Hello everyone,
We would like to build a house but have not yet found a suitable plot of land. Therefore, my parents suggested building a house on their property, as they would prefer a somewhat smaller garden anyway. Before we submit an inquiry to the building authority to see if the local development plan allows this, we would like to know if the idea is feasible at all.
My parents own a 1950s house in a 1930s residential zone with a relatively large south-facing garden. An extension is rather unlikely since we don’t know if the old building will remain standing for the next 50 years.
I have attached a drawing made with the help of Google Maps (Image 1), where the property is marked with a red outline. There is a garage and a garden shed on the property (yellow outlines). The front door faces the street side (north) in the center. I added a scale (10 meters (33 feet)) in red to give a sense of the size of the plot.
Do you have any inspiring ideas on how we could theoretically implement this project in the best way?
Our initial thought was to build a house in the lower-right (southeast) part of the plot and leave a continuous strip along the right property boundary as an access driveway to a carport. That way, the existing garage and garden shed of my parents could remain, and there would be separate entrances, as well as a nice south-west orientation of our garden. The front door could then face east, and the living room would face south towards the garden, so my parents and we would each have some privacy. I tried to sketch this once (Image 2).
What about the setback regulations (in North Rhine-Westphalia)? Is it true that we must keep a 3-meter (10 feet) distance from the neighboring property? Probably only a single-story house with a converted attic would be possible, right? A basement would then be necessary to have enough living space. We are planning for two children, and there is also the possibility that the second time we might have twins 🙂
What do you think of the plan, and do you have any suggestions or ideas? Thank you very much in advance! 🙂
Best regards,
Frank
We would like to build a house but have not yet found a suitable plot of land. Therefore, my parents suggested building a house on their property, as they would prefer a somewhat smaller garden anyway. Before we submit an inquiry to the building authority to see if the local development plan allows this, we would like to know if the idea is feasible at all.
My parents own a 1950s house in a 1930s residential zone with a relatively large south-facing garden. An extension is rather unlikely since we don’t know if the old building will remain standing for the next 50 years.
I have attached a drawing made with the help of Google Maps (Image 1), where the property is marked with a red outline. There is a garage and a garden shed on the property (yellow outlines). The front door faces the street side (north) in the center. I added a scale (10 meters (33 feet)) in red to give a sense of the size of the plot.
Do you have any inspiring ideas on how we could theoretically implement this project in the best way?
Our initial thought was to build a house in the lower-right (southeast) part of the plot and leave a continuous strip along the right property boundary as an access driveway to a carport. That way, the existing garage and garden shed of my parents could remain, and there would be separate entrances, as well as a nice south-west orientation of our garden. The front door could then face east, and the living room would face south towards the garden, so my parents and we would each have some privacy. I tried to sketch this once (Image 2).
What about the setback regulations (in North Rhine-Westphalia)? Is it true that we must keep a 3-meter (10 feet) distance from the neighboring property? Probably only a single-story house with a converted attic would be possible, right? A basement would then be necessary to have enough living space. We are planning for two children, and there is also the possibility that the second time we might have twins 🙂
What do you think of the plan, and do you have any suggestions or ideas? Thank you very much in advance! 🙂
Best regards,
Frank
I completely agree with you. However, it’s too late now. What has been most annoying, or still is, is that you never really have any privacy. You can say a hundred times that you hate it when someone knocks on the terrace glass, but it doesn’t make a difference. About three or four years after moving in, we installed pleated blinds on the garden door so we wouldn’t feel like we were on display when they’re on the terrace. The best time was in 2019 when we sowed the lawn and they couldn’t walk over it. Now the deep snow is also keeping my mother-in-law away. Now she goes to the front door instead 😀
You just really shouldn’t overlook this aspect.
Before we moved onto the property, they never visited us. Even though my mother-in-law, for example, was at my grandmother’s every day, and she lived in the same apartment building as we did. So, we would never have thought it might be an issue.
You just really shouldn’t overlook this aspect.
Before we moved onto the property, they never visited us. Even though my mother-in-law, for example, was at my grandmother’s every day, and she lived in the same apartment building as we did. So, we would never have thought it might be an issue.
shenja schrieb:
You can say it a hundred times that I hate when people knock on the patio glass, but it doesn’t matter. That’s really awful. It’s disrespectful toward you. We had a patio facing the street, and people knocked on the patio door there as well. Sometimes it genuinely startled me.
I would consider installing a fence with a lock but still show that you care about them (if that’s the case 😉 by visiting and so on).
At first, they might be upset, but that usually fades over time.
P
pagoni202013 Feb 2021 20:11Many years ago, an acquaintance’s daughter-in-law had the audacity to install a new lock in her apartment within the shared multi-family house... that was the breaking point. After that, you couldn’t just walk in whenever you wanted... I have often seen this with sons who didn’t want or couldn’t set boundaries with their mother.
I would express this politely BUT clearly, and if that doesn’t work, take action as well. Still, I believe that talking, alongside clear behavior, is also important for older people.
But I would definitely make sure to settle this!
I would express this politely BUT clearly, and if that doesn’t work, take action as well. Still, I believe that talking, alongside clear behavior, is also important for older people.
But I would definitely make sure to settle this!
Yes, disrespectful is a good way to put it. I would like to have a fence, but right now it’s not possible; we have to do it slowly and “discreetly.” My father-in-law suddenly passed away in June after a brief but very serious illness. That would probably be the end of it for her if there was suddenly a fence. Overall, it’s difficult, and I wouldn’t do it again.
I didn’t want to hijack the thread but to point out that building on the property can be advantageous, yet it can still end up being expensive.
Also, it shows that it is possible to build on seemingly hopeless plots. We were also told that only a garage would fit on our land, but we live in 120 sqm (1,292 sq ft). A detached semi-detached house.
I didn’t want to hijack the thread but to point out that building on the property can be advantageous, yet it can still end up being expensive.
Also, it shows that it is possible to build on seemingly hopeless plots. We were also told that only a garage would fit on our land, but we live in 120 sqm (1,292 sq ft). A detached semi-detached house.
shenja schrieb:
Didn’t want to hijack the thread I don’t think that matters. The original poster last logged in yesterday afternoon...
shenja schrieb:
Overall difficult, and I wouldn’t do it again. Oops, yes, difficult indeed.
pagoni2020 schrieb:
Still, I believe that talking, alongside clear actions, is important when dealing with older people. Older people... what age are you referring to? Our age?! 🤨
Next door to us: partners are building a small house, opposite in the bungalow row where his parents are also settling (for later, to help look after the kids and such). Often it was an idyll with the two couples, but often the older woman (eeew, let her be older than me) would come over the lawn carrying a casserole...
...until our young neighbor moved out... to another partner.
Since then, the casserole hasn’t come from his mother next door, but there have been curious looks about what his former daughter-in-law might be up to. In the end, she, my neighbor, also sold the house.
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