H
Heimwerker081512 Apr 2026 18:09Hello fellow homebuilders,
We have reserved a plot of land and plan to build a house with a garage on it. Since it is a corner lot, it offers a bit more flexibility. However, we are still unsure about the layout – the orientation of the roof ridge, the location of the main entrance, the garage size, and so on.
Development plan/restrictions
Plot size: 511 sqm (5500 sq ft)
Slope: gently sloping to the south
Site coverage ratio: 0.25
Floor area ratio: 1.5
Building envelope, building line and boundary: 3 m (10 ft) from the property line, 0.5 m (1.5 ft) for the garage (see attachments, red box for garage)
Edge development
Number of parking spaces: 1 garage
Number of floors
Roof type: gable roof
Architectural style
Orientation: north/south or east/west, both possible
Maximum heights/limits: eaves wall height 4.3 m (14 ft) (dormer extension up to 1.6 m (5.2 ft) allowed), ridge height max 8.8 m (29 ft)
The house will have a footprint of about 80 sqm (860 sq ft). We plan to build with a basement (please keep discussions about this elsewhere). Access to the plot will be from the south, and so the driveway must also enter from the south (see image in the attachment, red box). However, the pedestrian entrance can be from the east. For budget reasons, we need to keep the construction “simple,” so a high-end masonry garage fully integrated into the house is out of the question. We are still debating whether to make the garage deep or wide (a large open garage). We only need space for one car at the moment, but we also require storage for wintering garden furniture and bicycles.
Of course, we have already given it some thought, but don’t let this limit your ideas – feel free to come up with completely new suggestions. One tends to overthink these things.
Best regards
We have reserved a plot of land and plan to build a house with a garage on it. Since it is a corner lot, it offers a bit more flexibility. However, we are still unsure about the layout – the orientation of the roof ridge, the location of the main entrance, the garage size, and so on.
Development plan/restrictions
Plot size: 511 sqm (5500 sq ft)
Slope: gently sloping to the south
Site coverage ratio: 0.25
Floor area ratio: 1.5
Building envelope, building line and boundary: 3 m (10 ft) from the property line, 0.5 m (1.5 ft) for the garage (see attachments, red box for garage)
Edge development
Number of parking spaces: 1 garage
Number of floors
Roof type: gable roof
Architectural style
Orientation: north/south or east/west, both possible
Maximum heights/limits: eaves wall height 4.3 m (14 ft) (dormer extension up to 1.6 m (5.2 ft) allowed), ridge height max 8.8 m (29 ft)
The house will have a footprint of about 80 sqm (860 sq ft). We plan to build with a basement (please keep discussions about this elsewhere). Access to the plot will be from the south, and so the driveway must also enter from the south (see image in the attachment, red box). However, the pedestrian entrance can be from the east. For budget reasons, we need to keep the construction “simple,” so a high-end masonry garage fully integrated into the house is out of the question. We are still debating whether to make the garage deep or wide (a large open garage). We only need space for one car at the moment, but we also require storage for wintering garden furniture and bicycles.
Of course, we have already given it some thought, but don’t let this limit your ideas – feel free to come up with completely new suggestions. One tends to overthink these things.
Best regards
H
Heimwerker081512 Apr 2026 18:26Here are the homeowners’ requirements:
We are a family of five, with three boys aged 7 to 12 years. They are all passionate about soccer. Therefore, having a relatively large, contiguous garden is important so the boys have plenty of space to play and run around. A small pool (about 2x3 m (6.5x10 ft)) is also planned for the long term.
As for the house itself, we are currently considering the Hanse Haus Variant 35-165. However, nothing is decided yet. If the house orientation changes, we might have to choose a different design.
We are a family of five, with three boys aged 7 to 12 years. They are all passionate about soccer. Therefore, having a relatively large, contiguous garden is important so the boys have plenty of space to play and run around. A small pool (about 2x3 m (6.5x10 ft)) is also planned for the long term.
As for the house itself, we are currently considering the Hanse Haus Variant 35-165. However, nothing is decided yet. If the house orientation changes, we might have to choose a different design.
Heimwerker0815 schrieb:
The house will have a footprint of about 80 sqm (860 sq ft). We want to build with a basement (please take discussions about that elsewhere). [...] For cost reasons, we have to build “simply,” The discussion about the basement is essential and should not be moved elsewhere. If cost constraints already require a modest construction method for the garage, the basement question certainly faces a strong “against.” Unfortunately, there is only one elevation measurement available, so the terrain height variations are missing. By the way, the house footprint is just under 99 sqm (1,065 sq ft). It was wise of you to choose a suitable house model right away (a three-child floor plan). Due to the lack of terrain height data, I have to assume that your proposed building placement is already optimal.
https://www.instagram.com/11antgmxde/
https://www.linkedin.com/company/bauen-jetzt/
Papierturm13 Apr 2026 13:26Heimwerker0815 schrieb:
Plot size: 511 m² (5500 ft²)
Slope: slight incline to the south
Floor area ratio: 0.25 Here now is the first key question:
How old is the zoning plan / building permit?
If it is a modern zoning plan:
511 * 0.25 = 127 m² (1367 ft²) buildable area (note that paved areas are sometimes only counted as 0.5).
The visualization in image 2 will, based on a rough estimate, be extremely tight (in my opinion, not feasible).
With an older zoning plan, paved areas often do not count towards the buildable area, which might make it feasible, but possibly with a smaller garage (the house footprint is 99 m² (1065 ft²), meaning the garage can be a maximum of 28 m² (301 ft²)).
Furthermore:
Image 1 shows a house marked on the plot. Since the zoning plan is not mentioned, it should be noted that some zoning plans include a clause requiring the house to be built exactly like this (at least regarding orientation and positioning, not size).
