ᐅ A three-family house planned without a basement—your feedback on my floor plan.
Created on: 14 Sep 2018 11:50
T
tumaa
Hello everyone,
First of all, thank you for letting me join the forum 🙂.
We (parents and 3 children, aged 10, 8, and 3) have bought a plot of land.
Size: 1170 m² (12,573 sq ft)
Special feature: commercial area
Building project: a three-family house with approximately 300 m² (3,229 sq ft), about 150 m² (1,615 sq ft) for us on the ground floor, and around 73 m² (786 sq ft) for each unit on the upper floor.
There is a single-family house on the plot, which is planned to be demolished.
The preliminary building approval was already positive.
At first, it was planned (I hadn’t really thought about it) that the new building would be constructed on the footprint of the old one.
Then I consulted an architect.
He recommended moving the new building further back on the plot (further north).
Reason:
+ The rear part of the plot is wider, which is better for the building
+ Making better use of the south-facing side for the living and dining area would be more efficient 🙂, plus my wife has a cooking channel with frequent video recordings, so she needs a lot of natural light. (This is very important for us)
We then inquired at the building authority, but the idea was rejected.
Reason: since it is a commercial area, the new building must be constructed on the footprint of the old one. Otherwise, the building office must consider that neighbors might take legal action.
Right next door is a joinery workshop, but production takes place on the other side, so only the warehouse is adjacent. The joiner initially wanted to buy the plot as well; we then received the agreement.
The plot is basically on a corner, separated from the next neighbors by a small path.
My idea was perhaps to get a written confirmation from the neighbors, including the joiner 🙂, stating that they agree with moving the new building further back (see attachment "Site Plan 2"). There is basically no objection; no one would be disturbed (e.g., no loss of view, etc.), and it will be built anyway 🙂.
Otherwise, I would have to stick to the first site plan.
There is also a preliminary floor plan (see attachment).
Another idea: the attic (roof shapes are not specified) could later be used as living space, for example for our son; however, it may only be considered “extended living space” according to the building authority. We are building without a basement, so the attic could initially be used as additional storage.
Question:
- What do you think of our design? At first glance, we like it, but what would you do differently and why?
or
- How else could the house be well positioned?
- Since two rental apartments are planned, what else should be considered, for example regarding privacy?
I’m new to this topic, so please be understanding if I forgot something 🙂.
Thank you in advance and I’m looking forward to your feedback 🙂!!!
First of all, thank you for letting me join the forum 🙂.
We (parents and 3 children, aged 10, 8, and 3) have bought a plot of land.
Size: 1170 m² (12,573 sq ft)
Special feature: commercial area
Building project: a three-family house with approximately 300 m² (3,229 sq ft), about 150 m² (1,615 sq ft) for us on the ground floor, and around 73 m² (786 sq ft) for each unit on the upper floor.
There is a single-family house on the plot, which is planned to be demolished.
The preliminary building approval was already positive.
At first, it was planned (I hadn’t really thought about it) that the new building would be constructed on the footprint of the old one.
Then I consulted an architect.
He recommended moving the new building further back on the plot (further north).
Reason:
+ The rear part of the plot is wider, which is better for the building
+ Making better use of the south-facing side for the living and dining area would be more efficient 🙂, plus my wife has a cooking channel with frequent video recordings, so she needs a lot of natural light. (This is very important for us)
We then inquired at the building authority, but the idea was rejected.
Reason: since it is a commercial area, the new building must be constructed on the footprint of the old one. Otherwise, the building office must consider that neighbors might take legal action.
Right next door is a joinery workshop, but production takes place on the other side, so only the warehouse is adjacent. The joiner initially wanted to buy the plot as well; we then received the agreement.
The plot is basically on a corner, separated from the next neighbors by a small path.
My idea was perhaps to get a written confirmation from the neighbors, including the joiner 🙂, stating that they agree with moving the new building further back (see attachment "Site Plan 2"). There is basically no objection; no one would be disturbed (e.g., no loss of view, etc.), and it will be built anyway 🙂.
Otherwise, I would have to stick to the first site plan.
There is also a preliminary floor plan (see attachment).
Another idea: the attic (roof shapes are not specified) could later be used as living space, for example for our son; however, it may only be considered “extended living space” according to the building authority. We are building without a basement, so the attic could initially be used as additional storage.
Question:
- What do you think of our design? At first glance, we like it, but what would you do differently and why?
or
- How else could the house be well positioned?
- Since two rental apartments are planned, what else should be considered, for example regarding privacy?
I’m new to this topic, so please be understanding if I forgot something 🙂.
Thank you in advance and I’m looking forward to your feedback 🙂!!!
kaho674 schrieb:
Sorry, I think the project is a bit crazy. Has it already been mentioned in the thread how much equity you have available? To me, the plan seems financially ruinous.Well... at least I won’t go for a “turnkey” build, I think that would cost around 700,000 €.
It involves a lot of own labor... I have several tradespeople in my family, but no architect :-)
I just wanted to know what could still be changed in the design first...
