ᐅ Single-family house – 130 m² – hillside location – 2 floors – partly basement
Created on: 20 Oct 2025 16:52
K
Kaichunga
Hello housebuilding enthusiasts,
We are currently in the early planning stages of our single-family home. Budget and financing are settled, and we have a preferred general contractor (GC) in sight. We have created a first draft of the floor plan with a friend who is an architect. As laypeople, we are quite satisfied with it at first glance, after making a few minor adjustments.
However, we remain open and grateful for further tips and advice.
Development Plan / Restrictions
Plot size: approx. 650 - 700m² (7000 - 7500 sq ft)
Slope: Yes. Sloping downhill towards the southwest – about 1.8m (6 feet) within the building envelope. Street access and utilities from the northeast.
Floor area ratio (FAR): unknown
Site coverage ratio (SCR): unknown
Building envelope, building line, and boundaries: No formal development plan. Orientation based on neighboring buildings.
Number of parking spaces: 2 parking spaces (in front / beside the house)
Orientation: Southwest
Homeowners’ Requirements
Basement, floors: 2 full stories - basement partially under the house.
Number of occupants: 2 adults – mid to late 30s
Space requirements for ground floor and basement: Total approx. 130m² (1400 sq ft) including basement rooms
Basement: Storage room, utility room (HAR), bedroom, walk-in closet, full bathroom, additional room
Ground floor: Living area, kitchen, guest room, guest WC, storage room, office (home office)
Open or closed layout: Open living-dining area; the rest mostly separated
Conservative or modern design: Rather modern
Open kitchen, kitchen island: Open kitchen; island optional
Number of dining seats: 6-8
Balcony, roof terrace: Attached balcony on the ground floor, small terrace in the basement
Garage, carport: Carport (to be added later)
House Design
Origin of the design: Friend who is an architect and also works with GCs.
Personal price limit for the house including fittings: approx. €400,000 (pure construction costs; additional costs like auxiliary costs, landscaping, kitchen, and balcony are not included)
Preferred heating technology: Heat pump including photovoltaics and possibly battery storage
Why is the design as it is now?
The architect developed the design based on the following key points:
Attached are the created floor plan, an overview of the plot, as well as a self-made side profile to illustrate the slope. Please don’t rely too precisely on the side profile – it’s only a rough estimate for me. The exact building envelope is not yet determined.
The plot has not been fully surveyed yet, hence the approximate size of 650-700m² (7000-7500 sq ft).
We want to build two full stories. Due to the slope, the basement will be partially below ground at the downhill side, partly to provide a “basement area.” The basement will contain sleeping/office rooms facing the valley, making good use of the valley side and allowing access to the terrace from the office. However, the "main terrace" will be the balcony on the ground floor.
The ground floor will be accessed at street level and will feature a large balcony on the valley side adjacent to the living area. It is still undecided whether the balcony will span the full or just half of the house frontage.
There is a path along the west side of the plot, but it only leads to an unused meadow behind the property.
The roof will likely be a 20-degree (7°) gable roof with an attic used as storage space. Currently, we are unsure if the floor plan provides enough windows and thus sufficient natural light in the living and dining area.
We would also like to use the walk-in closet more effectively since the room has three doors and one window, resulting in significant loss of usable space. One possibility could be to combine the utility room and the basement storage and create access to the bathroom through the current utility room. Since the budget also restricts the total size, we would appreciate design tips.
We are currently in the early planning stages of our single-family home. Budget and financing are settled, and we have a preferred general contractor (GC) in sight. We have created a first draft of the floor plan with a friend who is an architect. As laypeople, we are quite satisfied with it at first glance, after making a few minor adjustments.
However, we remain open and grateful for further tips and advice.
Development Plan / Restrictions
Plot size: approx. 650 - 700m² (7000 - 7500 sq ft)
Slope: Yes. Sloping downhill towards the southwest – about 1.8m (6 feet) within the building envelope. Street access and utilities from the northeast.
Floor area ratio (FAR): unknown
Site coverage ratio (SCR): unknown
Building envelope, building line, and boundaries: No formal development plan. Orientation based on neighboring buildings.
Number of parking spaces: 2 parking spaces (in front / beside the house)
Orientation: Southwest
Homeowners’ Requirements
Basement, floors: 2 full stories - basement partially under the house.
