ᐅ Orientation of single-family house and garage on a west-east plot with the road located on the west side

Hello everyone,

I have been reading along here for a long time and am now joining the conversation myself :-)
We are just at the very beginning of our planning but already have a plot of land with an existing building. See site plan no. 180/245. (North is straight up)
The current building measures about 14.50m x 8.50m (48 feet x 28 feet). The plot is approximately 20m x 40m (66 feet x 131 feet).
Renovation is too expensive, and with demolition and new construction, we can now decide ourselves where to position the house.
(There is no zoning plan / building permit, so the required setback distances should be roughly based on the surrounding buildings as a guideline).

Goal: For the new build, we would like to construct a building footprint of roughly the same size but adjust the positioning on the plot so that the garden is not completely divided into west and east sections. Realistically, we will mainly use one side, so we want to maximize that area.

Challenge: Street is on the west side, plot runs west to east — if we position the house to the east (as most recommend) to optimize the west garden, then we get either a very long driveway (if the garage is placed on the east) or a long walking path from the garage to the house (if the garage stays by the street). The simplest solution would be to place the street and house towards the west and optimize the east garden, but we are "worried" that it might get too cold in the evenings there.

Therefore, my questions:
- Do you see a way to have the house facing the street (west) and still capture the evening sun in the garden and living area (for example, with a bay window, L-shaped house, or something similar)?
- If the house is positioned towards the east, where would you place the garage?
- Would you keep the entrance on the north side as in the current building or move it to the west side (so you don’t have to walk around the house)?

Thanks in advance for any advice!

Back2Mun schrieb:

and to optimize the east garden, but here we are "worried" that it might get too cold in the evening.

Do you think the temperature in the east part of your property in the evening is different from the west side at the same time?
It is not.
The only difference you might notice during the day when the sun is shining is that in the shade, where the sun hasn’t reached yet, temperatures feel more comfortable than where the sun is directly hitting.

Back2Mun schrieb:

Realistically, we will mostly be on one side and want to maximize that area.

Realistically, you will be outside in the garden when the weather is nice and will need enough space near the entrance/street side to arrive, walk away, park cars, and also let the children use the paved area with their bikes or scooters.
Therefore, I wouldn’t plan the driveway area too narrow, because whether a garden is 13 or 15 meters (about 43 or 49 feet) deep at the back won’t make a big difference in usability.

Back2Mun schrieb:

Then there is either a very long driveway (if you place the garage to the east) or a long walk between garage and house (if you keep the garage by the street).

I don’t see a “very long driveway” or a “long walk” being an issue on a 40-meter (131 feet) deep lot.
For example: 7-meter (23 feet) driveway, then a carport of 6 meters (about 20 feet) or 9 meters (30 feet) with a canopy, 2 meters (6.5 feet) to the house, 10-meter (33 feet) house length, and 15 meters (49 feet) left at the back. You don’t have to do it this way, but many do and are quite satisfied.

Back2Mun schrieb:

Do you see a way to have the house facing the street (west) and still somehow capture the evening sun in the garden and living area (maybe through a bay window, L-shaped house, or similar)?

You can capture evening sun well inside the house through west-facing windows. A bay window is not necessary. A house facing the street can accommodate that easily. Of course, a floor plan that develops differently might benefit from a bay window. It depends on the house design.

Back2Mun schrieb:

Would you keep the entrance on the north side as in the existing building, or move it to the west side so you don’t have to walk around the house?

I would plan everything comprehensively, including the floor plan and daily routines—where you probably stay during the day or maybe only sit outside in the evening for a sundowner.
The entrance location can be as it is or changed. It depends also on the height of the neighboring buildings and the overall impression which spot might become your favorite corner.

Sketch the property and cut out templates for house, garage, parking spaces, driveway, and terraces on paper. Use standard widths, e.g., garage 3 meters (10 feet) wide and 6 meters (20 feet) long, terraces and driveway in 2-meter (6.5 feet) increments. Use car templates as well. Mark the sun angles in winter and summer with arrows and circles. Take pictures of your layout. Don’t hesitate to walk 2 or 4 meters (7 or 13 feet), since it doesn’t rain 24/7.
And: don’t plan to be in the garden all the time. You will also have indoor tasks and don’t want to constantly look at packed-up garden furniture from one side of the year to the other.

Back2Mun schrieb:

Renovation is too expensive, and with a demolition and new build, we can now decide ourselves where to position the house.

To what extent is the first part a well-established fact, or is it more influenced by the second part? I find the trend toward generously "just get rid of the old building" quite alarming.

Back2Mun schrieb:

The easiest option would be to move the street and house to the west and optimize the east garden, but here we are "afraid" it will be too cold in the evening.

In the evening, the sun comes from the west, so it doesn’t stay stuck at the garden fence between 155 cm (61 inches) (154 cm (61 inches)) and your property, but at most it’s blocked by your own building height. The western sun for those neighbors and for you is the same! On your side, it only nominally falls into an "east garden."

