ᐅ Floor plan of a 172 m² bungalow in Brandenburg, south of Berlin

Created on: 14 Jan 2022 15:18

Hello everyone,

I’m new to the forum and have already found some valuable tips here. My wife and I have purchased a plot of land in Brandenburg, south of Berlin. We plan to contact the first construction companies in February, work on the planning, and aim to start the building phase by the end of the year. Our goal is to move into the bungalow by January 1, 2024, at the latest.

Our ideas for our own home are already quite well developed. At the moment, we have two main questions: Is our project feasible, and if so, which local construction companies would be suitable in the area? Perhaps some of you can offer valuable advice. We thank you in advance for your time and support. Below, I would like to present our design while considering the list of questions. The floor plan is also attached, and I hope it uploads at the same quality as the original image file I have.

Development Plan / Restrictions

Approximately 763 m2 (8,210 sq ft) with a 23.41 m (77 ft) frontage and 32.58 m (107 ft) depth, facing northwest.
Construction according to development plan
No slope on the land
Site coverage ratio = 0.4 (may be exceeded by 50% due to garages, parking spaces with access routes, and ancillary structures as per § 14 of the Land Use Ordinance)
Floor area ratio not specified
Building envelope

Building setback 4 m (13 ft) from street boundary line
Building area: 23.41 m (length) x 20 m (depth)
Protrusions up to 1.5 m (5 ft) allowed beyond building boundaries (pillars, cornices, roof overhangs, balconies, loggias, terraces, entrance steps and their coverings)

Boundary construction

Buildings allowed with side boundary setback and maximum length of 20 m (66 ft)
Setbacks and distances according to § 6 of Brandenburg Building Regulations (BbgBO)

Parking spaces, garages, and ancillary structures as per § 14 of the Land Use Ordinance are not allowed on non-buildable areas of the plot within 5.0 m (16 ft) measured from the street boundary line. For more than one parking space, an uncovered space may be located on the access area at a minimum distance of 3.0 m (10 ft) from the street boundary.
Number of permitted full stories = I-II
Construction method: variant "a"
Maximum roof pitch 30°
Roof covering

Tiles and roof slates, flat and shaped metal sheets and strips, flat slate shingles, and green roofs
Solar thermal and photovoltaic systems permitted
Permanently shiny and glazed roof surfaces are not allowed

Landscaping requirements

Driveways, parking spaces, and other ancillary areas must be constructed with water- and air-permeable surfaces
Rainwater must infiltrate on-site
At least one nesting aid must be installed on each residential building
At least one tree with a minimum trunk circumference of 10 m (33 ft) must be planted every 18 m (59 ft) of plot frontage within 5 m (16 ft) of the street boundary
An additional tree with a trunk circumference of 10 to 12 m (33 to 39 ft) must be planted on each plot

Homeowner Requirements

A single-story, nearly square bungalow without a basement, with a hipped roof
Construction method

Solid and monolithic
Stone: Sandstone for sound insulation, but since we definitely do not want external insulation (ETICS), this is not possible; we will use the stone type that the builder is most experienced with; based on research, we prefer perlite-filled bricks, but expanded clay types are also acceptable
Exterior plaster: Whatever the builder has the best experience with, painted in a light smoky blue; no brick cladding
Roof: Cold roof (no attic use), so the ceiling must be insulated

Two people in their mid-30s, planning to remain childfree
Guests per year: so far none, as this is just being made possible now
Currently planned living area approximately 172 m2 (1,850 sq ft)

An open living area including

Kitchen with island
Two dining areas (breakfast table for two and dining table for up to eight people)
Fireplace area with seating, wine fridge, and storage for fine beverages

A home cinema area with surround sound system, TV, large couch, and storage furniture
A bedroom with a 2 m x 2 m (6.6 ft x 6.6 ft) bed, two nightstands, and a dresser
A walk-in closet and dressing room
A bathroom with bathtub and T-wall for a large sink, shower, toilet, and two entrances
No guest bathroom, since we have no children, do not build for guests, our planned main bathroom will be nice, and guest visits will be rare and orderly; we consider a guest bathroom unnecessary for all these reasons
A multi-purpose room for mobile work, hobbies, and a pull-out sofa bed for up to two guests
A technical room with heating system, electrical connection, water connection, main utility connection box, and possibly a water softener
A utility room for washing machine, dryer, chest freezer, shelves, and work surface for small DIY tasks
Entrance area with built-in closet for shoes and clothing

