My girlfriend and I want to start building within the next 1-4 years. We already have a clear idea of our house. We know exactly that we want to build in the town where we already live. However, I think our house might not fit on the plots in the new development area. The largest plots are 680 square meters (7309 square feet) and have a maximum ridge height of 9.5 meters (31 feet). I also don’t want the house to feel cramped on the lot. So I was wondering if it would make more sense to first discuss our wishes with an architect, who could then look for a suitable plot where the house would actually fit. Or am I completely on the wrong track, and is this approach very unusual?
Here are our ideas for the house. I just added one thing from another discussion here on the forum. My girlfriend is really into steel trims for window decoration. Can an architect work with a requirement like that?
Plot/House General
Entrance Area (Vestibule/Foyer)
Dining/Living Room
Kitchen
Master Suite
Children’s Rooms
Fitness Room
Office
Guest WC
Terrace
Heating/Utility Room
Special Requests
Here are our ideas for the house. I just added one thing from another discussion here on the forum. My girlfriend is really into steel trims for window decoration. Can an architect work with a requirement like that?
Plot/House General
- Number of floors does not matter – maximum 4 if the attic is developed
- Attic, if not developed, used as storage
- Basement, if included, with windows
- No sloped ceilings in any rooms except for a developed attic or on the 4th floor
- Roof shape does not matter, just no flat roof
- Brick facade
- Terrace not too close to neighboring plot, minimum 5 meters (16 feet) distance
- Large double garage
- 2 outdoor parking spaces for cars
Entrance Area (Vestibule/Foyer)
- Entrance area with wardrobe
- Stairs not in the entrance area but in the hallway leading to the living area
- Access to the garage from the entrance area
Dining/Living Room
- Only dining and living room open plan – kitchen in a separate room
- Dining table for minimum 10 people; chairs or corner bench possible
- Living room space for 2 large functional sofas (3-seat) and side tables
- Fireplace visible from the sofas
- Large media wall with TV
Kitchen
- Lots of storage – small dining table for 4 people
- Doors to the hallway and dining area
Master Suite
- Bedroom
- Walk-in closet
- Bathroom with tub, large shower, double sink
- Separate toilet
Children’s Rooms
- 2 rooms at least 16 square meters (172 square feet) each
- Separate bathroom for children with tub and shower
Fitness Room
- At least 30 square meters (323 square feet)
Office
- At least 14 square meters (150 square feet)
Guest WC
- Without shower or tub
Terrace
- Partially covered (without glass)
- Dining table for 10 people
- Outdoor kitchen (grill/sink/fridge/work surface)
- Terrace large enough to also fit 6 beer garden-style benches with backrests
- Terrace must be open on only 2 sides
- Transparent protective roller shutters on the terrace
- Terrace accessible from the living/dining area and level with no steps
Heating/Utility Room
- Large, also suitable for washing and drying clothes – possibly a separate room for washing and drying on the sleeping level
Special Requests
- Large separate room for bicycles/trash bins/car tires/lawnmower/garden tools etc.
- Storage closet on each floor
- Central vacuum system
- Fireplace in the living room connected to the heating system
- Central ventilation/alarm system/underfloor heating/shutters/lights – electronically controlled via units in ground floor hallway and master bedroom
- Steel trims embedded in plaster in the window lintels, wallpapered over. Window decorations freely positionable on magnetic hooks
- Lots of indirect lighting
- Visible beams (rustic modern), can also be fake
- Alarm system securing lower windows and doors
- Laundry chute (omit if there is a separate laundry room on the sleeping level)
- Solar system
- Attic, if present, accessible via regular stairs
- Accessible for disabled – doors and corridors wide enough – enough space for stairlift
- Many electrical outlets
- LAN cables in office and children’s rooms
- Finished ceiling height slightly higher because of visible (fake) beams or suspended ceilings (indirect lighting)
Wow, not bad. Now I’m feeling bad.
Definitely start with the plot of land! So much depends on it. And even though I always say you should ideally build before having children – with a child, you see many planned corners and stairs differently. Suddenly, you consider a single-story house because stairs become annoying, or the kids’ rooms are planned larger, or you want a playroom on the ground floor, and so on.
So, go ahead and look intensively for plots. Your equity is really impressive in that regard. Then carefully calculate how your partner (soon-to-be wife?) will manage work with a child. Make sure to choose the plot based on where you can accommodate the child’s needs (daycare, kindergarten, school, sports facilities). Unless you don’t mind constantly driving your child back and forth.
Definitely start with the plot of land! So much depends on it. And even though I always say you should ideally build before having children – with a child, you see many planned corners and stairs differently. Suddenly, you consider a single-story house because stairs become annoying, or the kids’ rooms are planned larger, or you want a playroom on the ground floor, and so on.
So, go ahead and look intensively for plots. Your equity is really impressive in that regard. Then carefully calculate how your partner (soon-to-be wife?) will manage work with a child. Make sure to choose the plot based on where you can accommodate the child’s needs (daycare, kindergarten, school, sports facilities). Unless you don’t mind constantly driving your child back and forth.
S
Silent01011 Jan 2018 09:00Spritti123 schrieb:
The other half of the equity comes from my girlfriend. It could also be that she brings in 300,000 or 500,000 in equity, it’s all open.Wow, if your girlfriend is around the same age, you two must be extremely disciplined savers. It’s impressive how much money that is for someone so young.
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Bieber081511 Jan 2018 10:02ruppsn schrieb:
I can’t imagine how that’s supposed to work, and at the same time, I feel really bad because I seem to be the biggest wasterOne thing I can say: you’re not alone.Spritti123 schrieb:
Always worked overtime. [...] premiums [...] in the industry [...] as a skilled worker [...] a high wage group that would make some academics wonder what they studied for. [...] good starting conditions in life. I mostly left that as I see it. By the way, this in no way diminishes your achievement! Impressive! And, well, I don’t really earn badly now, but… studied “forever” before, now “trust-based working hours.” If the (young) engineer is at the company over the weekend, it’s already paid work. His supervisor earns a fortune in that time. In the end... well, I’m not complaining, it’s all fine! The “good start” completes the picture... Of course, not everyone has that.By the way, I still believe the house could be a bit more modest. You should also diversify your assets a bit... The real experts would now build a duplex and rent out the second half.
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chand198611 Jan 2018 10:30Bieber0815 schrieb:
The really tough ones would build a duplex and rent out the second half. The really tough ones would use their equity to buy rental properties and pay off their personal palace in 10 to 15 years with ease.
No, seriously: impressively determined. You should also allow yourself to have what you really want. Regarding the size of the house, I’ve said all I wanted to and agree with Bieber0815.
Bieber0815 schrieb:
. The "good start" adds to that ... Obviously, not everyone has that ...That’s probably one of the key points. Free housing – grandma’s car. Well-paid job. – What most people only achieve around age 40 was already the starting point here at 18. Plus, apparently an upbringing focused on saving and hard work – all done right, I would say.Bieber0815 schrieb:
By the way, I still think the house could be a bit more modest. You should spread your assets a bit ...Yes, over several properties. For example, an additional holiday bungalow on the Baltic Sea. But...Bieber0815 schrieb:
The very determined would now build a semi-detached house and rent out the second half .Not something like that!B
Bieber081511 Jan 2018 13:24I would invest in stocks; it requires much less effort than managing your own property and offers broader diversification. But anyway, that’s not necessarily the topic... Although... In what form was the money saved? How is that capital held today?