ᐅ House placement on a sloped lot: Where should the house be located?
Created on: 17 May 2024 16:41
K
KrisHoss
Hello,
we have purchased a fully serviced plot of land from the municipality. I have already had it surveyed. The plot is sloped, dropping steeply at the lower right corner. After some consideration, I have identified two possible locations for the house (approximately 70 m² (750 sq ft) footprint with a basement, not yet finalized) with different advantages and disadvantages. Maybe you can help me decide between these options. The expected costs for the site work and earthworks for the two options are the main focus.
Option 1: The house is located at the upper corner of the plot, with the basement fully underground. Here, about 4.5 m (15 ft) of hillside at the lower right corner need to be retained.
Advantage: The house sits high, likely offering a better view over the valley, with a south-facing garden (is this an advantage?)
Disadvantage: In my view, the lower right corner looks unattractive. The steep slope is probably complex and costly to build and maintain.
Option 2: The house is placed at the lower right corner. Here, the house and the hillside garage retain most of the land. The remaining retaining structures are then moderate in height.
Advantage: It appears better integrated into the terrain, with no unnaturally high support structures. Large courtyard on the eaves side.
Development Plan / Restrictions
Plot size: 625 m² (6,725 sq ft)
Slope: yes, steeply sloping at the lower right corner, see elevation plan
Site occupancy index (Grundflächenzahl): 0.4
Floor space index (Geschossflächenzahl): 0.8
Building envelope, building line and boundary: see attachment
Number of parking spaces: 2
Number of stories: 2
Roof type: gable
Maximum heights / limits: eaves height 4.5 m (15 ft). The reference point is not entirely clear to me, see excerpt from the development plan
Additional requirements: retaining walls max 1.2 m (4 ft) above natural ground level
Client Requirements
Basement, stories: fully basement
Number of people, ages: 2 adults, 2 children (2 and 3 years old)
Room requirements on ground floor and upper floor: office and hobby room, location flexible
Office: home office for the wife, possibly private office for the husband
Guest bedrooms per year: rare
Open or closed architecture: rather open
House Design
Designer: terrain plan created by me using freeware, floor plan draft by general contractor, although this is not the main focus of my thread
Cost estimate according to architect/planner: about 460,000 (SF)
Personal budget limit for the house, including fittings: 500,000
Preferred heating system:
As mentioned, in the first step I want to find the best location for the house considering site costs and other factors. Accordingly, the entrance will be either at the eaves or gable side.
I would appreciate your assessments of the options, and maybe someone has a third idea?
Thanks and best regards,
Kris
we have purchased a fully serviced plot of land from the municipality. I have already had it surveyed. The plot is sloped, dropping steeply at the lower right corner. After some consideration, I have identified two possible locations for the house (approximately 70 m² (750 sq ft) footprint with a basement, not yet finalized) with different advantages and disadvantages. Maybe you can help me decide between these options. The expected costs for the site work and earthworks for the two options are the main focus.
Option 1: The house is located at the upper corner of the plot, with the basement fully underground. Here, about 4.5 m (15 ft) of hillside at the lower right corner need to be retained.
Advantage: The house sits high, likely offering a better view over the valley, with a south-facing garden (is this an advantage?)
Disadvantage: In my view, the lower right corner looks unattractive. The steep slope is probably complex and costly to build and maintain.
Option 2: The house is placed at the lower right corner. Here, the house and the hillside garage retain most of the land. The remaining retaining structures are then moderate in height.
Advantage: It appears better integrated into the terrain, with no unnaturally high support structures. Large courtyard on the eaves side.
Development Plan / Restrictions
Plot size: 625 m² (6,725 sq ft)
Slope: yes, steeply sloping at the lower right corner, see elevation plan
Site occupancy index (Grundflächenzahl): 0.4
Floor space index (Geschossflächenzahl): 0.8
Building envelope, building line and boundary: see attachment
Number of parking spaces: 2
Number of stories: 2
Roof type: gable
Maximum heights / limits: eaves height 4.5 m (15 ft). The reference point is not entirely clear to me, see excerpt from the development plan
Additional requirements: retaining walls max 1.2 m (4 ft) above natural ground level
Client Requirements
Basement, stories: fully basement
Number of people, ages: 2 adults, 2 children (2 and 3 years old)
Room requirements on ground floor and upper floor: office and hobby room, location flexible
Office: home office for the wife, possibly private office for the husband
Guest bedrooms per year: rare
Open or closed architecture: rather open
House Design
Designer: terrain plan created by me using freeware, floor plan draft by general contractor, although this is not the main focus of my thread
Cost estimate according to architect/planner: about 460,000 (SF)
Personal budget limit for the house, including fittings: 500,000
Preferred heating system:
As mentioned, in the first step I want to find the best location for the house considering site costs and other factors. Accordingly, the entrance will be either at the eaves or gable side.
I would appreciate your assessments of the options, and maybe someone has a third idea?
Thanks and best regards,
Kris
hanghaus2023 schrieb:
I can’t remember. The OP has only 3 posts.That doesn’t say much… Some users have two accounts. At least for a few days before one disappears. But in this case, it really wasn’t. It was a different forum.And there, exactly this crazy driveway or access was also criticized. This access is insanely expensive and completely unusable on black ice. Probably also problematic when wet. These colored pictures are misleading. Please post regular plans here in the forum that are actually usable. A white background makes it easier to sketch on them. And clear photos would also be good! Meaningful photos to assess the slope and surroundings/road.
The first problem here seems to be that a house was already chosen that requires a slab foundation. Then, without considering the huge costs for earthworks and retaining structures (which can easily be an extra 50,000 to 100,000), a basement for retaining is added without adjusting the house.
