Hello everyone,
I have been following your discussions about building for quite some time now and have already learned a lot. Now it’s time for me to become an active member instead of just a passive one.
My girlfriend and I would like to build a single-family house in the near future. We already have a plot (650 sqm (7,000 sq ft)) in the Mainz-Alzey region. At first, the discussion was about how our house should look in the future. My girlfriend originally liked the idea of a town villa, while at the beginning I was more into the Bauhaus style. After some time, we agreed on a design that we both liked (at that point we were focusing purely on the appearance). We decided on a gently sloped shed roof with cubic elements.
After several talks and some initial quotes, I realized that a flat shed roof (6 degrees) is not only very expensive (metal roofing +€25,000), but also feels a bit half-baked. I had another discussion about this with my uncle yesterday. He is a self-employed roofer and said from his perspective, a 6-degree pitch doesn’t make much sense.
Yesterday, we saw two houses with a combination of a shed roof (about 15 degrees) and a flat roof. We both really liked that.
Now my question for you:
- Currently, there aren’t many designs like this. Is that because it doesn’t make sense from a technical point of view, or because it doesn’t appeal to many people’s taste? I could live with the latter.
Looking forward to your answers. Have a great Easter!
PS: According to the zoning plan, it shouldn’t be a problem to build a house like this there.
I have been following your discussions about building for quite some time now and have already learned a lot. Now it’s time for me to become an active member instead of just a passive one.
My girlfriend and I would like to build a single-family house in the near future. We already have a plot (650 sqm (7,000 sq ft)) in the Mainz-Alzey region. At first, the discussion was about how our house should look in the future. My girlfriend originally liked the idea of a town villa, while at the beginning I was more into the Bauhaus style. After some time, we agreed on a design that we both liked (at that point we were focusing purely on the appearance). We decided on a gently sloped shed roof with cubic elements.
After several talks and some initial quotes, I realized that a flat shed roof (6 degrees) is not only very expensive (metal roofing +€25,000), but also feels a bit half-baked. I had another discussion about this with my uncle yesterday. He is a self-employed roofer and said from his perspective, a 6-degree pitch doesn’t make much sense.
Yesterday, we saw two houses with a combination of a shed roof (about 15 degrees) and a flat roof. We both really liked that.
Now my question for you:
- Currently, there aren’t many designs like this. Is that because it doesn’t make sense from a technical point of view, or because it doesn’t appeal to many people’s taste? I could live with the latter.
Looking forward to your answers. Have a great Easter!
PS: According to the zoning plan, it shouldn’t be a problem to build a house like this there.
B
Bauexperte29 Apr 2014 10:49Hello,
You need to learn to differentiate. There are providers—both for prefabricated and solid construction—that offer standardized floor plans. Even minor changes or extensions to the desired house can lead to a cost explosion. Besides, not every provider can deviate from their standard because they simply lack the staff (draftspersons, architects, or structural engineers) to do so. They have purchased one house program including structural design and have to work with it if they want to keep costs low.
On the other hand, there are providers—like us—who have in-house architects; for them, it doesn’t matter what the finished house looks like after planning is complete. The structural calculations are done only after the final, approval-free statics are available. It goes without saying that no load-bearing elements should be altered afterward because that would require recalculating the entire structural engineering.
I think there is consensus—at least here in the forum—that simple architecture is cheaper to realize than, for example, a round house. I can tell you from experience that concreters, facade installers, and plasterers “go crazy” with such designs; it becomes quite expensive.
What you envision as architecture should not simply be labeled as “special requests.” At the first step, you want to implement the ideas and images in your mind for the new build. Whether it can be realized will become clear quickly once the zoning plan is clarified and the first offers come in. You should expect it to be more expensive than a standard detached house with a classic gable roof at 38–42° (38–42 degrees). Not because you have to calculate “special requests,” but simply because you are choosing a different roof construction for your new build.
Finally, “special requests” are, for example, the aforementioned round building, two-level (split-level) buildings, or a “Philippe Starck® bathroom series.” But these are all short-term snapshots reflecting societal changes; a few years ago, Villeroy & Boch® bathroom series were considered a luxury, today they are part of the standard offering by reputable providers.
Best regards, Bauexperte
nilles84 schrieb:I wouldn’t rely on €uro’s statement; he is an HVAC planner.
I always had the impression that special requests are expensive. Since that roof shape is not common, I assumed it would cost more. But if that’s not true, even better
You need to learn to differentiate. There are providers—both for prefabricated and solid construction—that offer standardized floor plans. Even minor changes or extensions to the desired house can lead to a cost explosion. Besides, not every provider can deviate from their standard because they simply lack the staff (draftspersons, architects, or structural engineers) to do so. They have purchased one house program including structural design and have to work with it if they want to keep costs low.
On the other hand, there are providers—like us—who have in-house architects; for them, it doesn’t matter what the finished house looks like after planning is complete. The structural calculations are done only after the final, approval-free statics are available. It goes without saying that no load-bearing elements should be altered afterward because that would require recalculating the entire structural engineering.
I think there is consensus—at least here in the forum—that simple architecture is cheaper to realize than, for example, a round house. I can tell you from experience that concreters, facade installers, and plasterers “go crazy” with such designs; it becomes quite expensive.
What you envision as architecture should not simply be labeled as “special requests.” At the first step, you want to implement the ideas and images in your mind for the new build. Whether it can be realized will become clear quickly once the zoning plan is clarified and the first offers come in. You should expect it to be more expensive than a standard detached house with a classic gable roof at 38–42° (38–42 degrees). Not because you have to calculate “special requests,” but simply because you are choosing a different roof construction for your new build.
Finally, “special requests” are, for example, the aforementioned round building, two-level (split-level) buildings, or a “Philippe Starck® bathroom series.” But these are all short-term snapshots reflecting societal changes; a few years ago, Villeroy & Boch® bathroom series were considered a luxury, today they are part of the standard offering by reputable providers.
Best regards, Bauexperte
B
Bauexperte29 Apr 2014 10:53Hello Yvonne,
That is correct, I don’t want to dispute that. However, your roof choice is – in comparison to what the original poster has in mind – more cost-effective.
Both roof types are common designs, not rocket science. That’s all I wanted to explain.
Best regards, Bauexperte
ypg schrieb:
I was told during my search with construction companies that there is indeed additional effort involved, such as connecting the roof to the gable, and generally the construction of a shed roof/additional gable. The prices confirmed this.
That is correct, I don’t want to dispute that. However, your roof choice is – in comparison to what the original poster has in mind – more cost-effective.
Both roof types are common designs, not rocket science. That’s all I wanted to explain.
Best regards, Bauexperte
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