Hello everyone,
we have purchased a quite challenging sloped plot and have now received the first draft from our architect. I have personally revised it to address some weaknesses that arose due to my requested changes. The exterior dimensions are relatively fixed. I am fairly satisfied but would appreciate some additional feedback before sending it back to the architect.
Development Plan/Restrictions
Plot size: 731 sqm (7870 sq ft)
Slope: Yes, steep slope; the street runs north down into the valley and the garden is elevated on the mountain to the east
Building envelope, building line and boundaries: 3 m (10 feet) to neighbors/street
Orientation: Garden east, street west
Maximum heights/limits: still uncertain. According to the preliminary building inquiry, about 9.50 m (31 feet) from basement slab
Other requirements: according to § 34
Client Requirements
Style, roof type, building type: Modern, flat roof
Basement, floors: Basement plus 2 full floors
Number of occupants, ages: 4 persons (41 years, 29 years, 3 years, 1 year), possible third child later
Space needs on ground floor: Living-dining-cooking area, storage/pantry, guest WC, office
Space needs on upper floor: Bedroom, dressing room, master bathroom, utility room, 2 children’s bedrooms, children’s bathroom
Space needs in basement: Secondary apartment as office and fitness area, technical room, entrance/wardrobe, storage, technical room, garage
Office: Family use or home office? 2 home office rooms
Overnight guests per year: 2 weeks per year
Open or closed layout: Very open living-dining-kitchen area; rest more closed
Conservative or modern construction: ?
Open kitchen, kitchen island: both desired
Number of dining seats: 8-10
Fireplace: rather no
Music/sound wall: if possible
Balcony, roof terrace: no
Garage, carport: Large garage with double door
Utility garden, greenhouse: no
Additional wishes/special features/daily routine, also reasons why something should or should not be included: very different daily rhythms, husband goes to bed late and sleeps accordingly long. Basement office for undisturbed work.
We would like the garden level to be as high as possible above street level since the plot borders a nice meadow that is currently about 1-2 m (3-6 feet) above garden level. However, the house cannot be set too high because otherwise the garage entrance would become too steep.
House Design
Planner: Architect, with interior adjustments by myself
What do you particularly like? Why? Open, spacious living area, bay window
What do you dislike? Why? Unfavorable cloakroom situation when arriving from the garage. Long dirt zone through which you have to pass to reach the office.
Price estimate by architect: over 1 million
Personal price limit for house, including features: basically already stretched at 1 million, possibly up to 1.1-1.2 million
Preferred heating technology: Heat pump, underfloor heating
If you have to give up something, which details/extensions
- Can you give up: Installation of the basement office as a separate apartment, but desired for tax reasons
- Cannot give up: Basically everything is in some way desired/important
Why does the design look the way it does? For example:
Due to the challenging slope of the plot, many factors are more or less predetermined. There was already an approved building application from another architect, which independently resembles this design closely.
I fell in love with the kitchen bay window in a show home, which unfortunately means the pantry cannot be used as the direct extension of the kitchen as originally planned... Since the kitchen is very large, the room will probably function more as a storage pantry.
On the upper floor, the second children’s bedroom is located in the northwest rather than the southwest because the higher neighbor's house stands directly to the south, and to the north there is a great view of the green valley.
we have purchased a quite challenging sloped plot and have now received the first draft from our architect. I have personally revised it to address some weaknesses that arose due to my requested changes. The exterior dimensions are relatively fixed. I am fairly satisfied but would appreciate some additional feedback before sending it back to the architect.
Development Plan/Restrictions
Plot size: 731 sqm (7870 sq ft)
Slope: Yes, steep slope; the street runs north down into the valley and the garden is elevated on the mountain to the east
Building envelope, building line and boundaries: 3 m (10 feet) to neighbors/street
Orientation: Garden east, street west
Maximum heights/limits: still uncertain. According to the preliminary building inquiry, about 9.50 m (31 feet) from basement slab
Other requirements: according to § 34
Client Requirements
Style, roof type, building type: Modern, flat roof
Basement, floors: Basement plus 2 full floors
Number of occupants, ages: 4 persons (41 years, 29 years, 3 years, 1 year), possible third child later
Space needs on ground floor: Living-dining-cooking area, storage/pantry, guest WC, office
Space needs on upper floor: Bedroom, dressing room, master bathroom, utility room, 2 children’s bedrooms, children’s bathroom
Space needs in basement: Secondary apartment as office and fitness area, technical room, entrance/wardrobe, storage, technical room, garage
Office: Family use or home office? 2 home office rooms
Overnight guests per year: 2 weeks per year
Open or closed layout: Very open living-dining-kitchen area; rest more closed
Conservative or modern construction: ?