Back2Mun schrieb:

- If you place the house in the east, where would you position the garage?
- Would you keep the entrance on the north side as with the old building or move it to the west side (so you don’t have to walk past the house)?

Answer to question 2: probably yes; an entrance on the gable side means less circulation space inside the house. Answer to question 1: I ALWAYS plan for the people first—the metal box (garage) gets whatever space is left over.

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@Back2Mun
Is there anything else from you here? Any feedback? Any replies?

So far, I haven’t gotten more than 2 "Likes" – sorry!

Thank you very much for your responses; they have already triggered some new considerations.

Here are my current thoughts:

ypg schrieb:

Do you think the temperature in the evening on the east side of your property is different from the west side at the same time?
It’s not.
Only during the day when the sun is shining, you can notice more comfortable temperatures in the shade where the sun hasn’t reached yet compared to where it’s already shining.

I often hear that it gets cold faster in the evening on the east terrace, but I don’t have personal experience with that.

ypg schrieb:

I don’t see a “forever long driveway” or a “long walk” at all on a 40-meter (130-foot) plot length.
7 meters (23 feet) driveway, then a 6-meter (20 feet) carport (or 9 meters (30 feet) including a garage), then 2 meters (6.5 feet) to the house, 10 meters (33 feet) for the house, leaving 15 meters (50 feet) at the back. You don’t have to do it exactly like that, but many plan it this way and are quite happy.

Yes, that basically makes sense. We just need to see how this works with 2 parking spaces, without having to push the house further south, which would reduce the south-facing garden. (Otherwise, according to the current occupant, the house casts shadows to the south, especially in winter.)

ypg schrieb:

Sketch the plot and create cut-outs for the elements house, garage, parking, driveway, and terraces (cut from paper). You can use standard widths, for example, 3 meters (10 feet) for the garage width, 6 meters (20 feet) length, terraces in 2-meter (6.5 feet) steps, driveway the same. Cut out car shapes. Mark the sun’s position for winter and summer with arrows and circles. Take photos of your layout. Don’t hesitate to move elements 2 or 4 meters (6.5 or 13 feet) because it doesn’t rain 24/7.
And: don’t look out at the garden 24/7. You will also be busy inside, and from east to west, you don’t want to constantly look at garden furniture wrapped up.

Good idea. We started doing this and stumbled across another question: which direction in the garden would offer more privacy? On the east side, there is a pretty large house with a nice south garden and balcony – if they can constantly look into the east garden, that might not be ideal. And if we choose a west garden with a long driveway: how do we make it visually private from the street? I also attached a screenshot from Google Maps showing the surroundings. The current house is in the middle. This remains an option, but I feel one side will be used most and should be maximized.

11ant schrieb:

How much of the first sentence is verified fact or more influenced by the second sentence? – I find the trend toward generously “just demolish the old building” somewhat alarming.

Thanks for the challenge. We’ve asked a building expert again to avoid the situation where contractors just want to sell new builds. So far, this is roughly what we were told:
- Renovation around 700,000 (700k). (Three companies estimated similarly, assuming renovation close to new build standard, e.g., including underfloor heating). New build depending on offer between 800,000 and 1.1 million (All-in, including demolition, ancillary costs, etc.). So if you can get something for 900,000, renovation doesn’t seem to make sense.
Regarding renovation, the remarks were:
- Basement has damp spots (built 1964, no current insulation standards) and must be waterproofed if it’s to be used as a guest room or similar.
- Exterior insulation and finish system (EIFS) façade must be replaced.
- All windows need to be replaced.
- Ceiling heights are too low for underfloor heating.
Additionally, we have our own minimal requirements like new bathrooms, new kitchen, and new layouts (layouts are the easiest to change since there are many options).

But as I said, we asked again about what really needs to be done. If you leave the basement damp and skip underfloor heating, you might save a lot. But then you have to reconsider whether it’s worth it compared to a new build.

11ant schrieb:

In the evening, the sun comes from the west, so it doesn’t stay at the fence between 155 (154) and your property but rather just at your own house height. The western sun for those neighbors and yours is the same! And it only nominally reaches the "east garden" on your side.

Right, but probably the terrace will still be in shadow starting in the afternoon. Is there a simple way to find out how far the western sun in summer versus winter reaches "over the house"?

Thanks again for your thoughts. Our heads are still buzzing – especially east versus west (on the street side or away from it) is really tricky.

Back2Mun schrieb:

=>if they always look into the east garden,

But why on earth should they be allowed to look into your garden? Are you particularly VIP, unattractive, or attractive? If I were in their position, I would have far more concerns about you watching them while using the pool, possibly feeling jealous, or trying to get on their good side just to use the pool yourself.
If you are worried about neighbors, you should choose a different plot or protect your privacy with screening to block their view.