Hello everyone,
A few months ago, I bought a plot of land. The plot is approximately 1,100 sqm (12,000 sq ft) and can be built on according to Section 34 of the Building Code.
We are still in the planning phase for a bungalow and possibly will submit the building permit / planning permission by the end of the year or by the end of January. The architect is already working hard on the drawings.
Our local authority usually takes about 2 months to approve building permits, so the earliest we can start construction will be in April.
My trusted contractor has given a timeline of 9 to 12 months, so the bungalow probably won’t be ready to move into until April 2021 at the earliest.
In addition to the bungalow, we plan to build a garden house measuring 4 x 6 m (13 x 20 ft) for the summer. We intend to complete this on a shorter timeline.
Currently, my wife and I are living rent-free in my mother’s secondary apartment, and this arrangement will continue for some time.
Nevertheless, we want to move out as soon as possible because the neighborhood has become a socially problematic area. Additionally, we face severe mold issues every few months, which can only be treated symptomatically.
We would like to ask if it is generally possible to live in a 24 sqm (260 sq ft) garden house over the summer (we were thinking about roughly April to September) as a couple?
Of course, this wouldn’t be proper full-time living. We would still stay in my mother’s secondary apartment but would use the garden house for sleeping. We wouldn’t stay there every night, probably only 2 to 3 nights per week.
All utilities are connected to the plot.
What might the water connection cost?
What about a simple plumbing connection, such as for a washbasin?
We have a camping stove and camping oven.
Do you have any experience living in such a small space?
A few months ago, I bought a plot of land. The plot is approximately 1,100 sqm (12,000 sq ft) and can be built on according to Section 34 of the Building Code.
We are still in the planning phase for a bungalow and possibly will submit the building permit / planning permission by the end of the year or by the end of January. The architect is already working hard on the drawings.
Our local authority usually takes about 2 months to approve building permits, so the earliest we can start construction will be in April.
My trusted contractor has given a timeline of 9 to 12 months, so the bungalow probably won’t be ready to move into until April 2021 at the earliest.
In addition to the bungalow, we plan to build a garden house measuring 4 x 6 m (13 x 20 ft) for the summer. We intend to complete this on a shorter timeline.
Currently, my wife and I are living rent-free in my mother’s secondary apartment, and this arrangement will continue for some time.
Nevertheless, we want to move out as soon as possible because the neighborhood has become a socially problematic area. Additionally, we face severe mold issues every few months, which can only be treated symptomatically.
We would like to ask if it is generally possible to live in a 24 sqm (260 sq ft) garden house over the summer (we were thinking about roughly April to September) as a couple?
Of course, this wouldn’t be proper full-time living. We would still stay in my mother’s secondary apartment but would use the garden house for sleeping. We wouldn’t stay there every night, probably only 2 to 3 nights per week.
All utilities are connected to the plot.
What might the water connection cost?
What about a simple plumbing connection, such as for a washbasin?
We have a camping stove and camping oven.
Do you have any experience living in such a small space?
First of all, thank you for the answers.
We will build the garden shed anyway. It is part of our plans.
The question was more about the costs involved with a “proper” water connection.
We do not want to rent an apartment for a year as a temporary solution. At the moment, we live rent-free and would rather invest the monthly rent into our future house.
The idea of a camper or camping equipment is very interesting. I will take a closer look at that.
Otherwise, I don’t understand some commenters’ reactions. Isn’t it nice to spend a night in a poorly insulated, cool wooden cabin on hot summer days?
And it is only meant for the summer. We will continue living in the apartment and just occasionally sleep in the garden.
The idea came from a colleague at work. He also lives in an apartment in Hanover but has a small allotment garden and sometimes stays there overnight during the summer.
We will build the garden shed anyway. It is part of our plans.
The question was more about the costs involved with a “proper” water connection.
We do not want to rent an apartment for a year as a temporary solution. At the moment, we live rent-free and would rather invest the monthly rent into our future house.
The idea of a camper or camping equipment is very interesting. I will take a closer look at that.
Otherwise, I don’t understand some commenters’ reactions. Isn’t it nice to spend a night in a poorly insulated, cool wooden cabin on hot summer days?
And it is only meant for the summer. We will continue living in the apartment and just occasionally sleep in the garden.
The idea came from a colleague at work. He also lives in an apartment in Hanover but has a small allotment garden and sometimes stays there overnight during the summer.
tucana1 schrieb:
Otherwise, I don’t understand the reaction of some commenters.Let me explain it to you:
tucana1 schrieb:
Isn’t it nice to spend a night in a poorly insulated, cool wooden cabin on hot summer days?That’s contradictory: on hot summer days, a poorly insulated wooden cabin is humid, stuffy, and warm—no one wants to sleep in there.
tucana1 schrieb:
We will continue living in the apartment, just occasionally sleep in the garden.And where do you want to fail?tucana1 schrieb:
The question was more about the costs involved in a “proper” water connection.A “proper” water connection is just that—a proper one—and costs what a proper connection costs. Plus, you’ll need a functioning wastewater system. All of this is quite complex when it comes to a garden shed. Moreover, everything must be approved with the relevant authorities.
However, you are free to just take a garden hose if there is an existing water supply.
Your thinking is shaped only by the romantic nostalgia of a hot summer… 1970s, campsite, first love… which is somewhat naive and amusing.
H
hampshire21 Nov 2019 19:56I have a different view than @ypg. I am familiar with living in a small space from our camper van. With that, we could easily be on the road for weeks if time allowed. Several months inside it—I would find that acceptable.
The advantage of a camper van compared to a caravan is that the entire living infrastructure is already installed: shower with hot water, bed, kitchen, heater, refrigerator, toilet, radio, TV, internet via mobile network or nearby Wi-Fi. Then, all you need is a 220V power cable from the construction power supply, empty the toilet cassette every few days (or rent a portable toilet), and have a little gas.
Invest at least €20,000 (about $22,000) in a technically sound and appealing vehicle. If you decide to sell it later, you will likely experience only minimal depreciation at most.
The advantage of a camper van compared to a caravan is that the entire living infrastructure is already installed: shower with hot water, bed, kitchen, heater, refrigerator, toilet, radio, TV, internet via mobile network or nearby Wi-Fi. Then, all you need is a 220V power cable from the construction power supply, empty the toilet cassette every few days (or rent a portable toilet), and have a little gas.
Invest at least €20,000 (about $22,000) in a technically sound and appealing vehicle. If you decide to sell it later, you will likely experience only minimal depreciation at most.
hampshire schrieb:
I see it differently than @ypg. For me, it’s only about the garden shed and the OP’s questions.
hampshire schrieb:
The advantage of a motorhome would be A motorhome certainly has advantages, but it’s not the same as a proper garden shed without insulation and with a real water connection.
tucana1 schrieb:
Anyway, we are going to build the garden house no matter what. It is part of our plans. Part of your plans = counting your chickens before they hatch?
tucana1 schrieb:
Alongside our bungalow, we also want to build a 4 x 6 m (13 x 20 ft) garden house for the summer. We plan to do that in the short term as well. That exceeds both the limits for what can be built without a building permit or what could be marginally allowed, and it requires a space within the building envelope. It also has to comply with the energy saving regulations, and a permitting process would not be cheaper, so it would be advisable to submit it together with the main house. However, that creates a catch-22 because the permit plans for the main house would need to be completed first. A masonry 24 sqm (260 sq ft) structure just thrown together as a pool house might suit the plot size, but financially it only makes sense for dual-income households with at least one person on a mid-level civil service salary (both at level A14 works too)—otherwise, as discussed in another recent thread, a budget car would be parked next to it.
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