Open kitchen, kitchen island: both desired
Number of dining seats: 8-10
Fireplace: rather no
Music/sound wall: if possible
Balcony, roof terrace: no
Garage, carport: Large garage with double door
Utility garden, greenhouse: no
Additional wishes/special features/daily routine, also reasons why something should or should not be included: very different daily rhythms, husband goes to bed late and sleeps accordingly long. Basement office for undisturbed work.
We would like the garden level to be as high as possible above street level since the plot borders a nice meadow that is currently about 1-2 m (3-6 feet) above garden level. However, the house cannot be set too high because otherwise the garage entrance would become too steep.
House Design
Planner: Architect, with interior adjustments by myself
What do you particularly like? Why? Open, spacious living area, bay window
What do you dislike? Why? Unfavorable cloakroom situation when arriving from the garage. Long dirt zone through which you have to pass to reach the office.
Price estimate by architect: over 1 million
Personal price limit for house, including features: basically already stretched at 1 million, possibly up to 1.1-1.2 million
Preferred heating technology: Heat pump, underfloor heating
If you have to give up something, which details/extensions
- Can you give up: Installation of the basement office as a separate apartment, but desired for tax reasons
- Cannot give up: Basically everything is in some way desired/important
Why does the design look the way it does? For example:
Due to the challenging slope of the plot, many factors are more or less predetermined. There was already an approved building application from another architect, which independently resembles this design closely.
I fell in love with the kitchen bay window in a show home, which unfortunately means the pantry cannot be used as the direct extension of the kitchen as originally planned... Since the kitchen is very large, the room will probably function more as a storage pantry.
On the upper floor, the second children’s bedroom is located in the northwest rather than the southwest because the higher neighbor's house stands directly to the south, and to the north there is a great view of the green valley.
N
nordanney14 Jan 2025 12:51Nice house. A kids’ dressing room of this type and size doesn’t make sense.
Creating expensive living space for which tax purposes that seriously justify it?
Skya2020 schrieb:
- You can do without: setting up the basement office as a separate apartment, but it is desired for tax reasons.
Creating expensive living space for which tax purposes that seriously justify it?
nordanney schrieb:
Generating expensive living space for what tax reasons that seriously justify it? Oh, I think I might have been unclear. The living space is created anyway due to the slope of the site, and the office in the basement is also needed (the only non-essential part would be the gym, but of course we’d be happy to include it since we are building a basement). However, for it to be recognized as a separate apartment for tax purposes, a few regulations must be met, as far as I understand. If these requirements become too complicated or costly (such as a separate entrance, emergency exit, or similar), then we would plan it just as a living basement.
As a separate apartment, I could rent it out to my husband as the entire area for his office. Otherwise, only one room can be deducted as a home office.
nordanney schrieb:
A children’s dressing room of this type and size is pointless. It may not be the most practical or sensible choice. However, it is actually a personal wish of mine because I have always found those built-in wardrobes inspired by the American style quite cool.
H
hanghaus202314 Jan 2025 14:44Renting out an office without windows??
Is there a site plan of the property showing the house? Ideally with elevation levels indicated.
Was this really designed by an architect? Or did your tracing go a bit wrong?
How tall are the neighboring houses?
Is the slope going towards the NW?
The neighboring buildings appear to be lower.
Is there a site plan of the property showing the house? Ideally with elevation levels indicated.
Was this really designed by an architect? Or did your tracing go a bit wrong?
How tall are the neighboring houses?
Is the slope going towards the NW?
The neighboring buildings appear to be lower.
N
nordanney14 Jan 2025 14:55Skya2020 schrieb:
But for it to be recognized as a secondary apartment for tax purposes, ... you also have to rent it out. And it must be rented continuously. If that’s possible, then it’s fine.
Skya2020 schrieb:
It may not be the most practical or sensible option. However, it is actually a personal preference of mine because I have always found those built-in closets inspired by American designs quite cool. Okay. That’s hard to argue with.
hanghaus2023 schrieb:
Renting out an office without a window?? Actually, I’m renting it to my husband ;D And he would actually prefer a room without a window for his purposes. Also, we have the problem that any window in this room would open onto the terrace above. Currently, a window is shown on the plans.
hanghaus2023 schrieb:
Did an architect really design this? Or was there some mistake in your drafting? Well, the external dimensions should be approximately correct within a few centimeters (inches). What exactly makes you doubt it? For example, I did things like moving the stairs by 60cm (24 inches) and changed some walls on the upper floor.
hanghaus2023 schrieb:
Is there a site plan of the plot showing the house? Preferably with elevation data.
How tall are the neighboring houses?
Is the slope inclined toward the northwest?
The neighboring buildings appear lower. hanghaus2023 schrieb:
I roughly marked the contour lines.
You really have already worked on the plot 😉 https://www.hausbau-forum.de/threads/fertighausbau-mit-massivhaus-grundriss-sinnvoll.48133/page-10
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