ᐅ Urban villa or classic pitched roof house? Advantages? Costs?
Created on: 24 Sep 2014 12:07
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Panama17
Hello everyone,
I’m currently going around in circles with my thoughts.
My dream has always been a classic gable roof house with 1.5 floors. However, I also find a townhouse with two full floors quite attractive. We already have a plot of land, and according to the development plan / planning permission, both options are possible, as the regulations are very generous.
As I said, my dream has always been a classic house with a gable roof. I simply find it visually very beautiful, and it feels cozy and comforting to me. The drawbacks for me would be that I don’t want too many sloping ceilings and I’d like plenty of natural light on the upper floor. So we would definitely install many or large dormers. I once lived in an attic apartment with only one vertical window; everything else was roof windows, which I found awful! Apart from the fact that you couldn’t really look outside properly anywhere, I also didn’t like the noise level during rain.
I also like the townhouse style; they are very trendy right now and usually stylish and elegant. The advantage here is that the upper floor would be a full story with straight walls and regular windows. But somehow, I find that a bit cold and less cozy. We wouldn’t convert the roof but would put a hipped roof on top. A townhouse would probably fit better into the neighborhood since there are two 2.5-story apartment buildings on either side of the plot.
Somehow, a townhouse makes more sense, right? But my dream and my gut feeling still remain...
Could someone maybe share some insights about cost differences between the two house types with roughly the same living area (as I said, the gable roof house would definitely include many and large dormers)?
I hope you could follow me and I look forward to some thoughts, tips, and experiences that might help me.
I’m currently going around in circles with my thoughts.
My dream has always been a classic gable roof house with 1.5 floors. However, I also find a townhouse with two full floors quite attractive. We already have a plot of land, and according to the development plan / planning permission, both options are possible, as the regulations are very generous.
As I said, my dream has always been a classic house with a gable roof. I simply find it visually very beautiful, and it feels cozy and comforting to me. The drawbacks for me would be that I don’t want too many sloping ceilings and I’d like plenty of natural light on the upper floor. So we would definitely install many or large dormers. I once lived in an attic apartment with only one vertical window; everything else was roof windows, which I found awful! Apart from the fact that you couldn’t really look outside properly anywhere, I also didn’t like the noise level during rain.
I also like the townhouse style; they are very trendy right now and usually stylish and elegant. The advantage here is that the upper floor would be a full story with straight walls and regular windows. But somehow, I find that a bit cold and less cozy. We wouldn’t convert the roof but would put a hipped roof on top. A townhouse would probably fit better into the neighborhood since there are two 2.5-story apartment buildings on either side of the plot.
Somehow, a townhouse makes more sense, right? But my dream and my gut feeling still remain...
Could someone maybe share some insights about cost differences between the two house types with roughly the same living area (as I said, the gable roof house would definitely include many and large dormers)?
I hope you could follow me and I look forward to some thoughts, tips, and experiences that might help me.
Jaydee – Yes, I understand that you can put a pitched roof on a two-story house. But then you end up with two full floors and no small sloping ceilings upstairs for a cozy feel. The house also looks much bulkier that way. We want a basement, so we don’t need extra space under the roof.
ypg – Why shouldn’t it be possible to have the two garages on the right and left? I was thinking of one garage for the car and one for garbage bins, bicycles, a ride-on car, tricycles, scooters, strollers, paddling pools, and all the other stuff that accumulates. I don’t think having the compost right next to the house would be very pleasant. I would place it at the back of the garden.
We’re planning to visit a model home park soon and start looking for an architect. We have only thought about the general layout and room concept so far.
ypg – Why shouldn’t it be possible to have the two garages on the right and left? I was thinking of one garage for the car and one for garbage bins, bicycles, a ride-on car, tricycles, scooters, strollers, paddling pools, and all the other stuff that accumulates. I don’t think having the compost right next to the house would be very pleasant. I would place it at the back of the garden.
We’re planning to visit a model home park soon and start looking for an architect. We have only thought about the general layout and room concept so far.
Some do it one way, others another (with compost, which by the way is best placed close to the kitchen).
Usually, you are only allowed to build on one side up to the property boundary. Besides that, you also have the disadvantage of not being able to simply go from the back to the front, which would be like a townhouse or a mid-terrace house.
Best regards, Yvonne
Usually, you are only allowed to build on one side up to the property boundary. Besides that, you also have the disadvantage of not being able to simply go from the back to the front, which would be like a townhouse or a mid-terrace house.
Best regards, Yvonne
But doesn’t it smell? And what about pests? And how do you deal with garden waste? I really don’t know much about this, those are just my initial thoughts.
