Thank you for the many hints, they really make you think.
But it is nowhere to be seen, right? It would be at the level of the east balcony, if I see it correctly. What kind of stairs are those, are they suitable for a main entrance?
Yes, it does exist, in my impression it has already been used as an access staircase, but so far it is not suitable for winter use because the steps are made of wood. It could be better constructed without violating clearance areas.
I only do floor plan planning when the questionnaire regarding residents and needs is completed
Alright, I will do that if THIS HOUSE becomes the one and I turn to the forum again with trust! Thank you.
Who exactly is included in "4 people"? Does that already include the mother?
How old is she that she needs or wants to be integrated/live with you?…
…and barrier-free living is already being mentioned?
Does she know about it? Is it her wish?
Wanting, being able to, and having to are different things. Why must you live under the same roof to see each other regularly?
Isn't it simply obvious that the mother moves nearby? That way you get everything: privacy, space, your own four walls, and frequent contact with the grandchildren as needed.
Yes, the mother is already included in the 4 people. The barrier-free living is because it would somehow be silly now to plan something for her that is not barrier-free and then not fit in 10 years.
These are all very good points, and especially on the topic "all under one roof" I think every family has to have very honest conversations and choose the best option for themselves. Whether that is right will only be shown by time, and it can get quite explosive. We have observed several of these concepts in our circle of acquaintances and thought and talked a lot about it. For various reasons (and of course always jointly and also at my mother's request!) we decided on this option and are therefore looking for a house that can handle that. What in this case I believe is possible without...
If you change a lot here, the character of the house changes, very likely negatively
...having to change too much.
I'll say concretely: The bedroom does not have much space to place things, so you might be looking for storage space, and if not in the accessible utility room, then where? Children's rooms just barely acceptable. Small children will play in the living room and thus use space there that you then do not have with 5 people. The bathroom is tiny and whether there is room for an extension, even with a separate (guest) WC, is almost hopeless. Alternatives, ignoring the basement rooms, I do not see. A family office or home office is also not possible without the basement and repurposing the utility room... so there are too many wishes at once.
The bedroom is indeed quite small, but we could arrange everything and would be satisfied with the 17sqm. (Or you do the extension, but instead of in the basement, upstairs by the master bedroom where the terrace currently is *laugh*). We would combine the two children's rooms to create one of about 20sqm for our only and last child. That the bathroom is small is true, especially because guests would then always have to go through our sleeping hallway. That would actually be somewhat suboptimal...
Entrance area then in the current utility room, which honestly would also create a much nicer access to the house. Because the only thing I don’t really like is the current "main entrance door" and the way to the upper living level. You walk through a long corridor, then through a door into the stairwell, past the heating room, then half a flight of stairs up, past the cellar (future home office/guest room, since it will be furnished with a large window and daylight so livable) and past the drying room (future utility room and cellar), half a flight of stairs up again and only then standing in the upper corridor. That is a rather long and dark path; you feel like you are walking through a front house to get to the back house.
Through the current side door and the utility room you come in instead and enter directly the beautiful, bright living level. Then you go half a level up to the sleeping area and half a level down to the cellar/utility room and office/guest. And half a level down again you arrive at grandma's.
For 4 people: great house, but you have to accept some tightness. Multi-generation house: no,
My advice: reconsider options – also because of multi-generation – and/or let someone else have the house.
There are four of us, I think I expressed that unclearly.
You are somehow dreaming of +-50-60sqm extra for mom
I think I also expressed myself incorrectly there. I would make the current main entrance in the basement, the hallway behind it, the current "play cellar", the cellar room behind that and the WC into the apartment and initially had concerns that the area would not be enough for a 2-room apartment. Hence my idea to build one room on. But by now we (including my mother) are quite sure that you can make something good out of the total approx. 45sqm that come together there. With the help of a professional of course. That way everyone would have their own separate area in the house, with their own entrance (mother 45sqm, we three about 200sqm). A small terrace in front of the granny flat, and of course the garden can be shared.
Because: I see here a great and stylish house with charm. That charm comes at a high price. You can also create a separate living zone through split levels. However, in my opinion, this house is not a multi-generation house. For that, in my opinion, for 4 people plus one person with needs, more than 180sqm is required, but above all a certain separateness. This house lives from openness, just like views through windows, whether in internal or external walls.
I would hope that by the described approach we would take away as little of that charm as possible. Thanks again for the many food-for-thoughts; the project would indeed not be trivial.