I would recommend clarifying this.
Heimwerker0815 schrieb:
What orientation for the roof ridge, where to place the main entrance, how large should the garage be… If there is a choice:
The main entrance, if feasible, should be on the east or north side. This way, functional rooms on the ground floor usually face north or east, while living areas face south or west.
Roof ridge:
Now I need to take a bit of a detour, which might also explain why no one has commented here before me. (Okay, I was slow, and @11ant got here first.)
A building project is always a puzzle with many pieces. The more unknown parts there are, the harder it is to give truly useful advice.
Here, many puzzle pieces are missing on various topics, so I would have to write a lot of "if... then" statements.
Regarding the roof ridge, four questions arise:
1. Is its orientation freely selectable?
2. Photovoltaic system? (A north-south orientation maximizes yield when panels are on the south side; an east-west orientation provides a more even output throughout the day.)
2a. If roof windows are planned, it’s usually assumed photovoltaics will be installed on both roof planes. This also needs to be considered.
3. Window planning on the upper floor: where are the rooms located? How and in which direction should the (typically larger) windows on the gable side be positioned for the planned house design?
4. Building shape (the chosen house layout is not substantially changeable; with an entrance on the east side, this would dictate an east-west roof ridge).
Heimwerker0815 schrieb:
We plan to build with a basement (please take any discussion about that elsewhere). Heimwerker0815 schrieb:
For cost reasons, we have to build simply. These are again puzzle pieces and missing pieces that leave me with many question marks.
Especially since the combination of "basement (please no discussion)" and "building simply for cost reasons" is a tricky one.
To put it bluntly and without sugarcoating: the size of the garage will ultimately depend on what is allowed (floor area ratio) and how much budget remains in the end.
As for the positioning of the house itself: the surroundings!
What I already know: there is a street to the south, hence a fence there.
What about the north?
A north-facing garden could (again: surroundings, missing puzzle pieces) have the advantage of not being so exposed. It might also reduce the driveway length for the garage (keyword floor area ratio and age of zoning plan).
Also worth asking: where is the better view (north or south)? How important is sunlight on the terrace, or alternatively avoiding strong sun exposure during summer?
H
Heimwerker081513 Apr 2026 14:06The floor area ratio is 0.25.
It may be exceeded by 20% for terraces.
It may be increased up to a floor area ratio of 0.55 for facilities according to §19 paragraph 4 sentence 1 (garages and driveways).
The orientation of the roof ridge is flexible, has been verbally approved by the building authority, and neighbors have already built with different orientations.
Photovoltaic panels are planned to cover the entire roof area. Each orientation has its advantages and disadvantages, as far as I know, but neither is a disqualifying factor.
For this house, only one roof window is planned for the upper floor bathroom, which means minimal impact on the photovoltaic system.
Streets are located to the east and south. The best views are to the east. We would also place the main entrance on the east side, as shown in my design.
Regarding the basement discussion: We need the extra space, and a basement is more cost-effective than creating additional space above ground, which is why we opted for a basement.
It may be exceeded by 20% for terraces.
It may be increased up to a floor area ratio of 0.55 for facilities according to §19 paragraph 4 sentence 1 (garages and driveways).
The orientation of the roof ridge is flexible, has been verbally approved by the building authority, and neighbors have already built with different orientations.
Photovoltaic panels are planned to cover the entire roof area. Each orientation has its advantages and disadvantages, as far as I know, but neither is a disqualifying factor.
For this house, only one roof window is planned for the upper floor bathroom, which means minimal impact on the photovoltaic system.
Streets are located to the east and south. The best views are to the east. We would also place the main entrance on the east side, as shown in my design.
Regarding the basement discussion: We need the extra space, and a basement is more cost-effective than creating additional space above ground, which is why we opted for a basement.
Papierturm schrieb:
(Okay, I was so slow that @11ant got ahead of me.) This is almost an art, as I often spot questions quickly but then tend to write lengthy responses.
I do not share your concern about the specified ridge orientation; that would be quite unusual to find only in the text section (though not impossible). The house footprint is close enough to square to allow the house to be rotated “on the spot.”
However, I would have approached it fundamentally differently, starting from the plot rather than the house model. A plot with a nearly square shape and a house footprint also close to square often leads to defining building positions within a narrow range of variation, especially when combined with the desire for a backyard sports area. Having three children does not necessarily restrict you to three-child house models; you could often extend a two-child house model “in the wheelbase” at a similar price, resulting in a clear house axis and thereby more flexibility in positioning—for example, creating a larger backyard sports area rather than side areas. With a clear house axis, it is also easier to respond to contour lines (which we unfortunately do not know here, but even on flat land, a defined house axis is often advantageous). Garages, carports, or open parking spaces always come last for me—that is, the prime spot always goes to the family house (I do not count cars as pets but as tools— even my Ferrari never got the “best box” from me).
I do consider Hanse Haus to be among the more recommendable house manufacturers, but the approach described above might also have brought more models from budget competitors into consideration.
As always, I remain neutral regarding construction methods until the > decision point in the > resting period. After the initial placement, the room program is created and refined, from which a building concept decision follows. Here, the development plan already excludes a substitute villa (and along with it, a corresponding axle load distribution like all-wheel drive). I leave the terrain height differences to have the loudest say in the basement question: even if I had money to burn, I would not bury it under the house—very few flea market items appreciate in value during storage. Boys playing soccer in the garden do not head to the basement for table tennis. Rehearsal rooms are found more cheaply elsewhere.
https://www.instagram.com/11antgmxde/
https://www.linkedin.com/company/bauen-jetzt/
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