ᐅ New construction of a semi-detached house with a full basement and demolition

Hello everyone,

After searching for some time, we were fortunate to secure a plot of land. Now comes the stressful phase, as usual: planning. I urgently need your advice.

1. Challenge – Demolition
There is an old semi-detached house on the plot that is no longer habitable and must be demolished. Both semi-detached houses were built around 1930 and most likely share a common party wall. Is it possible to demolish the house without damaging the neighboring property?

2. Challenge – Full Basement
The existing house has only a partial basement, about 20 sqm (215 sq ft). According to the development plan, we are allowed to build 17 x 7.5 m (56 x 25 ft). Is it possible to excavate a full basement given the adjacent house?

3. Challenge – Architect
We would like to build with an architect but have not found one so far. I’m also unsure if every architect can handle the two challenges mentioned above. I found the portal construyo online, which seems interesting. Does anyone have experience with such a portal?

I would be very happy and grateful for any comments or advice.

Best regards,
Zonny

ZonnyNg schrieb:

Is it possible to demolish the house without damaging the neighboring property?

Leave the party wall and build against it. Everything is possible!

ZonnyNg schrieb:

According to the development plan, we are allowed to build 17 x 7.5 m (56 x 25 feet). Is it possible to fully excavate the basement because of the neighboring house?

I wouldn’t risk it. Why do you need a bigger basement? 17 x 7 m (56 x 23 feet) is already quite a bit. And presumably with an attic floor on top?

ZonnyNg schrieb:

I found the portal construyo online and find it interesting. Does anyone have experience with a portal like this?

Very few people here have experience with intermediary companies like that. They connect you with engineers you can also find in directories. And who would register in c.’s database? Those who are not good enough to get projects on their own. You can also check reviews on such platforms 😉

ZonnyNg schrieb:

There is an old semi-detached house on the property that is no longer habitable and needs to be demolished. Both semi-detached houses were built in the 1930s and most likely share a common party wall. Is it possible to demolish the house without damaging the neighboring house?

It is difficult to say without more information. I have no insight into the construction of the possibly shared roof structure. What about the other half, and what does the local development plan say regarding the similarity or mirror layout of the two halves, etc.? The facts provided are too limited at this point...

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

Thank you very much for your quick response.

The house may only be built with 1.5 stories. So, we are not planning an attic. Instead, we would use the basement for hobbies and storage. But if that is not possible, we would set the building back by 1 to 1.5 meters (3 to 5 feet) from the neighboring house. Even with this distance, we are not sure if it will be allowed. Our neighbor is an older lady, estimated to be around 60 years old. She is not familiar with any plans for the house.

Do you have any tips for me on how to find an architect? Or any recommendations?

ZonnyNg schrieb:

Our neighbor is an older lady, estimated to be around 60. She has no plan for the house.

Anyone who refers to a woman "in her prime menopausal years" as an "older lady" should be ready to duck quickly ;-)
If she doesn’t need anything from her half of the house, then please forgive me for seriously doubting the state of disrepair — or has your side been separately wrecked by a chain-smoking animal hoarder? (Otherwise, I find it hard to imagine selective demolition readiness of just half a semi-detached house).

ZonnyNg schrieb:

But if it’s not possible, we would move back 1 to 1.5 meters from the neighbor’s house.

The half-baked idea of only stepping back from the property line enough to clear the basement excavation slope won’t be feasible: either your building obligation is very strict, or it can be waived — but then at the cost of maintaining a minimum setback of at least 6 meters (5 meters in Baden-Württemberg), as you would have to observe such a distance and also take over your neighbor’s existing setback.

ZonnyNg schrieb:

The house is only allowed to have 1.5 stories. So we are not planning an attic.

There seems to be a major lack of spatial imagination here: even with a 25° roof pitch, a 17m (56 ft) long house would gain about 3.96 meters (13 ft) of height between eaves and ridge — that would already be a substantial attic space.

ZonnyNg schrieb:

Do you have any tips for me on how to find an architect? Or any recommendations?

I use the same name on gmx (de) as here; otherwise, you can find further information about suitable professionals for Rhineland-Palatinate and Baden-Württemberg in https://www.hausbau-forum.de/threads/einfachste-planung-der-gebaeudehuelle-und-der-geschosse-wo-anfangen.42994/#post-565734.

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

11ant schrieb:

Anyone who calls a woman "in her prime midlife years" an "older lady" better be ready to duck quickly ;-)

She is definitely a bit older than me, and that’s the kind of description I learned in my basic German course 🙄

Unfortunately, I don’t understand much of your joke/expression (@11ant) because my German is only good enough for everyday situations. I’m sorry. I’m skilled in craftsmanship but have no knowledge of construction. One thing I understood is that it will be very difficult to realize the dream house on this plot. Thank you very much for your active comment. I will have to be very careful with the planning, otherwise I will end up paying for an unrealistic plan. 🙁