That way, I could save on the fence. That’s definitely an argument for having a garage with doors at both the front and back, or maybe an additional door in between. As I said, we’re just at the very beginning, so I’m open to other opinions and experiences—I’m willing to learn.
That way, I could save on the fence. That’s definitely an argument for having a garage with doors at both the front and back, or maybe an additional door in between. As I said, we’re just at the very beginning, so I’m open to other opinions and experiences—I’m willing to learn.
B
Bauexperte25 Sep 2014 20:55Good evening Yvonne,
Regards, Bauexperte
ypg schrieb:Sorry, this statement is not correct. In North Rhine-Westphalia (NRW), the original poster is allowed to place garages on the boundary with a total length of 15.00 m (49 feet), unless the development plan explicitly states otherwise. For example, 9.00 m (30 feet) on the left and 6.00 m (20 feet) on the right, or 7.50 m (25 feet) on both sides, or any other combination adding up to 15.00 m (49 feet). It does not matter whether there is a single or double garage on one side, as long as the building area permits it.
Usually, building on the boundary is only allowed on one side.
Regards, Bauexperte
Bauexperte schrieb:
Good evening Yvonne,
Sorry, this statement is not correct. In North Rhine-Westphalia, the original poster is allowed to place garages up to a total length of 15.00 m (49 feet) on the property boundary; unless the development plan explicitly states otherwise. So, for example, 9.00 m (30 feet) on the left and 6.00 m (20 feet) on the right, or 7.50 m (25 feet) on both sides, or any other combination adding up to 15.00 m. It does not matter whether there is a single or double garage on one side, as long as the building envelope allows it.
Regards, BauexperteOh, look at that. One region is like this, the other like that. Well, it’s definitely not wrong to raise concerns.
In the meantime, I also took another look at the plot… the driveways of the neighbors seem quite random, with a very long garage on the right, and a driveway on the left as well? (sorry, I don’t remember all the details)…
The surrounding houses look more like multi-family buildings?!
It’s not exactly the most attractive plot, but you can definitely build on it.
Still, I wouldn’t find a house with garage wings and no direct access very practical. Doors opening and closing when watering the garden?
@Panama17: A proper compost heap or thermocomposter doesn’t smell. I have one now (a bit further away), but kitchen scraps for the composter mostly come from the kitchen: potato peels, onions, vegetable leftovers, eggshells, and coffee grounds… Green waste from the garden itself you can put "at the back" on a pile, but for kitchen waste, a thermocomposter near the house is very convenient.
The development plan definitely says nothing about the garages.
As I said, the whole thing hasn’t really been thought through yet.
I already mentioned that there are 2.5-story (2.5-story or 3-story) multi-family houses on both sides (three-family houses). That’s why I’m worried that a classic 1.5-story house in between would look squeezed in.
This is a gap in the existing buildings, not a new development area. When the development plan was created, there were already dozens of houses on the street that would no longer be allowed to be built today.
The plot itself is very nice, but unfortunately, the neighboring buildings are not. Almost all other houses on the street are detached single-family or two-family houses. The location itself is simply great; it is the most popular district in the city, and there are hardly any undeveloped plots left (there’s one perfect plot remaining, but it’s 2,000sqm (21,500 sq ft) and costs 611,000€). We were incredibly lucky to find out through a few connections that the owner might possibly be willing to sell. We have been searching for over three years.
Thanks for the information about composting. I’m not even sure yet if it’s something for me. And I don’t really want a front garden that needs to be blasted away… paving stones are nice too.
As I said, the whole thing hasn’t really been thought through yet.
I already mentioned that there are 2.5-story (2.5-story or 3-story) multi-family houses on both sides (three-family houses). That’s why I’m worried that a classic 1.5-story house in between would look squeezed in.
This is a gap in the existing buildings, not a new development area. When the development plan was created, there were already dozens of houses on the street that would no longer be allowed to be built today.
The plot itself is very nice, but unfortunately, the neighboring buildings are not. Almost all other houses on the street are detached single-family or two-family houses. The location itself is simply great; it is the most popular district in the city, and there are hardly any undeveloped plots left (there’s one perfect plot remaining, but it’s 2,000sqm (21,500 sq ft) and costs 611,000€). We were incredibly lucky to find out through a few connections that the owner might possibly be willing to sell. We have been searching for over three years.
Thanks for the information about composting. I’m not even sure yet if it’s something for me. And I don’t really want a front garden that needs to be blasted away… paving stones are nice too.
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