Plan a house online – floor plan, storeys and 3D
Last updated: 26 October 2026
In RoomPlanning you plan a house storey by storey: draw the ground floor, add the upper floor, place the stairs and put a roof on top. As you draw, this becomes a 3D model you can walk through at eye level with family and friends. That way you go into the meeting with your architect or builder with clear ideas. It does not replace the planning application or the structural design.
How to plan your house in RoomPlanning
- Check the framework. Before you draw rooms, look at the local development plan: it often sets where you may build, how many storeys are allowed and which roof shape and pitch apply. Draw the plot with the outdoor area tool so you see the house in its setting right away (Garden and electrical plan).
- Draw the ground floor. Set the thickness of the outer walls on the right and draw the outline with exact lengths (Drawing walls). Divide the inside with the room tool; RoomPlanning calculates every area as you go (Rooms and areas).
- Add doors and windows. Windows get a sill height, doors an opening direction (Doors and windows).
- Add more storeys. In the Storeys panel you add a storey, most conveniently with the outer walls of the current one. You set the room height and slab thickness per storey. Show the storey below faintly to place walls and bathrooms exactly on top of each other (Storeys, stairs and roofs).
- Place the stairs. Choose the type, from straight to spiral, click the foot of the stairs and point in the walking direction. RoomPlanning works out the risers and treads from the storey height. Upstairs, keep the space above the stairs free.
- Put on a roof. Gable, hipped, mono-pitch, flat roof or pergola: one click inside the building and the roof follows the outer walls. Change the pitch, eaves height, overhang and ridge direction on the right.
- Furnish and walk through. Put furniture in the rooms (Furnishing) and walk through the house together on a walkthrough, up the stairs too.
- Documents for the meeting. Under Drawings you’ll find dimensioned elevations with eaves and ridge, and sections. Export a scaled PDF or a DXF file for the architect’s office (Drawings and export).
To try it out, open the Family house with two floors, the Small house or the Terraced house with garden in the editor and change whatever you like.
Rules of thumb for stairs, heights and walls
These values are a guide for early planning. What applies to your house is set by local building regulations, the development plan and your architect. More in Minimum room dimensions.
| Topic | Rule of thumb |
|---|---|
| Stair step rule | 2 risers + 1 tread come to about 63 cm, for example 17.5 + 17.5 + 28 cm |
| Stair width | in a single-family house at least 80 cm under German rules, more comfortable 90 to 100 cm |
| Length of a straight stair | at 2.75 m floor-to-floor height about 16 risers and a good 4 m run |
| Headroom above the stairs | about 2 m |
| Height of living rooms | at least 2.40 m in many German states; special rules apply under sloping ceilings |
| Outer walls | in new builds often well over 30 cm thick |
Work out how much space your stairs need with the stair calculator. You also need free space in front of the first step and after the last one.
Ideas to take to your architect
A plan from RoomPlanning is not a planning application, but it is a very good basis for discussion. The most helpful things are:
- The room list: Which rooms do you need, roughly how big, on which storey? The Rooms panel shows all areas with their total.
- Routes and links: Kitchen close to the entrance and the dining area, guest WC downstairs, bathroom close to the bedrooms.
- Variants: Save viewpoints as views and compare two layouts directly.
- How it should feel: A walkthrough together shows faster than any sketch what matters to you.
Common mistakes
- Planning the stairs too late. They take several square metres on every storey, plus the space in front and behind. Place them early, or they will cut through the rooms later.
- Forgetting storage and services. Utility connections, heating, washing machine, supplies and bikes all need space.
- Drawing outer walls too thin. With a realistic wall thickness the inside areas come out right.
- Scattering bathrooms. If bathrooms and kitchen sit above or next to each other, the pipe runs get shorter.
- Long corridors. Every metre of corridor is floor area that no room benefits from.
Frequently asked questions
Can I submit a planning application with RoomPlanning?
No. Application drawings are prepared by someone qualified to submit them, such as an architect. Your plan does help to show your wishes clearly, and you can pass it on as a PDF or DXF.
How many storeys can I plan?
Up to 50. You add new storeys empty, with the outer walls of the current storey or as a full copy.
Can I design the roof myself?
Yes. You choose between gable, hipped, mono-pitch, flat roof and pergola and set the pitch, eaves height, overhang and ridge direction. The elevations show eaves and ridge with dimensions.
Can I plan the garden at the same time?
Yes. Plot, patio, lawn, paths, beds, pool, fences and trees go in the same plan. The help article Garden and electrical plan shows how.
