ᐅ Bungalow – does building one on this type of plot make sense?

Hello Forum,

I just signed up and would appreciate your thoughts on the following:

We have the opportunity to acquire a plot of land near Cologne, about 650 sqm (approximately 7,000 sq ft) in size (see sketch).
It is currently developed but would need to be demolished, so we would have to build anew.
The zoning plan requirements are:
Single-storey, base height max. 0.3 m (1 ft), eaves height above base max. 3.50 m (11.5 ft), floor area ratio 0.7, roof pitch 25-30°, detached building.

Do you think it’s possible to fit a practical bungalow for a family of four within these limits? A basement—well, that would be great, but probably too expensive...
Can you quickly think of any contractors who are good at delivering this kind of project? The idea is also to preserve some outdoor space on the plot.

Do you need any additional information to answer this? I can try to provide it.

Thank you

Not so much white space around the graphic, but including some dimensions would be helpful. Is the blue-bordered area the building permit / planning permission zone? Is the site plan oriented to true north? Is access possible at any point (width, but also from the south or north)? Is the plot developed to the east or on the right side?

What is your required living space – approximately how many square meters? Garage or carport?

Is there also a floor area ratio?

Let’s assume the following: 650 square meters (7,000 square feet) plot size with a floor area ratio (FAR) of 0.3. That means 650 multiplied by 0.3 equals 195 square meters (2,100 square feet) buildable area. If we allocate 30 square meters (320 square feet) for a terrace, you have 165 square meters (1,775 square feet) left. So, an 11 by 14 meter (36 by 46 feet) bungalow would fit. That’s not small. Ours is 10 by 13.5 meters (33 by 44 feet). Basement? Make the roof a bit steeper and add stairs up instead of a floor hatch. Use prefabricated trusses for the roof structure. Then you have an affordable basement.

Who plans something like this? Scanhaus Marlow. They provide tips. Our house was inspired by their catalog, but a local building contractor from Ytong built it. K.

Niriach schrieb:

Single-story, maximum base height 0.3m (1 foot); eaves height above base max 3.50m (11.5 feet); floor area ratio 0.7; roof pitch 25–30°; open building structure.

Then make full use of the height. There’s no reason not to do so.

Niriach schrieb:

Do you think it’s possible to build a reasonable bungalow for a family of four here? A basement—well, that would be awesome, but probably way too expensive...

I consider a bungalow with three to four bedrooms uneconomical and a waste in terms of efficiency. Too much land gets covered, and it’s more expensive. Basically, everything is negative. You really have to manage the floor area carefully and be frugal. You might end up stepping on each other’s toes and getting frustrated.
“Everything on one level” is something people say when they are frail and don’t need to build for several people. Also, that argument doesn’t hold regarding the basement comment — what you want to put in the basement can be just as well located upstairs.

Build a house with the bedrooms on the upper floor; that’s the only sensible option.
@Nordlys
You’re a couple, so that house might suit you...

Niriach schrieb:

Eaves height above plinth height max. 3.50 m (11.5 ft); floor area ratio 0.7; pitch 25-30°; open construction style.

If this is from the zoning plan / building permit, then having a top floor with a knee wall of only about 70 cm (28 inches) max. and a roof pitch of just 25-30° would not be very comfortable either.