ᐅ Plot with southwest access – how to build on it?

Dear Forum,
We are still at a very early stage of planning a single-family house with approximately 160m² (1,722 sq ft) of living space. So far, we only have very rough ideas about the house itself, as we want to secure a suitable plot of land first. In general, we have been leaning towards a prefab house.

We are currently in the allocation process for a plot (outlined in red). We generally like the size and location (edge of a field). However, there are several special conditions and restrictions, so we are wondering how to build on this plot sensibly.
- To the north, there is an adjacent retention basin fenced off.
- To the west, there is a bike path. A 3m (10 ft) “front yard” is required here (only a low fence or hedge allowed, no carport or driveway).
- The entrance from the street is to the south-southwest.
- To the east, the plot borders directly onto the field.
- To the south is the neighboring property.

Our initial idea would be to place the carport directly on the southern side, by the street, separate from the house. Then position the house to the north or northeast with a walking path to the west side at the gable entrance.
This way, the terrace and garden could be planned facing south/southeast.

What do you think of this approach? Does it make sense?
What about the technical room? I have read in many cases it needs to be planned facing the access road. We would of course prefer it in the north.

Or what are your suggestions and ideas?

Thank you very much and best regards,
Micha

Development plan/restrictions
Plot size: 620m² (6,675 sq ft)
Slope: no
Site coverage ratio: 0.4
Floor area ratio: 0.8
Number of parking spaces: 2
Number of floors: 2
Roof type: pitched
Architectural style: open
Orientation: free
Maximum height/building limits: main roof 4.5–6.5m (15–21 ft), full height 10.5m (34 ft)

Owner requirements
Single-family house EH40 standard, probably gable roof, possibly hip roof
No basement, 2 floors
Number of occupants, ages: 2 adults + 2 children (2 years, newborn)
Room requirements on ground floor: technical room, living/dining area, guest room (later office), and WC with shower
Upper floor: bedroom, children’s room, office (later children’s room)
Office: home office
Open kitchen
Seating for approximately 6 people at dining table
No fireplace
No balcony or roof terrace
Carport: yes

Let go of the idea that a garden can only be nice in the south, and that a carport should be used primarily as a privacy screen.

Micha.. schrieb:

Generally, we had been thinking more along the lines of a prefabricated house so far.

Which of the prefabricated house myths in particular, and why EH40 (or is EH40 the reason for considering a prefabricated house)?

Micha.. schrieb:

What about the utility room? I have read that in many cases it needs to be planned towards the access road or street?

If you have enough money, you can generally afford longer cable runs; they just shouldn’t be built over. The house entry and the technical installations can be separate, for example, the connection room on the ground floor and the boiler, fuse box, and so on on the upper floor.

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

Hi 11ant, thanks for your feedback.

11ant schrieb:

Try to let go of the idea that a garden is only nice on the south side, and ideally with the carport right next to it as a privacy shield.

So you would rather plan the garden facing north and place the house to the south? Since it’s likely the neighbor to the south will build their house directly adjacent on the north side.

11ant schrieb:

Which specific prefab house myth are you referring to, and why EH40 (or is EH40 the reason for leaning towards a prefab house)?

Maybe partly because of the myth that it will be cheaper for us.
EH40, because we are planning with KfW 300 and NRW Sustainable Living. We can also imagine QNG if it does not become significantly more expensive. And according to what I have read here, prefab houses tend to have an advantage at that level.
But overall, we are still completely open.

Micha.. schrieb:

Perhaps partly because of the myth that it will be cheaper for us. EH40, as we are planning with KfW 300 and NRW Sustainable Housing standards. We can also consider QNG if it doesn’t become significantly more expensive. And by then, prefabricated houses, as I have also read here, tend to have the advantage. But overall, we are still completely open.

Being completely open is very good. The construction methods are essentially equivalent in that none has fundamentally cheaper or more precisely predictable final costs. Only in the higher efficiency house categories can timber frame panel builders more easily meet the requirements. But these levels are not necessary. I always advise my clients to look at their tax returns to see how they rank compared to other typical homeowners. Trying to be avant-garde in standards rarely "pays off" and is therefore mostly a domain of higher earners. If both parties are in the progressive tax bracket, they better leave the "world-saving through insulation booms and lab-tested heating technology" to others. Users of my homebuilding roadmap make the construction method decision only at the point of final adjustments during the resting phase of the planning process.

Micha.. schrieb:

So you would rather plan the garden facing north and place the house to the south? It is to be expected that the neighbor to the south will build their house to the north, right next to the plot.

As a Rhinelander with a Cologne background, I never waste a thought on begrudging my neighbor. Why should it bother me if the neighbor’s situation is nice too? Residential plots with an unobstructed view of the sun for kilometers are unaffordable for ordinary people (including myself) and at least during the summer months often problematic or require complex shading. I might even choose to live upstairs and appreciate that the view over the retention basin to the north is never glarey. Outside-the-box thinking is usually underdeveloped for typical homeowners. My house here would probably stand with its eaves facing the road and close to the edge of the building plot that borders the bike path.

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

Micha.. schrieb:

It is expected that the neighbor to the south will build their house to the north, directly adjacent to your property.

…and that’s exactly why I wouldn’t want my garden there.
Your neighbor will probably build something similar (I assume garages are allowed to extend beyond the building line/planning boundary).

So if you orient your garden or terrace in that direction, you will have to deal with car doors slamming, arrivals home, and other disturbances from the neighbor. We can hear everything from 10 meters (33 feet) away… and they are quite loud.

However, I don’t find that ideal either. The house entrance should feel welcoming to anyone.
But I do give you credit for the option not to link the house directly with the parking space.

Micha.. schrieb:

Then you could plan the terrace and garden facing south/southeast.

I roughly marked how natural light could enter the house. Of course, this depends on the floor plan.
You could also build a dormer with a large window facing south and create a small open space by the stairs to bring the captured light into the ground floor. However, openness is not everyone’s preference, especially when considering children.

The terrace will receive plenty of outdoor light. The garden gets sun, naturally also on the north side.
Since the terrace is usually enjoyed mostly in the evening during summer, here’s the highlight: the sun sets in the northwest! In summer.
It’s important to get enough light inside the house from east to west.
As for terraces, you can place several around the property. These are called outdoor seating areas.

P.S. The images should be swapped.

Micha.. schrieb:

- There is a bike path on the west side. A 3m (10 feet) “front garden” is required here (only low fence / hedge, no carport or driveway)

So, on nice days, many people cycle by and some of them will curiously look into your property. Does that bother you? If yes, you’ll need to plan the building layout so that not everyone can see onto your terrace. In that case, also consider modern window fronts.

Regarding positioning... placing the carport close to the street is usually a given. The next question is where you want the front door. Traditionally from the north (which means a longer walk), on the west gable side (a gable-side entrance can often be tricky for the floor plan), or for the shortest route from the south (which is rather unconventional). I would initially leave the utility room out of the planning considerations. But yes, every meter counts, and beyond a certain distance (usually 15–20m (50–65 feet)), you get a handover chamber from the supplier, and you’re responsible for everything beyond that point. In any case, it’s not easy to realize floor plans with a utility room plus an extra workspace/guest room on the ground floor. This requires a lot of space on the ground floor. So it’s better not to start with the goal of placing the utility room in the shortest corner right away.