Outdoor area with

Terrace with a maximum depth of 3 m (10 ft) wrapping around the left corner of the house, facing northwest and southwest
One parking space for one car, probably as a carport on the left; two spaces would be ideal if a second car is acquired, but this would likely require building on the boundary line on the right side, which we want to avoid; tips on enabling two parking spaces are welcome
Entrance: gentle ramp to the front door with no steps and no canopy

Window design

Floor-to-ceiling windows with black plastic frames in the open living area and bedroom, 35 cm (14 in) below the ceiling
Terrace door without threshold
Windows with black plastic frames in every room with a sill height of 87.5 cm (34 in) and 35 cm (14 in) below the ceiling; we would appreciate advice on whether this is suitable for the bathroom, dressing room, utility room, and technical room or if other heights would be better
All windows with external blinds (raffstores), with very good burglary protection and sound insulation
No aluminum window sills on the outside (they make noise in rain); materials are not yet decided

Front door without threshold, simple design with frosted side glass, very good sound insulation and burglary protection
Interior finishing

Room height after all construction work should be 2.60 to 2.70 m (8.5 to 8.9 ft)
Interior plaster: lime plaster, no lime-cement or gypsum plaster
Kitchen and bathroom tiled, all other rooms with light parquet (parquet to be installed by us)
Hi-fi room painted matte black, all other rooms painted white; no wallpaper in any room
Utility room initially concrete, will be tiled later
Technical room concrete floor

Technical systems

Heating systems

Ground heat collectors or ground source heat pump
Underfloor heating

Ventilation: manual
Water softener: probably yes, but we need more information before confirming
Photovoltaic/solar thermal: desirable if at no extra cost, but we are skeptical about payback; if someone can convince us otherwise, we’re open
Hot water storage tank: yes, since we prefer bathing over showering
No KfW (energy efficiency) subsidy, as we’re not convinced, but would like to know what we can achieve with our house

House Design

Own design made using HomeByMe
We particularly like:

That we were able to create a design at all
Separation of technical and living areas
Open large living area with kitchen, fireplace, and big dining table
Floor-to-ceiling windows in the living area
Barrier-free entry and exit with no thresholds
Separation of technical room and utility room
Living on one level (we are fit but want comfort and consider aging)

We do not like:

That prices and interest rates are rising and materials are in short supply, and we probably should have started building two years earlier
Our needs resulted in such a large living area
Two cars probably cannot fit side by side into a carport
Our ideas will probably lead to significant additional costs

We have not yet obtained a price estimate from an expert
Price limit for the house excluding land: 400,000 €
The plot was purchased recently and is being paid off with a variable loan that will be converted to a fixed construction loan

What can we give up?

We can give up

Living space, if a few centimeters can be saved here and there to reduce costs
Separation of utility room and technical room, if necessary
A poor-quality construction company

We cannot give up

Monolithic construction method
Separation of home cinema and living area
Open kitchen with island
Floor-to-ceiling windows in the living area and barrier-free house entry
Bathroom design
Dressing room
Fireplace
Excellent burglary protection

What can we give up?

Living space, if a few centimeters can be saved
Separation of utility room and technical room, if not feasible
Poor-quality construction company

Why is our design like this?

We thought carefully about what we absolutely want and then started planning accordingly
The design feels very right to us

Main question

Is our building project feasible according to the development plan, our specifications and wishes, and within our budget? If yes, with whom?

We look forward to your feedback and are open to honest criticism because only that will help us move forward and open opportunities we may not currently consider due to being perhaps too convinced of our floor plan.

We are currently looking for both local and larger construction companies for a project south of Berlin. We would appreciate any tips on companies that can realize such a project (especially a bungalow). If necessary, private messages are also welcome.

Thank you in advance for all your efforts.

Floor plan of a house with living room, fireplace, dining room, kitchen, bedroom, bathroom and hallway.

Floor plan of a house with fireplace, dining, sleeping, kitchen, bathroom, terrace and parking space

11ant20 Jan 2022 16:10

#79

Sorrow87 schrieb:

After studying it more thoroughly, I am increasingly convinced that going through an architect is the best approach. Not just phases 1 to 2 or phases 1 to 5, but all eight relevant phases.

