ᐅ Is it possible to build a house without a basement here? Experiences and insights requested.

Hello everyone,

We currently have the option to reserve 2-3 plots in development area 2-3.
The development is located on a slope. My question is whether it is possible to build the houses (see picture) without a basement? We would prefer to build without a basement for cost reasons. Is it at least feasible to build the houses shown above without significant additional costs?

I suspect the left image shows Muehlbuck WA 2/6/7, and the right image shows WA 12/11/10/9/8 (?).
In the first image, you can see that the uphill plots in WA2 and WA6 have an advantage in terms of elevation difference.
If you look into this a bit, you will find two standard mantras from me regarding basements: first, that for roughly every 20 cm (8 inches) of height difference (over the depth of the house), you should calculate an additional 10% in basement costs, and therefore, with a difference of about 120 to 140 cm (47 to 55 inches), omitting a basement is not worthwhile; and second, that omitting a basement then becomes a Pyrrhic victory because alternative slope retention measures cost no less and, on balance, only save the utility value of the storage space.
Conclusion: Choosing not to have a basement due to personal preference is a private matter; omitting a basement for cost-saving reasons only pays off depending on the elevation difference that needs to be managed. From my perspective here, basements are economically effective on the uphill side of the street in the mentioned plots, while on the downhill side, generally not. For the de facto row houses on the far left side, it would have to be worked out individually. However, these would be my last choice here—if I am not mistaken in looking at the development plan thumbnail on the municipality's website, a building line applies on the street side for these.

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

Thank you for your reply.
If I understood correctly, building without a basement would still make sense and be cost-effective for WA2? Not for the lower houses. Thanks for the assessment. The lower ones wouldn’t be a close option for us anyway. It was just important to me that if it ends up being one of the upper plots, we could at least build without a basement (also because of the costs).
Best regards

I do not provide any guarantees, nor does @Escroda, but he would probably have a more precise opinion on the matter. Mine is intended as a first reference, just as a rough assessment.

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

If you cannot acquire flat plots, replace basements with an underground floor and plan living spaces there. The rooms are not damp or dark. They are fully functional living spaces.

11ant schrieb:

but he would probably have a more precise opinion on that.

No, unfortunately not. Your rule of thumb is very good, and it can’t really be more precise anyway, since too many factors influence the decision.