DeadlyWords
2020-09-10 11:45:53
- #1
Good day dear forum users,
My wife and I are about to purchase a plot of land. We have a civil engineer at hand who designs single-family homes and lives just around the corner, who is working out the detailed planning for us and accompanying the construction. However, the development plan presents a hurdle for us, as the designated site coverage ratio is only 0.25. Furthermore, our goal is to create a lot of living/work space on the ground floor, which is difficult with 684m². What especially concerns us is the space requirement for ancillary facilities. Maybe you have some ideas? We would be grateful for anything! I would like to point out that my wife and I are complete laypersons.
Development Plan/Restrictions
Size of the plot: 684m²
Slope: approx. 1m drop over 23m and 0.5m over 30m
Site coverage ratio: 0.25
Floor area ratio: 0.5
Building window, building line and boundary: 5m from the street, otherwise free
Edge development: garages may be built up to the boundary
Number of parking spaces: double garage + 5m driveway (3m area in front of the garage is fixed by the development plan) in front
Number of floors: up to 2 full floors
Roof shape: no specification
Style: no specification
Orientation: no specification
Maximum heights/limits: no specification
Further requirements: only detached houses, one tree of a certain size per 300m² of started area, separated sewage system
Neighbors to the left, top, right, street below without restrictions such as planting islands etc.
Requirements of the builders
Style, roof shape, building type: recessed top floor with pitched roof or flat roof
Basement, floors: no basement due to ground class up to 7, 2 full floors
Number of people, age: 2 adults, 1 child
Room requirements on the ground floor: living, dining, cooking, guest, office, WC/shower, utility room/HAR, access to the garage OG (upper floor): 2-3 rooms + 1 bathroom
Office: family use or home office? Both
Overnight guests per year: approx. 5-10
Open or closed architecture: open
Conservative or modern construction: modern
Open kitchen, cooking island: island preferred
Number of dining seats: 6-8
Fireplace: no
Music/stereo wall: no
Balcony, roof terrace: possible as an extra but only if the budget allows
Garage, carport: double garage
Utility garden, greenhouse: no utility garden planned
Further wishes/special features/daily routine, also reasons why this or that should or should not be
House design
Who is responsible for the planning:
-Do-it-Yourself
-Living area/usable area approx. 211m²
What do you particularly like? Why? My wife and I would like two additional rooms on the ground floor to have office and guest space somewhat separated from the private sleeping area. Also, the south-west side with the living areas is beautifully sunlit. The extra room upstairs is intended as a craft/music room (drums and piano) or as a backup for child 2.
What do you not like? Why? The only negative point would be the somewhat sparse light in the office, which I could overlook.
Price estimate according to the architect/planner: not yet available.
Personal price limit for the house, including equipment: €470,000
Preferred heating technology: heat pump (due to the small plot, air-water)
If you have to forgo certain details/expansions
-What you can do without: hard to say, since the ground floor layout is already so compact anyway. Possibly the technical room on the ground floor, but I also find relocating it to the smaller upper floor problematic.
-What you cannot do without: 2 additional rooms on the ground floor.
Why has the design become what it is now?
Since it is a completely newly established residential area, exemptions are off the table. Due to a change in my professional field, there is a need for an office. Because this is in a granny flat, additional funding from KFW would even help here. As a basis, we took a floor plan from Fischerhaus, rotated and mirrored it to optimize the position on the plot.
What makes it particularly good or bad in your eyes?
We think it is good because a relatively large usable garden area remains, with still good light yield. Access to the front door would now be a negative point, but some compromises have to be made in planning. On the other hand, you have a relatively well-separated garden. Also, there is the access through the garage into the house to avoid unnecessarily long distances when unloading.
What is the most important/basic question about the floor plan summarized in 130 characters?
Currently, we only have about 20m² left for the approach to the house and terrace. Do you see potential for optimization here, or should we revise our wishlist and possibly start again?