Number of occupants: 2 adults – mid to late 30s
Space requirements for ground floor and basement: Total approx. 130m² (1400 sq ft) including basement rooms
Basement: Storage room, utility room (HAR), bedroom, walk-in closet, full bathroom, additional room
Ground floor: Living area, kitchen, guest room, guest WC, storage room, office (home office)
Open or closed layout: Open living-dining area; the rest mostly separated
Conservative or modern design: Rather modern
Open kitchen, kitchen island: Open kitchen; island optional
Number of dining seats: 6-8
Balcony, roof terrace: Attached balcony on the ground floor, small terrace in the basement
Garage, carport: Carport (to be added later)
House Design
Origin of the design: Friend who is an architect and also works with GCs.
Personal price limit for the house including fittings: approx. €400,000 (pure construction costs; additional costs like auxiliary costs, landscaping, kitchen, and balcony are not included)
Preferred heating technology: Heat pump including photovoltaics and possibly battery storage
Why is the design as it is now?
The architect developed the design based on the following key points:
- Sloping site
- Desire not to build a full basement
- Budget constraints
- Required rooms (see above)
Attached are the created floor plan, an overview of the plot, as well as a self-made side profile to illustrate the slope. Please don’t rely too precisely on the side profile – it’s only a rough estimate for me. The exact building envelope is not yet determined.
The plot has not been fully surveyed yet, hence the approximate size of 650-700m² (7000-7500 sq ft).
We want to build two full stories. Due to the slope, the basement will be partially below ground at the downhill side, partly to provide a “basement area.” The basement will contain sleeping/office rooms facing the valley, making good use of the valley side and allowing access to the terrace from the office. However, the "main terrace" will be the balcony on the ground floor.
The ground floor will be accessed at street level and will feature a large balcony on the valley side adjacent to the living area. It is still undecided whether the balcony will span the full or just half of the house frontage.
There is a path along the west side of the plot, but it only leads to an unused meadow behind the property.
The roof will likely be a 20-degree (7°) gable roof with an attic used as storage space. Currently, we are unsure if the floor plan provides enough windows and thus sufficient natural light in the living and dining area.
We would also like to use the walk-in closet more effectively since the room has three doors and one window, resulting in significant loss of usable space. One possibility could be to combine the utility room and the basement storage and create access to the bathroom through the current utility room. Since the budget also restricts the total size, we would appreciate design tips.
H
hanghaus202324 Oct 2025 11:2911ant schrieb:
It was your comment about setting the house closer to the street that made me pause. Unfortunately, @Kaichunga didn’t respond to that, at least.
K a t j a schrieb:
So for you, the view is more important than direct garden access? That’s a common mistake when building on a slope. Every homeowner I know with this problem regrets their decision and is frustrated by the consequences. We have been fortunate to live in the beautiful Neckar Valley for eight years. When I look outside, I see the river, the road winding along it, and in the distance a small village standing out with its white church tower against the wooded hillside. The view I once enjoyed daily, I now experience at most about once a week. It has simply become normal to me. I find myself annoyed almost every day by the many steps on the slope (especially when carrying crates of drinks).
Plan according to the principle “form follows function!” — which doesn’t mean you shouldn’t take advantage of the beautiful view. I would just put the practical aspects first.
roteweste schrieb:
Form follows functionWe live on a flat plain with a view of the cathedral spire (the rest of the cathedral is hidden in the mature oak trees). We have the perfect view from the bathroom 🙂On the terrace, I’m either busy with something or reading a book.
K
Kaichunga28 Oct 2025 19:35Thank you for your feedback; I truly appreciate it and take it to heart. More eyes on the project always help.
So far, this is just an initial draft of the floor plan. We are still quite early in the planning process.
We have considered the feedback and have already made some adjustments (cloakroom area; direct access to the kitchen; location of the storage room; west-facing window in the living area). I’ve attached my updated ground floor sketch (I don’t yet have the architect’s draft) – any feedback is welcome.
I’m a bit concerned that some see having the living area in the basement as an advantage. In our case, the basement would be considerably darker due to its location. It’s fine for the full bathroom and bedroom to be darker, but I really prefer a bright kitchen and living area, and I find it hard to imagine those spaces in the basement.
