Hi,
I find it a bit disappointing that so many people read but don’t write anything. I also understand that I won’t get professional tips for free here. But how are you supposed to figure out what you want from the flood of offers and possibilities if you don’t even share your experiences?
I want to build a new house and don’t know whether to go for 1.5 stories (my partner’s preference) or single-story (my preference). Please don’t just say that we have to decide that on our own. I would rather know how you approached this kind of planning. What did you consider, and what did you finally end up with or decide on?
Secondly, it’s about choosing between a wooden house or a solid/concrete house. I know both have their pros and cons, but sometimes information gets lost or something gets overlooked.
I should also mention that we already own our plot, and almost everything is permitted regarding construction. “Just follow what the neighbors have” was said by the building authority/planning office, and they told us to submit a preliminary building plan. This is all in progress. The neighbors have built 1.5-story, single-story, and even one 2.5-story house. The plot is also 1000 sqm (10,764 sqft), so I can easily keep a 3m (10ft) distance from the neighbors and still build a floor area of about 300 sqm (3,229 sqft).
Please write a brief (or detailed) summary of what you considered in your own planning. I would appreciate it.
Thanks and best regards,
Bromi
I find it a bit disappointing that so many people read but don’t write anything. I also understand that I won’t get professional tips for free here. But how are you supposed to figure out what you want from the flood of offers and possibilities if you don’t even share your experiences?
I want to build a new house and don’t know whether to go for 1.5 stories (my partner’s preference) or single-story (my preference). Please don’t just say that we have to decide that on our own. I would rather know how you approached this kind of planning. What did you consider, and what did you finally end up with or decide on?
Secondly, it’s about choosing between a wooden house or a solid/concrete house. I know both have their pros and cons, but sometimes information gets lost or something gets overlooked.
I should also mention that we already own our plot, and almost everything is permitted regarding construction. “Just follow what the neighbors have” was said by the building authority/planning office, and they told us to submit a preliminary building plan. This is all in progress. The neighbors have built 1.5-story, single-story, and even one 2.5-story house. The plot is also 1000 sqm (10,764 sqft), so I can easily keep a 3m (10ft) distance from the neighbors and still build a floor area of about 300 sqm (3,229 sqft).
Please write a brief (or detailed) summary of what you considered in your own planning. I would appreciate it.
Thanks and best regards,
Bromi
Hello Bromi,
the question of course is also whether you already have children, plan to have any, or how your future plans look.
I’m only 24, and my house is currently in the shell stage. It will be a 1.5-story solid construction house. It will have 160 sqm (1,722 sq ft) of living space. The design allows me to live downstairs as long as it’s just me and the dog (ground floor: living room, work/bedroom, utility room, technical room, guest toilet with shower, and living/dining area). The upper floor will be finished gradually later on (first floor: 2 children’s rooms, bedroom, dressing room, bathroom). The house is designed so this can be reversed in the future. The entrance area is planned in a way that a separate entry to the upper floor can definitely be added.
I pondered for a long time whether to go for timber frame or solid construction, but I ultimately decided on a solidly built house because, to me, it just feels more ‘complete,’ as Häuslebauer40 also said. I was more convinced by that, although some carpentry companies have very good arguments for timber frame construction. I have visited a friend who has a timber frame house—I looked around, but to me it just ‘smelled too much like wood’ (and they’ve already lived there for five years).
So my recommendation is simply to gather as much information as possible—talk to friends, speak with companies...
Best regards, Danie87
the question of course is also whether you already have children, plan to have any, or how your future plans look.
I’m only 24, and my house is currently in the shell stage. It will be a 1.5-story solid construction house. It will have 160 sqm (1,722 sq ft) of living space. The design allows me to live downstairs as long as it’s just me and the dog (ground floor: living room, work/bedroom, utility room, technical room, guest toilet with shower, and living/dining area). The upper floor will be finished gradually later on (first floor: 2 children’s rooms, bedroom, dressing room, bathroom). The house is designed so this can be reversed in the future. The entrance area is planned in a way that a separate entry to the upper floor can definitely be added.
I pondered for a long time whether to go for timber frame or solid construction, but I ultimately decided on a solidly built house because, to me, it just feels more ‘complete,’ as Häuslebauer40 also said. I was more convinced by that, although some carpentry companies have very good arguments for timber frame construction. I have visited a friend who has a timber frame house—I looked around, but to me it just ‘smelled too much like wood’ (and they’ve already lived there for five years).
So my recommendation is simply to gather as much information as possible—talk to friends, speak with companies...
Best regards, Danie87
B
Brombadegs6 Sep 2011 06:40Hi Daniel,
yes, we already have children, aged 17 and 12. We are also planning so that later we can live “only” on the ground floor. So the main bathroom will be downstairs, and the study will be converted into a bedroom later on. Renting out the upper floor? Hmm... I don’t think I’m interested in that. Still, the house should be resellable later or usable by one of the children.
I have also already decided to build with an architect. Even if that causes additional costs, the construction reliability should (hopefully) be better.
Everything else is still open. Oh yes – it probably won’t be a passive house either, because I want to be able to open my windows in winter as well (I can’t imagine that smells – of any kind – would disappear quickly otherwise).
Best regards,
Bromi
yes, we already have children, aged 17 and 12. We are also planning so that later we can live “only” on the ground floor. So the main bathroom will be downstairs, and the study will be converted into a bedroom later on. Renting out the upper floor? Hmm... I don’t think I’m interested in that. Still, the house should be resellable later or usable by one of the children.
I have also already decided to build with an architect. Even if that causes additional costs, the construction reliability should (hopefully) be better.
Everything else is still open. Oh yes – it probably won’t be a passive house either, because I want to be able to open my windows in winter as well (I can’t imagine that smells – of any kind – would disappear quickly otherwise).
Best regards,
Bromi
Hello Bromi, I’m also building an architect-designed house, so it’s not a standard model (=
By “renting out,” I actually meant handing over an apartment to one of the children.
I don’t have a passive house either, just a regular house with a standard gas heating system (well, plus solar water heating and controlled mechanical ventilation).
By “renting out,” I actually meant handing over an apartment to one of the children.
I don’t have a passive house either, just a regular house with a standard gas heating system (well, plus solar water heating and controlled mechanical ventilation).
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