I would recommend trying to create one or two parking spaces more or less at street level, positioning the basement so it can be reached directly from the parking/carport/garage with just a few steps. Use that entrance and the free exterior walls in the basement for windows so the basement can be suitable as living space, where bedrooms or whatever go. The ground floor should be the living area with kitchen, etc. Possibly an attic conversion. I don’t see a need for an additional story.
@hanghaus2023 has a good idea. However, he probably imagines your house shape differently. I see the half-buried basement as the living area.
KrisHoss schrieb:
Downside: In my opinion, an unsightly corner at the lower right edge. The steep slope is probably rather expensive to construct and maintain.I would advise you to mentally give up on a corner and rather design it as a walking path between shrubs instead of spending money there. Maybe an idea for the outside could be found here, for example as a storage area for garbage bins or similar.Are you allowed to access the property from the municipality on both sides?
Before anyone gives you theoretical advice here that might not work on site, I strongly recommend consulting an architect experienced with slopes. They can advise you properly. Whether 460,000 or 500,000, whether CHF or Euro, it’s not a lot, but it’s too much for planning errors.
hanghaus2023 schrieb:
Is there a topographic map with contour lines? Is there a zoning or development plan (building permit / planning permission)? Please don’t provide a link. You can just mention it here and we will find it online. Development plan on the sunny slope
hanghaus2023 schrieb:
Both options are possible. You just need to know the development plan to assess that, for example the THb and THt of your plot.
I have added the reference points according to section 1 (East) and section 3 (West). Could you determine the street elevations there? Maybe there is a plan from the road construction? Is the ridge orientation specified?
Depending on the intended location, you should argue based on the appropriate point. The street elevation is shown on the elevation plan, there is no curb. Or what exactly do you mean?
ypg schrieb:
Hasn't this already been discussed?
Oops, that's too little for 3 floors plus extensive earthworks or paving. The estimate was for the house plus furnishings. Including the site and so on, I currently have a budget of about 600,000 (approx. 660,000) which would be manageable.
ypg schrieb:
That doesn’t prove anything… Some users have two accounts. At least for a few days before one disappears. But in this case, it wasn’t here. It was another forum.
And there, exactly this crazy driveway or access was also criticized. This access is ridiculously expensive and completely unusable on ice. Probably not usable in wet conditions either. These colorful pictures are misleading. Please post normal plans here in the forum that one can actually work with. A white background would make it easier to sketch over. Photos would also be helpful! Clear photos for judging the slope and the surroundings/road.I hadn’t quite understood which crazy driveway you meant? For variant 2? It has about 15-20% gradient, in my opinion manageable.
ypg schrieb:
The first problem here appears to be that a house has already been chosen that is meant to be built on a slab foundation. Then, without regard for the enormous costs of earthworks and retaining structures (which here can easily add 50,000 to 100,000), a basement for structural support is planned as well, without adjusting the house design accordingly.
I would recommend trying to create one or two parking spaces more or less at street level, making the basement accessible with just a few steps from the parking/carport/garage. Use the entrance there and the free external walls for windows in the basement so that it is suitable as living space, and place bedrooms or whatever there. The ground floor would then be the living level with kitchen, etc. Possibly consider an attic conversion. I don’t see the need for an additional story.
@hanghaus2023 has a good idea. However, they probably prefer your house shape; I see the half-buried basement as a living level.
I would advise you to mentally give up on one corner and rather design it as a walking path among shrubs than invest money there. Perhaps from the outside, an idea could be found, e.g. a storage area for bins or something similar.
Are you allowed to access the plot from the municipality on both sides?
Before people tell you theoretical things here that won’t work on site, I would strongly recommend consulting an architect experienced with slopes right now. They can advise you accordingly. 460,000 / 500,000, whether in dollars or euros, is not a small amount but too much for planning mistakes.I haven’t chosen a house yet. This is my preliminary planning to be prepared for discussions with the general contractor / house manufacturer. The architect will only join after the house manufacturer contract is finalized. We want to avoid bedrooms in the basement. As it stands, only about 40% of the basement would be living space. 460,000 turnkey, house only.
KrisHoss schrieb:
I haven’t chosen a house yet. In April, you had your three-gable house design reviewed, which you received from your potential general contractor, and in May you posted these color images and asked about the house’s placement on the lot.
That is exactly the wrong approach.
KrisHoss schrieb:
I didn’t fully understand which crazy driveway you meant? In option 2? It has about a 15-20% slope, in my opinion doable.. No idea. It might be that I misinterpret the pictures and you plan two driveways to the property (which, by the way, is hardly ever approved).
KrisHoss schrieb:
It has about a 15-20% slope, in my opinion doable.. Doable, yes, but then hardly walkable.
Well researched
At first, the general contractor (GC) determined the placement, which I accepted without question, and then I put the floor plan up for discussion – too early. By the way, this GC is no longer involved, and I’m starting over. The idea is actually to first find the placement that fits the plot and then proceed from there. Thanks for your suggestions, but for personal reasons, we would like to plan in the classic way: basement, ground floor with living spaces, and upper floor with bedrooms. What major arguments would support deviating from this? Costs? Which exactly? I will need to add support in any case, whether to one side or the other...
At first, the general contractor (GC) determined the placement, which I accepted without question, and then I put the floor plan up for discussion – too early. By the way, this GC is no longer involved, and I’m starting over. The idea is actually to first find the placement that fits the plot and then proceed from there. Thanks for your suggestions, but for personal reasons, we would like to plan in the classic way: basement, ground floor with living spaces, and upper floor with bedrooms. What major arguments would support deviating from this? Costs? Which exactly? I will need to add support in any case, whether to one side or the other...
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