I don’t have a detailed elevation plan yet. For my sketch, I initially aligned with the neighboring houses, which according to measurements on the geoportal are about 5.5 m (18 feet) from the street. However, the exact positioning of the house is still open, and it’s unlikely to be just 3 m (10 feet).
It’s just a preliminary draft. The red wall is the hillside basement wall. I don’t care what color it is or if it’s pink patterned at this stage. Thanks for pointing out those other plans, they are very interesting.
I understand the concern about the living area. But we have to weigh the options, and for us, it seems more practical day-to-day to have the living area on the street-level floor. It would certainly be different if the access were from the west or south.
The concern about darkness in the basement is absolutely understandable. We will probably design it so that the terrace doesn’t fully run in front of the office, and add a small west-facing window there to ensure enough daylight.
The bedroom can be darker, and it naturally has a great overhang for a small terrace in the basement.
Actually, yes. We spend 90% of our time at home inside or on the terrace. For the other 10% on the "green lawn," we feel comfortable managing the steps from the terrace down to the garden 🙂
I believe people generally spend most of their outdoor time on the paved terrace anyway.
Of course, the ideal would be to have everything on one level, but that’s not possible here. So we have to decide what’s more important to us. The option to have the living area level with the access seems more practical for daily life.
I understand your point, but it sounds somewhat dramatized.
But that’s exactly why we want the living area on the ground floor – so we don’t have to carry everything up and down stairs. That would be the case if the living area were in the basement.
So far, this is just an initial draft of the floor plan. We are still quite early in the planning process.
We have considered the feedback and have already made some adjustments (cloakroom area; direct access to the kitchen; location of the storage room; west-facing window in the living area). I’ve attached my updated ground floor sketch (I don’t yet have the architect’s draft) – any feedback is welcome.
I’m a bit concerned that some see having the living area in the basement as an advantage. In our case, the basement would be considerably darker due to its location. It’s fine for the full bathroom and bedroom to be darker, but I really prefer a bright kitchen and living area, and I find it hard to imagine those spaces in the basement.
hanghaus2023 schrieb:
In my opinion, the building plot extends further toward the street.
There is a 3 m (10 feet) setback required. I believe that makes more sense.
The upper floor should be slightly higher than the street level.
Is there an elevation plan?
I don’t have a detailed elevation plan yet. For my sketch, I initially aligned with the neighboring houses, which according to measurements on the geoportal are about 5.5 m (18 feet) from the street. However, the exact positioning of the house is still open, and it’s unlikely to be just 3 m (10 feet).
11ant schrieb:
I had to look twice to realize this is a new build: what do the red-colored walls in the basement represent, if the color does not indicate an extension?
I find it concerning that more and more architects skip the preliminary draft and start immediately with a design. You should choose one who studied the profession before the Pisa rankings.
I would question placing the living area on the (here uphill side) street level: as a result, the terrace connected to the living area becomes a balcony, meaning the area outside the office remains in the dark. @JayneCobb has a somewhat better solution, but I recommend looking at @kati1337's planning www.hausbau-forum.de/threads/hanghaus-in-der-suedwestpfalz-unser-hausbau-2-0.44121 to see how the basement living area is handled there.
It’s just a preliminary draft. The red wall is the hillside basement wall. I don’t care what color it is or if it’s pink patterned at this stage. Thanks for pointing out those other plans, they are very interesting.
I understand the concern about the living area. But we have to weigh the options, and for us, it seems more practical day-to-day to have the living area on the street-level floor. It would certainly be different if the access were from the west or south.
The concern about darkness in the basement is absolutely understandable. We will probably design it so that the terrace doesn’t fully run in front of the office, and add a small west-facing window there to ensure enough daylight.
The bedroom can be darker, and it naturally has a great overhang for a small terrace in the basement.
K a t j a schrieb:
So the view is more important to you than garden access? That’s a common mistake on sloped sites. Every homeowner I know with this issue regrets that choice and is frustrated by the consequences. A homeowner is not like a high-rise resident who has no other option but to look out over the city. A terrace – no matter how big – cannot replace stepping out into the garden. Plus, it darkens the basement and turns it into a cave.
