ᐅ Is a stepped upper floor permitted if the development plan requires a flat roof?

It should be noted that new flat-roof buildings are often constructed with internal sloping roofs, while the parapet (I believe that is the term for the surrounding edge) is designed to be straight.

However, this does not ultimately answer the question. A full story is defined differently in various federal states. For example, in Lower Saxony (NDS), the second story counts as a full story if two-thirds of the upper floor area has an average height of 2.30 meters (7.5 feet). Therefore, it is indeed possible to build a setback story. It all depends on the calculation.

Best regards in brief

Regarding 11ant b), I was not involved. I am not familiar with any themed development areas. Not at all. I am learning that such things exist in Germany. I would never build one myself.

ypg schrieb:
It should be noted that new flat roof buildings are often constructed with internal pitched roofs, but the parapet (I believe that is the term for the surrounding edge) is then finished straight.

Parapet, yes. Flat roofs are typically low-slope roofs; otherwise, drainage would become a problem.

77.willo schrieb:
I don’t understand what could be problematic about flat roofs. Our developer builds both pitched and flat roofs and considers the latter to be less problematic.

I agree. For modern KfW cubes, it also seems more sensible to seal the thermal envelope at the top with a waterproof layer right away, rather than adding a pseudo-pitched hip roof that creates a useless cavity and requires special tiles because it is so shallow.

ypg schrieb:
that new flat roof buildings are often constructed with internal sloped roofs, but the parapet (I think that’s the name of the surrounding edge) is executed straight.

Yes, that’s the name for this coping (often currently built up as a masonry extension). However, these are usually structurally flat roofs, less often pitched roofs under 10° roof pitch. Without roof overhang, roof drainage is then “internal,” which is even less straightforward with pitched roofs.

ypg schrieb:
If, for example, the second floor is considered a full story under NDS when two-thirds of the upper floor area has an average height of 2.30 meters (7 feet 7 inches), it is very much possible to build a recessed upper story.

Here it probably concerns the two-and-a-half story. So less about making the second floor a full story, but whether one may still be built above it. This is most critically dependent on the eave height, which essentially counts like a knee wall with full story height in this context.

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11ant schrieb:

This is probably about the two-and-a-half story. So less about how to make the second floor a full story, but whether another one is allowed above. The most critical factor here is the eaves height, because from that perspective, it essentially counts as a story-high knee wall.

Let's see. Here it says EH 111.175.

Hausbauer1 schrieb:
So here it says TH 111.175.

TH 111.175 would refer to a level above sea level (mean sea level datum), for which you would then need to know the corresponding height of the finished floor level of the ground floor.

Or does it say TH1* 11.175 (which would be unusually precise)? In that case, starting from a zero point such as the finished floor level of the ground floor (or a manhole cover or similar), 11.175 meters (36.7 feet) would be meant, which should be sufficient for about three stories including a plinth or terrain slope.

*) This notation is only common in combination with TH2, so either differentiating between the uphill and downhill side of the property, or if staggered shed roofs are also allowed.

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