Regards Yvonne