Best regards
Sarah and Christoph



My wife and I are about to purchase a plot of land. We have a civil engineer at hand who designs single-family homes and lives just around the corner, who is working out the detailed planning for us and accompanying the construction. However, the development plan presents a hurdle for us, as the designated site coverage ratio is only 0.25. Furthermore, our goal is to create a lot of living/work space on the ground floor, which is difficult with 684m². What especially concerns us is the space requirement for ancillary facilities. Maybe you have some ideas? We would be grateful for anything! I would like to point out that my wife and I are complete laypersons.
Development Plan/Restrictions
Size of the plot: 684m²
Slope: approx. 1m drop over 23m and 0.5m over 30m
Site coverage ratio: 0.25
Floor area ratio: 0.5
Building window, building line and boundary: 5m from the street, otherwise free
Edge development: garages may be built up to the boundary
Number of parking spaces: double garage + 5m driveway (3m area in front of the garage is fixed by the development plan) in front
Number of floors: up to 2 full floors
Roof shape: no specification
Style: no specification
Orientation: no specification
Maximum heights/limits: no specification
Further requirements: only detached houses, one tree of a certain size per 300m² of started area, separated sewage system
Neighbors to the left, top, right, street below without restrictions such as planting islands etc.
Requirements of the builders
Style, roof shape, building type: recessed top floor with pitched roof or flat roof
Basement, floors: no basement due to ground class up to 7, 2 full floors
Number of people, age: 2 adults, 1 child
Room requirements on the ground floor: living, dining, cooking, guest, office, WC/shower, utility room/HAR, access to the garage OG (upper floor): 2-3 rooms + 1 bathroom
Office: family use or home office? Both
Overnight guests per year: approx. 5-10
Open or closed architecture: open
Conservative or modern construction: modern
Open kitchen, cooking island: island preferred
Number of dining seats: 6-8
Fireplace: no
Music/stereo wall: no
Balcony, roof terrace: possible as an extra but only if the budget allows
Garage, carport: double garage
Utility garden, greenhouse: no utility garden planned
Further wishes/special features/daily routine, also reasons why this or that should or should not be
House design
Who is responsible for the planning:
-Do-it-Yourself
-Living area/usable area approx. 211m²
What do you particularly like? Why? My wife and I would like two additional rooms on the ground floor to have office and guest space somewhat separated from the private sleeping area. Also, the south-west side with the living areas is beautifully sunlit. The extra room upstairs is intended as a craft/music room (drums and piano) or as a backup for child 2.
What do you not like? Why? The only negative point would be the somewhat sparse light in the office, which I could overlook.
Price estimate according to the architect/planner: not yet available.
Personal price limit for the house, including equipment: €470,000
Preferred heating technology: heat pump (due to the small plot, air-water)
If you have to forgo certain details/expansions
-What you can do without: hard to say, since the ground floor layout is already so compact anyway. Possibly the technical room on the ground floor, but I also find relocating it to the smaller upper floor problematic.
-What you cannot do without: 2 additional rooms on the ground floor.
Why has the design become what it is now?
Since it is a completely newly established residential area, exemptions are off the table. Due to a change in my professional field, there is a need for an office. Because this is in a granny flat, additional funding from KFW would even help here. As a basis, we took a floor plan from Fischerhaus, rotated and mirrored it to optimize the position on the plot.
What makes it particularly good or bad in your eyes?
We think it is good because a relatively large usable garden area remains, with still good light yield. Access to the front door would now be a negative point, but some compromises have to be made in planning. On the other hand, you have a relatively well-separated garden. Also, there is the access through the garage into the house to avoid unnecessarily long distances when unloading.
What is the most important/basic question about the floor plan summarized in 130 characters?
Currently, we only have about 20m² left for the approach to the house and terrace. Do you see potential for optimization here, or should we revise our wishlist and possibly start again?
Best regards
Sarah and Christoph