Actually, yes. We spend 90% of our time at home inside or on the terrace. For the other 10% on the "green lawn," we feel comfortable managing the steps from the terrace down to the garden 🙂
I believe people generally spend most of their outdoor time on the paved terrace anyway.
Of course, the ideal would be to have everything on one level, but that’s not possible here. So we have to decide what’s more important to us. The option to have the living area level with the access seems more practical for daily life.
I understand your point, but it sounds somewhat dramatized.
roteweste schrieb:
We are lucky to have lived for eight years in the beautiful Neckar Valley. When I look outside, I see the river, the road winding along it, and on the horizon a small village with its white church tower standing out against the forested hills. The view I once enjoyed daily is now something I perhaps see once a week at most. It has simply become normal. I now almost daily get annoyed by the many steps on the slope (especially when carrying crates of drinks).
Plan by the motto “Form follows function!” – which doesn’t mean you must ignore the beautiful view. I would just prioritize the practical aspects.
But that’s exactly why we want the living area on the ground floor – so we don’t have to carry everything up and down stairs. That would be the case if the living area were in the basement.
Kaichunga schrieb:
I think most of the time you spend outside anyway is on the paved patio. Well, some people actually don’t really need a garden, it seems. The distance from the kitchen to the garden is so far that you probably never end up going outside.
If I were you, I would at least have empty conduits installed for water and wastewater as well as enough electricity to the office. Then it won’t be so difficult to convert it into a kitchen if you eventually decide to do so.
Kaichunga schrieb:
We have been thinking about the feedback That’s good. Ultimately, you are building your house, not ours or someone else’s.
Kaichunga schrieb:
Of course, having everything on one level would be ideal, but it just doesn’t work here. No, why? Nobody here has demanded or claimed that. Many people have valid reasons to reject a bungalow for themselves.
Basically, you design the house to fit the plot, and a sloped lot is less suited for a bungalow or a small urban plot. Conversely, a narrow tower-style house fits less well on a flat, large plot.
However, from this sentence I read your original wish, your desire, to have “everything on one level.” And your thinking is consistent: to live on the level where the entrance is. But now you have this sloped lot, which pushes you towards having two levels.
Kaichunga schrieb:
90% of our daily life takes place inside the house or on the terrace. And for the remaining 10% on the "green lawn," we feel confident enough to manage the stairs from the terrace down to the garden 🙂 May I ask how you are currently living? Apartment with a balcony?
In fact, it’s more than 10% from spring to fall, and during summer months I myself cross many times a day from the kitchen to the terrace and the garden, even though I don’t have children or much to care for. My husband does the same. And we haven’t grown any fruits or vegetables for three years now.
In winter, there’s still quite a bit to do.
It may be that you find grass unpleasant, and nature isn’t everyone’s thing, but then you probably wouldn’t buy a plot of land—maybe at most a townhouse with a small garden, or more likely a condominium with a large balcony. After all, you paid a lot for your garden and plot, so you will take care of mowing, keeping it looking decent, controlling unwanted pests, and picking up blossoms and debris. In the beginning, especially the first 3 years, you will have to water, tend plants, and check every day.
Kaichunga schrieb:
I think people mostly spend time outside on the paved terrace anyway. No, as mentioned: maybe in the evening with friends or for breakfast, so meals. But otherwise usually at the outer edge, to enjoy the view of your beautiful house from a distance, sitting by the fire, or in the evening before sunset. Sports with a partner, badminton, bocce, or yoga alone.
Keep in mind that because of the slope, the length of the staircase doubles.
K a t j a schrieb:
If I were you, I would at least install empty conduit pipes for water and wastewater as well as sufficient electricity to the office. I would definitely take Katja’s advice. If you know what can be done in the garden, a kitchen and an accessible refrigerator can be very valuable. And honestly? If you get older or ill later on, you will be living in the basement level, not the ground floor. Because once you have fewer options and going out becomes more of a duty, you would rather stay on solid ground and avoid the height. But you still have about 20 good years before that time comes (or so).
Regarding the modified design: worse. I see almost only bottlenecks or tight spots. The kitchen was already awkward before and it’s even more distorted now. Also, the office/guest room is quite cramped, which the house doesn’t really need.
I think this almost square footprint is wrong for a slope. The floor plan, that two-story house shown, is not really a proposal for a hillside. It can be done better, and your architect should be able to manage that.
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