Single-family house optimization and planning (180 sqm + attic without basement)

Hello everyone,

through other threads I was pointed to this interesting subforum, where of course I would also like to share our idea pool in the form of Draft2.0.

First a few facts about us:

Both 32, childless, full-time employed.
Two children are still to come, but only after the house construction, and before 40. So relatively mid-term.

We want to build in the front yard (650sqm) of the parents of the builder, the plot is signed, partnership agreement is in place.
We imagine a single-family house of about 180sqm with a double garage. We do not want a basement.
The house may well meet KfW55 standard despite gas heating. KNX I find great as a guy, but maybe Somfy Smart Home would also do. However, I would be very annoyed in the future if I write off this investment.

The cube made of exposed concrete set in the drawing has meanwhile received Trespa panels as cladding. The window shutters should be Venetian blinds in the basement and roller shutters on the upper floor. A large terrace with a roof (not shown here) is also very important to us, because we like to sit protected in the garden.

Otherwise we have the challenge that the street access is from the southwest, so we need garden and driveway combined.

A wood-burning stove is very important to the builder. The airlock from the garage to the house and both. We find a "separate" shared bathroom good, a bathtub is not necessary. A third Ideal Standard bathroom in the garage for garden parties (we live in Lower Saxony in the countryside, where there's schnapps and beer every other day....) as well, but it should be absolutely of low standard.

I will actively participate in the thread and look forward to an animated discussion.

Best regards Phil12345

What about the questionnaire? Property? Development plan? Aside from that: There is not even a single place for a cupboard on the ground floor (except for the TV rack, Gelsenkirchen Baroque). No space for a wardrobe cupboard, nor a refrigerator, oven, or the like. No space for a bookshelf in the office. The fireplace? It blocks the room, the space for the dining table obstructs the traffic area in front of the stairs. Hallway very narrow. The most important part of the house is too tightly designed.

Just quickly. The living and dining area seems very difficult to furnish to me. The kitchen could also become a bit too tight. In my opinion, the fireplace obstructs the room and "gets in the way." Where is a TV corner or the television supposed to go? Have you ever drawn furniture with your desired dimensions into the floor plan? I find the garage too narrow.

You are of course right. Sorry.

Development plan/restrictions
Plot size 650 sqm
Slope no
Site coverage ratio
Floor area ratio
Building window, building line and boundary
Edge development
Number of parking spaces 2
Number of floors 2
Roof shape gable roof
Style modern
Orientation south garden / street
Maximum heights/limits
Further specifications

Requirements of the builders
Style, roof shape, building type two-storey, gable roof, rectangle with cube
Basement, floors no basement, two floors
Number of persons, age 2, 32; we want 2 children in the next 3-5 years
Space requirements on ground floor, upper floor 180
Office: family use or home office? both
Overnight guests per year 15
Open or closed architecture open
Conservative or modern construction modern
Open kitchen, kitchen island yes
Number of dining seats 4
Fireplace yes
Music/stereo wall yes, but Sonos
Balcony, roof terrace no
Garage, carport double garage
Utility garden, greenhouse
Further wishes/special features/daily routine, gladly also reasons why this or that should not be

Difficult. Getting up at 6, long warm showers vs. energy costs, working until 7 p.m., distraction by sports, PlayStation, garden

House design
Who designed it: architect
What do you particularly like? Why? Cube, open kitchen, large terrace front
What do you not like? Why? Cramped despite 180 sqm
Price estimate according to architect/planner 386k
Personal price limit for the house, including equipment: 380k
Preferred heating technology: gas

If you have to do without, which details/extensions
-you can do without: everything
-you cannot do without: attic, fireplace, 2x study rooms, large south terrace

Why is the design as it is now?
Standard design from the planner?
Corresponding/which wishes were implemented by the architect? Cube, kitchen, south-facing location, combined bathroom on upper floor, dressing room
A mix of many examples from various magazines... exactly
What do you think makes it particularly good or bad? no price transparency

What is the most important/basic question about the floor plan summarized in 130 characters?
We are absolute beginners and approached the topic very naively. We find the floor plan with the cube and the open south side with kitchen, dining and living/TV great. The combined bathroom on the upper floor was important to us; we wanted a parents’ bath and children’s bath at first. Utility room on the upper floor is important to the builder. Large garage for vehicles and assembled beer tent sets. The kitchen should be open to the garden regarding outdoor grilling etc.

About the plan: We own 187/6 and the right half of 188/12. It has already been resurveyed, I just don’t have a scan of it right now.[/U]

Just quickly. The living and dining area seems very difficult to furnish to me. The kitchen could also become a bit tight. In my opinion, the fireplace blocks the room and "gets in the way." Where is a TV corner supposed to go or the television? Have you ever drawn furniture with your desired dimensions into the floor plan?

In this drawing – following the insistence of the client, we were actually almost at the building application stage, as the architect had calculated the house at 380k – the TV is supposed to be placed on the right side of the cube. Another user had already pointed out that you would then be sitting directly in front of the TV. We do not want to orient the house according to furniture, so we have not yet looked at furniture in this regard.

Regarding the furniture, it would already be good to think about the size of the pieces and to draw them in. In my opinion, this would show you that the TV area is extremely difficult to furnish...