ᐅ Bypassing Building Line Restrictions Through Lot Enlargement Instead of Subdivision

Hello everyone,

Here are some details to help you better understand my thoughts.

Plot Dimensions
Unfortunately, I don’t yet have precise measurements from a surveyor for the plot. However, we have measured the width ourselves and found it to be approximately 25m (82 feet), with a depth of about 23m (75 feet) at the deepest point.

Assumption About Building on the Boundary
In an initial conversation with Bien-Zenker nearly two years ago (the project with the company has since been discontinued), we were told that for a semi-detached house, only one building boundary can be built on, not both sides. Given the advisor’s competence, though, I suspect this information might have been incorrect… Who should I contact to find out what is allowed and what is not? Would I get this information from the building authority / planning office?

Garages/Carports Aligned with the Front of the Houses
This way, we keep a large open garden behind the houses, which connects to the parents’ garden. I’m not a fan of having a garden in front of the house because anyone can look in, unless I enclose it with a hedge or fence :/ (Even though it would be inviting, since we have a 5-meter (16 feet) building setback in front of the house…).

Challenge of a Balcony in the Sun
My wife is a true sun lover, so she wants a large balcony on the front side of the house where she can relax in the sun. I have to admit I don’t yet have a really good solution for this. Maybe the garage could be built over? Is it permitted to place a balcony on the building boundary?

Prefabricated House – First Idea
At the moment, we have fallen for a design from Hanse Haus. We might simply build two units based on this design, mirroring the second one, so that the final layout looks like this:

Together, the two halves would have a width of almost 20 meters. However, fitting a garage or carport on either side would become quite tight. But as I said, this is just an initial idea.

You can’t just take a floor plan for a detached house and simply join them together. In a semi-detached house, you lose the windows on one side, which affects the rooms. Try connecting the upper floors as a test and tell me where the light in the bedroom and bathroom is supposed to come from.

Besides that, I wouldn’t place the bay windows on the outside of a semi-detached house. That forces you to put your terraces right next to each other, leaving you with no privacy at all.

WilderSueden schrieb:

You can’t just take a floor plan for a detached house and simply join them together. With a semi-detached house, you lose the windows on one side, which affects the rooms. Try connecting the upper floors for a test and tell me where the light in the bedroom and bathroom is supposed to come from.
Besides that, I wouldn’t put bay windows on the outside walls in a semi-detached house. That forces you to place your patios right next to each other, leaving zero privacy.

I understand that you still need to consider the windows.
I was initially only concerned with the shape and size.

In the end, the bay windows are a matter of taste. Either one party has their garden open to the parents, or they open onto each other.

Ideally, I would like to do it that way, but I’m afraid it won’t work because of the building boundaries…
Meaning that the garages or carports would be located between the houses, creating basically two detached houses.

The problem is that it’s not just about the windows. If you remove windows from one side, some floor plans can no longer be used. That’s why floor plans for semi-detached houses are somewhat different. Additionally, there is the issue of orientation. Yvonne already mentioned this in #20. With two identical halves, you will clearly end up with one more attractive side and one less attractive side. A semi-detached house doesn’t mean that both halves have to be the same. However, you can only carry out the planning process once you have gathered the requirements and then discuss specific house designs. If you start throwing around detailed floor plans right away, you skip important planning steps.

basti1088 schrieb:

In the end, bay windows are a matter of personal taste.

It may be a matter of taste. Still, there are objective advantages and disadvantages that outsiders can see much more clearly than the builder.

basti1088 schrieb:

Is it possible to build over the garage?

No.

basti1088 schrieb:

Can I place a balcony on the building boundary?

No.

basti1088 schrieb:

She wants a large balcony on the front side of the house where she can lie in the sun.

Sometimes wishes don’t come true. I’ll be straightforward and practical here:
From the perspective of a neighbor or passerby, a balcony is more visible than a fenced garden.

basti1088 schrieb:

We would possibly just build this twice and mirror the second house, so that in the end we have the following floor plan.

That won’t work.

basti1088 schrieb:

I was mainly referring to the shape and size.

That doesn’t work either.

basti1088 schrieb:

Ideally, I would do it that way, but I’m afraid it won’t work.

Sorry, don’t be childish now: you have 25 meters (82 feet) of width for two units, with a floor space ratio of 0.4. This isn’t a prime lot, but it’s gifted to you. Bringing up unrealistic wishes like “I’d really like to” or “I’d prefer” with options that clearly don’t fit and where 1+1 ≠ 3 is something to forget quickly; otherwise, it’s not your property—and you should have realized that two years ago.
Even a wish for a sun balcony (a show balcony) is not currently realistic when thinking about a semi-detached house.
So be realistic, approach it accordingly, and act on that basis.

You can review the state building code; restrictions or exceptions are explained in the plans.

If reality doesn’t suit you and you have to build a neat semi-detached house with a conservative layout, then you need to look for another plot.