ᐅ Elevation – Should the house be partially built into the ground?
Created on: 16 Jun 2015 23:42
B
barcardiHello,
we are about to start construction.
Our plot is located directly on a hilltop and slopes downward from northeast to south and west, with access, as shown in the attached, coming from the west.
Already in the initial planning phase, we had to partially set the house into the ground, meaning we excavated on the backside and built up on the front side. Unfortunately, the driveway slope was 20%, which was clearly too steep for us.
We then specified a maximum driveway slope of 7%. Now we are digging in even more. Unfortunately, our construction company didn’t have any other ideas.
Therefore, my questions to the forum:
1. Are there any other practical options for positioning the house? (Garage and house cannot be separated legally as part of the garage is a structural extension.)
2. Does it make sense to level the rest of the garden as well?
3. What should be considered in garden design then (water drainage, risk of falls at the property edge)?
We would be very grateful for any helpful advice!
Best regards
Christian
we are about to start construction.
Our plot is located directly on a hilltop and slopes downward from northeast to south and west, with access, as shown in the attached, coming from the west.
Already in the initial planning phase, we had to partially set the house into the ground, meaning we excavated on the backside and built up on the front side. Unfortunately, the driveway slope was 20%, which was clearly too steep for us.
We then specified a maximum driveway slope of 7%. Now we are digging in even more. Unfortunately, our construction company didn’t have any other ideas.
Therefore, my questions to the forum:
1. Are there any other practical options for positioning the house? (Garage and house cannot be separated legally as part of the garage is a structural extension.)
2. Does it make sense to level the rest of the garden as well?
3. What should be considered in garden design then (water drainage, risk of falls at the property edge)?
We would be very grateful for any helpful advice!
Best regards
Christian
K
karismasen17 Jun 2015 12:34Where is the terrace or garden located? On the east side?
What height are you planning for your house now?
In our house, the front door is about 8.5 meters (28 feet) behind the road, and the finished floor level is approximately 1 meter (3 feet) above road level. The garage is located another half meter (1.5 feet) further back and about 90 centimeters (35 inches) above road level.
So far, I like it because the slope is not too steep, and the house is positioned so that water runs away from it.
Since the plot rises further towards the back, we need to slightly terrace the area for our patio, but that is not a problem.
In our house, the front door is about 8.5 meters (28 feet) behind the road, and the finished floor level is approximately 1 meter (3 feet) above road level. The garage is located another half meter (1.5 feet) further back and about 90 centimeters (35 inches) above road level.
So far, I like it because the slope is not too steep, and the house is positioned so that water runs away from it.
Since the plot rises further towards the back, we need to slightly terrace the area for our patio, but that is not a problem.
P
Polle 196717 Jun 2015 17:13Hello, the biggest challenge you will face is that you need to retain all the neighboring plots because your site is significantly lower than the adjacent properties. What does your architect say about this? I would definitely discuss it with them. Unplanned costs are likely to arise.
@karismasen
The terrace is located on the east side and wraps around the corner to the south side. The main garden is on the east.
@Jochen104
The distance from the house to the street is 5.69m (18.7 ft). The front door is 1.31m (4.3 ft) above the planned street level, while the garage is about 1m (3.3 ft) high and 7.5m (24.6 ft) from the street.
@Polle 1967
Our construction company hasn’t been very creative in this regard, and even our architect from the Private Homeowners Association had no ideas. So far, the only options are to set the building lower and add a little fill at the front, which would mean we are lower than the neighbors to the north, or to raise the building to the same level as the neighbors, which would result in a 20% slope for the driveway and place our front door roughly 1.91m (6.3 ft) above street level.
We are discussing retaining measures with our northern neighbor; the neighbors to the south will probably be digging in a bit as well.
The terrace is located on the east side and wraps around the corner to the south side. The main garden is on the east.
@Jochen104
The distance from the house to the street is 5.69m (18.7 ft). The front door is 1.31m (4.3 ft) above the planned street level, while the garage is about 1m (3.3 ft) high and 7.5m (24.6 ft) from the street.
@Polle 1967
Our construction company hasn’t been very creative in this regard, and even our architect from the Private Homeowners Association had no ideas. So far, the only options are to set the building lower and add a little fill at the front, which would mean we are lower than the neighbors to the north, or to raise the building to the same level as the neighbors, which would result in a 20% slope for the driveway and place our front door roughly 1.91m (6.3 ft) above street level.
We are discussing retaining measures with our northern neighbor; the neighbors to the south will probably be digging in a bit as well.
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