540k - 110k for the plot leaves 430k for additional construction costs/outdoor areas (parking spaces for the apartments) and the house
430k - 80k for additional construction costs/outdoor areas
350,000 euros for 300 sqm (3,229 sqft) is about 1,150 euros per sqm (107 per sqft)
This is enough for materials and providing food for the helpers. You will have to do the bricklaying yourselves.
360k - 110k leaves 250k
50,000 for additional construction costs/outdoor areas
200,000 for 150 sqm (1,615 sqft)
That is 1,300 euros per sqm (121 per sqft)
+ Equity could be sufficient for a shell or ready-to-finish house
What happens if a tenant does not pay? Not just one month’s rent, but enough to serve an eviction notice.
What does the remaining debt look like in both cases?
Regarding the floor plan
No cloakroom
Technical room/utility room is already too small for a single-family house with 5 people; it will not work for a multi-family house. The technical room should be outside the apartment.
Storage room — can you fit a freezer in there and still open the door?
Kitchen/dining/living area needs to be realistically furnished with proper furniture according to scale. No space for the dining table and at the same time too much unused space is acceptable because the children need space to play.
Bathroom is way too small. No second sink, no shelf space for shower gel etc., let alone towels.
Bedroom is too small. Not enough space around the bed.
Rental apartment
Make the balcony deeper but narrower.
Bedroom has the same problem as downstairs.
Where is the space for garbage bins?
Where is the storage room for suitcases, decorations, and similar items?
430k - 80k for additional construction costs/outdoor areas
350,000 euros for 300 sqm (3,229 sqft) is about 1,150 euros per sqm (107 per sqft)
This is enough for materials and providing food for the helpers. You will have to do the bricklaying yourselves.
360k - 110k leaves 250k
50,000 for additional construction costs/outdoor areas
200,000 for 150 sqm (1,615 sqft)
That is 1,300 euros per sqm (121 per sqft)
+ Equity could be sufficient for a shell or ready-to-finish house
What happens if a tenant does not pay? Not just one month’s rent, but enough to serve an eviction notice.
What does the remaining debt look like in both cases?
Regarding the floor plan
No cloakroom
Technical room/utility room is already too small for a single-family house with 5 people; it will not work for a multi-family house. The technical room should be outside the apartment.
Storage room — can you fit a freezer in there and still open the door?
Kitchen/dining/living area needs to be realistically furnished with proper furniture according to scale. No space for the dining table and at the same time too much unused space is acceptable because the children need space to play.
Bathroom is way too small. No second sink, no shelf space for shower gel etc., let alone towels.
Bedroom is too small. Not enough space around the bed.
Rental apartment
Make the balcony deeper but narrower.
Bedroom has the same problem as downstairs.
Where is the space for garbage bins?
Where is the storage room for suitcases, decorations, and similar items?
Just preliminarily, regardless of how realistic the assumed construction costs are:
Now, without adjusting interest rates or anything, simply using the given values with the specified interest rates
360,000 ... with a €1600 payment
540,000 (term identical to the 360,000 loan) with an effective payment of €1600, meaning:
Payment: €2380
- Rent: €1218 net rent
+ Tax return: approx. €400
----------------
= approx. €1600
Consequence ... €1218 net rent for two 70 sqm (750 sq ft) apartments ==> €8.70 net/sqm (about $0.81 net/sq ft)
Is this achievable??? What happens if one of the rents, which is just over €600 per month, defaults? The payment of €2380 is still due. Are there any reserves?
Otherwise,
€540,000 with a €1600 payment = 44 years to repay.
tumaa schrieb:
My financial advisor told me:
for a single-family house: I can get about €360,000 with land
for a three-family house: about €540,000 with land
the land cost was about €110,000
I would have to pay around €1600 per month for both options for interest and principal repayment with a 15-year fixed interest period.
Now, without adjusting interest rates or anything, simply using the given values with the specified interest rates
360,000 ... with a €1600 payment
540,000 (term identical to the 360,000 loan) with an effective payment of €1600, meaning:
Payment: €2380
- Rent: €1218 net rent
+ Tax return: approx. €400
----------------
= approx. €1600
Consequence ... €1218 net rent for two 70 sqm (750 sq ft) apartments ==> €8.70 net/sqm (about $0.81 net/sq ft)
Is this achievable??? What happens if one of the rents, which is just over €600 per month, defaults? The payment of €2380 is still due. Are there any reserves?
Otherwise,
€540,000 with a €1600 payment = 44 years to repay.
About the floor plan again... one option might be to remove one bedroom. My older daughter (8 years) does not want her own room yet and would prefer to share a room with her little sister (2 years).
I would then finish the attic as additional living space, and in a few years, my son (10 years) would move in there. That way, the girls would have a room to themselves again. Maybe one bedroom on the upper floor would also need to be removed?
Sorry, but sometimes *a picture is worth a thousand words* :-)… could someone draw an alternative floor plan? (That would be very kind)
I would then finish the attic as additional living space, and in a few years, my son (10 years) would move in there. That way, the girls would have a room to themselves again. Maybe one bedroom on the upper floor would also need to be removed?
Sorry, but sometimes *a picture is worth a thousand words* :-)… could someone draw an alternative floor plan? (That would be very kind)
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