ᐅ Apartment floor plan on a sloped site, showing ground floor / basement level

Hello everyone,

this is about a condominium apartment for rental. The apartment is located in a house on a hillside and is therefore partly basement level, but mostly on the ground floor. (Please no discussions about whether basement level is bad – but in this case, it is the only option). Rooms with basement level (meaning soil above the room floor) measure 1.04 and 1.06 meters (3.4 and 3.5 feet).

There are now two layout options. Both have been approved by the developer:

1) Original plan by the developer’s architect. The apartment has its own private entrance. From the main entrance (door is missing in the floor plan) there are about 4 steps down outside, then into the apartment. Advantage according to the architect → no basement feeling when entering the house. Disadvantage (my opinion) → feels like a “service entrance,” wasted living space due to additional vestibule and hallway. Dirt is carried directly into the apartment.

2) (My) modification. Entrance via the stairwell going down. Disadvantage → basement feeling when entering the house. Advantage (my opinion) → larger bedroom, swapping bathroom and kitchen allowing an open kitchen to visually enlarge the small (22m2 (237 ft2)) living room (the terrace door will be doubled, which has been approved by the heritage office). Bedroom and main bathroom are separated from the children’s rooms.

What do you think? Which option would you prefer, or what do you think most tenants would prefer?

Thank you very much for your input!

Option two with an open kitchen.

The main entrance would probably be at the top of the stairs, with a few steps from outside up to the ground level, but are the floors on both sides of the desired apartment door at the same level?

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https://www.instagram.com/11antgmxde/
https://www.linkedin.com/company/bauen-jetzt/

11ant schrieb:

The main entrance would probably be at the top of the stairs, with a few steps leading up from outside, but are the levels on both sides of the desired apartment door inside the house the same?

Exactly, 3 steps above ground level from outside. If entering from the garden, there would be 4 steps down next to the main entrance leading to the apartment door. Inside, according to the (still preliminary) plan, there are 8 steps.

RomeoZwo schrieb:

Exactly, three steps above ground level on the outside.

Alright then,

haydee schrieb:

Option two with an open kitchen.

Without relocating the entrance, I wouldn’t have swapped the kitchen and bathroom, but together it makes sense.
Considering your properties, I’m starting to wonder whether you inherited better than I did, or if I didn’t keep my eyes open enough when choosing my career *grin*

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https://www.instagram.com/11antgmxde/
https://www.linkedin.com/company/bauen-jetzt/

11ant schrieb:

Considering your properties, I’m starting to wonder whether you inherited better real estate than I did or if I just didn’t keep my eyes open enough when choosing my career *grin*

Other options have come up. The historic renovation of the farmhouse (profile picture) was a bit too big for me (investment over 1.5 million) and now there’s likely going to be a swap with a developer specializing in historic buildings, involving an apartment from their portfolio. The Frick House is still in the planning stages – and has been in the family for a long time. However, the renovation there will largely have to be financed. I’m hoping to benefit from it around retirement age.
Somehow, I seem to only deal with historic properties – couldn’t my family have just bought normal plots ...