Hello dear house building community!
We are planning to build a semi-detached house soon, which requires some creativity due to limited space but is definitely feasible.
The basic conditions are as follows, and I would really appreciate some opinions:
Question: Is it possible to divide the plot so that the boundary line is not straight? That is, the house would still be divided in the middle, but the dividing line would shift one meter (3 feet) to the east afterward, thus splitting the gardens into two equal parts?
I would really appreciate it if you could give me feedback (despite the complex explanation) on whether such a design is legally possible and generally sensible.
Many best regards,
yours, hans3
We are planning to build a semi-detached house soon, which requires some creativity due to limited space but is definitely feasible.
The basic conditions are as follows, and I would really appreciate some opinions:
- The plot is located in the city, surrounded by other residential houses (so no fields, forests, or similar)
- Plot size is 27 by 16.60 meters (89 by 54.5 feet)
- The 27 meters (89 feet) run north-south, the 16.60 meters (54.5 feet) east-west
- The house is set back from the street (backyard development); on the north side, there is a shared driveway for us and our neighbor
- The house dimensions are planned to be 12 by 12 meters (39 by 39 feet)
- There are setback requirements of three meters (10 feet) on each side. We have agreed with our neighbor on the west side (who is also building) that he will give us two meters (6.5 feet) of his setback area. This means he keeps five meters (16.5 feet) distance to the property line, allowing us to build two meters (6.5 feet) closer to the boundary on that side, so we only have to maintain 1.30 meters (4.3 feet) instead of 3.30 meters (10.8 feet). On the east side, the distance remains 3.30 meters (10.8 feet). This allows us to have a 12-meter-wide (39 feet) house on a 16-meter-wide (52.5 feet) plot.
- A garage will be integrated into the house on the west side, and another garage will be built next to the house on the east side
- Now it gets a bit complicated: Due to the different distances to the property boundaries, the house is not centered on the plot. However, since both halves of the house are the same size, there is no problem with the living space so far.
- It is different with the garden. Due to the different setback areas, the west half would be 7.30 meters (24 feet) wide (6 meters house + 1.30 meters setback), while the east half would be 9.30 meters (30.5 feet) wide (6 meters house plus 3.30 meters setback).
- This would result in two gardens of different sizes, which we would like to avoid.
Question: Is it possible to divide the plot so that the boundary line is not straight? That is, the house would still be divided in the middle, but the dividing line would shift one meter (3 feet) to the east afterward, thus splitting the gardens into two equal parts?
- I have also attached a rough plan to illustrate this better
I would really appreciate it if you could give me feedback (despite the complex explanation) on whether such a design is legally possible and generally sensible.
Many best regards,
yours, hans3
That’s a great tip, thank you very much! I definitely wouldn’t have known that.
I also have one more question:
The east side is planned to have a garage (currently drawn with a width of 3.30 meters (10 feet 10 inches)). It might become a double garage, but I’m not sure yet if that’s possible or practical.
Do you know the minimum width a garage must have?
If we reduce it from 3.30 meters to only 2.60 meters (8 feet 6 inches), there would still be a 70 cm (28 inches) wide path to the garden, which could be useful for carrying waste or similar. Is that allowed and practical? (Sorry if these questions sound basic, but I don’t have much experience with house construction and want to make as few mistakes as possible.)
Thank you very much for your kind answers in advance; I appreciate any advice!
I also have one more question:
The east side is planned to have a garage (currently drawn with a width of 3.30 meters (10 feet 10 inches)). It might become a double garage, but I’m not sure yet if that’s possible or practical.
Do you know the minimum width a garage must have?
If we reduce it from 3.30 meters to only 2.60 meters (8 feet 6 inches), there would still be a 70 cm (28 inches) wide path to the garden, which could be useful for carrying waste or similar. Is that allowed and practical? (Sorry if these questions sound basic, but I don’t have much experience with house construction and want to make as few mistakes as possible.)
Thank you very much for your kind answers in advance; I appreciate any advice!
D
Doc.Schnaggls29 Jul 2014 16:56Hello,
The narrowest standard prefabricated garage I know has an exterior width of 2.38 m (7 ft 10 in) and therefore an interior width of 2.22 m (7 ft 3 in). However, the clear door width is only 1.95 m (6 ft 5 in), which is quite narrow.
With a width of 2.58 m (8 ft 6 in) (standard size), you get an interior width of 2.42 m (7 ft 11 in) and a clear door width of 2.15 m (7 ft 1 in), which is still reasonably tight.
If I were you, I would consider keeping the garage at 3.3 m (10 ft 10 in) wide and adding a side or rear door, or even a second door, as a way to access the garden.
This is what we are doing ourselves—our house will have attached garages on both the right and left sides, each built right up to the property boundary. One of them will have a second garage door in the rear wall to allow larger items (trailer, riding lawn mower, rototiller) to access the garden without needing a crane.
Best regards,
Dirk
The narrowest standard prefabricated garage I know has an exterior width of 2.38 m (7 ft 10 in) and therefore an interior width of 2.22 m (7 ft 3 in). However, the clear door width is only 1.95 m (6 ft 5 in), which is quite narrow.
With a width of 2.58 m (8 ft 6 in) (standard size), you get an interior width of 2.42 m (7 ft 11 in) and a clear door width of 2.15 m (7 ft 1 in), which is still reasonably tight.
If I were you, I would consider keeping the garage at 3.3 m (10 ft 10 in) wide and adding a side or rear door, or even a second door, as a way to access the garden.
This is what we are doing ourselves—our house will have attached garages on both the right and left sides, each built right up to the property boundary. One of them will have a second garage door in the rear wall to allow larger items (trailer, riding lawn mower, rototiller) to access the garden without needing a crane.
Best regards,
Dirk
That’s true, that would definitely be an interesting option! However, in my understanding, it would only be feasible if you build a simple garage. For a duplex garage, it seems to me that having a door or a second gate on the back wall wouldn’t be possible, right? It somehow feels good to get closer to the dream house step by step.
D
Doc.Schnaggls29 Jul 2014 17:53Ah, duplex... I missed that... Sorry.
Do you have experience with duplex garages? They seem a bit suspicious to me—just the thought of oil dripping from the car above onto my precious sheet metal...
But I guess it usually works out fine.
Best regards,
Dirk
Do you have experience with duplex garages? They seem a bit suspicious to me—just the thought of oil dripping from the car above onto my precious sheet metal...
But I guess it usually works out fine.
Best regards,
Dirk
Hello, Hans!
The subdivision is usually done somewhat differently, but it could also be done as described, although only with at least one additional building servitude. You should consult the building authority/surveying office for this.
You will also need a building servitude for the access at the front (according to the regulations in NRW, it may be possible in Bavaria with private agreements).
Best regards
Dirk Grafe
The subdivision is usually done somewhat differently, but it could also be done as described, although only with at least one additional building servitude. You should consult the building authority/surveying office for this.
You will also need a building servitude for the access at the front (according to the regulations in NRW, it may be possible in Bavaria with private agreements).
Best regards
Dirk Grafe
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