I also highly recommend including Module C, but contractually I would always proceed module by module (with the option to continue, of course). In my opinion, the most important part is the pause between Modules A and B, which I like to call the “dough rest.” This pause is where you either become firmly convinced—or not—that you have chosen the right architect.

Sorrow87 schrieb:

I have limited myself to a radius of up to 30 km (18.6 miles) and now have eight architects I could contact. Is that a good radius?

While that is unfortunately only “half the battle,” otherwise: yes.

Sorrow87 schrieb:

I would actually contact the architects briefly here to outline the project, ask about a free initial consultation, and possibly request that the meeting be held at one of their current construction sites.

Exactly: “The first date with the architect: better not in the office” is a key factor in avoiding an “artist” type (who would probably also confirm the experiences of @Gerddieter regarding budgeting skills).

https://www.instagram.com/11antgmxde/
https://www.linkedin.com/company/bauen-jetzt/

ypg20 Jan 2022 20:56

#80

Sorrow87 schrieb:

I would actually contact the architects briefly here.

… I would just say single-family house! …and let him explain what he is building (single-family house or multi-family house), whether conservative or "modern," what he thinks about renewable energy efficiency (EE), and how he prefers to implement it. Then ask for one or two reference addresses.

Sorrow877 Feb 2022 15:52

#81

So, architects have been contacted and we have received the first response. It was a rejection, which is not a big deal. However, the reason given is quite interesting, and I would like to get your opinion on it. I’m not sure if the architect is really right with his statement, or if he is actually doing a disservice to his profession with such remarks.

The rejection: "The bungalow construction method you described is now mostly covered by prefab house providers. A few years ago, I did a cost comparison that showed it only pays off for very special and complex projects. In times of uncertain building costs and overloaded construction companies, I believe that for a small project, this is the better choice to ensure cost and schedule certainty."

That naturally makes you feel uncertain. He could have attached that calculation to his email. Should one now only opt for a standard prefab house because of high construction prices? He could at least have asked whether the bungalow was intended to be built with more complexity.

Is the market really so bad right now that it’s best to wait to start building or only go for a prefab house contractor? In my opinion, that does not make sense either. Especially in this area, you still have the choice between solid construction, prefab, architect, or contractor, etc.

PS: He did not want to build because he now only builds completely ecologically and not with the solid construction typical of a single-family house. Pure passive houses.

11ant7 Feb 2022 17:40

#82

Sorrow87 schrieb:

That’s naturally unsettling. He could have attached this calculation to his email. Now, because of the high construction costs, are we supposed to just build a ready-made prefab house? He could also have asked if the bungalow was supposed to be built more elaborately.

Feel free to forward that to me when he replies to your follow-up question. I would interpret his conclusion in a similar way.

Sorrow87 schrieb:

In this field, you have the choice between solid construction, prefab, architect-designed, or general contractor, etc.

Is that sentence supposed to provoke me? After all, prefab/solid construction and architect or general contractor are not opposites but can be successfully combined (as I have actually mentioned quite often).

Sorrow87 schrieb:

PS: He didn’t want to build because he only builds completely ecologically now and not the solid construction of a single-family house. Pure passive houses.

If by “solid” you mean “monolithic masonry,” then that’s quite clear: as an architect specializing in the “vegan avant-garde” ;-) you would naturally focus on a particular construction method, which automatically excludes most masonry general contractors and also the industrial timber frame panel contractors.

https://www.instagram.com/11antgmxde/
https://www.linkedin.com/company/bauen-jetzt/

blubbernase7 Feb 2022 18:28

#83

Be prepared for more rejections; we haven’t found an architect willing to even plan our single-family house. The responses were all similar: standard designs aren’t worth it or we don’t have time for that.

I’m keeping my fingers crossed for you.

cryptoki7 Feb 2022 20:02

#84

Architects’ schedules are often booked more than 12 months in advance. Single-family houses are simply not very profitable; their calendars are filled with multi-family homes and public projects, which generate significant income. For a single-family house, an architect must invest a lot of time for a relatively small profit, and on top of that, the clients tend to be demanding. This is the current situation. Finding a good architect who is still willing to take on a single-family house project is really rare and difficult at the moment.

ᐅ Floor plan of a 172 m² bungalow in Brandenburg, south of Berlin

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