I actually don’t want a basement, as the planned house already provides more than enough space. However, I don’t want to waste any space on the ground floor for the building services; a utility room is fine, but not the heating system, ventilation unit, etc. ... the technical box basically offers exactly what I’m looking for.
Such a "technical box" has an unfavorable ratio between the enclosing walls and the interior volume, and the required excavation work involves a certain effort that is not significantly reduced by the small volume. I recently spoke with several manufacturers of these mini basements to explore the idea of basement space under a carport instead of the house. They all told me that it is not cost-effective. Their typical customers are in major cities like Stuttgart and Munich, where land prices encourage cutting costs on every square meter of the building footprint. You cannot reduce costs enough compared to larger partial basements for it to be worthwhile. It only makes sense if you want to avoid even the smallest above-ground "basement" room, or when dealing with rocky ground where every square meter of excavation must be minimized.
If you build with Huf: they have a basement subsidiary called "Ideal." You will find enough expertise there to value their opinion on this matter. In such a case, I would probably consider placing something behind the carport. There are also offerings of pre-made room modules for this purpose; several small cellar manufacturers also produce transformer stations or similar structures, and such solutions can also be found from prefabricated garage suppliers.
https://www.instagram.com/11antgmxde/
https://www.linkedin.com/company/bauen-jetzt/
If you build with Huf: they have a basement subsidiary called "Ideal." You will find enough expertise there to value their opinion on this matter. In such a case, I would probably consider placing something behind the carport. There are also offerings of pre-made room modules for this purpose; several small cellar manufacturers also produce transformer stations or similar structures, and such solutions can also be found from prefabricated garage suppliers.
https://www.instagram.com/11antgmxde/
https://www.linkedin.com/company/bauen-jetzt/
Thank you for the quick response. I just need to run the calculations again.
If I decide to go with the basement, there will be additional costs for a half flight of stairs, partial finishing, underfloor heating, and so on. And the partial finishing still doesn’t result in a proper living basement. Logically, it means having future reserves, but the current expenses are significant, especially since it’s uncertain if those reserves will ever be needed.
A slab foundation, including excavation, will cost between €20,000 and €30,000, while the offered system basement from Knecht company as a waterproof concrete shell costs just over €70,000.
At this point, a “nice” laundry room plus space for the heating system and all the house technology will cost me nearly €100,000.
If, in the worst case, the slab foundation with the technical box were only €10,000 cheaper, so around €60,000, the budget savings increase by €40,000, allowing for extras like hardwood flooring, a fireplace, or a better kitchen. The house already offers nearly 180 sqm (1,937 sq ft) of living space. Why add 100 sqm (1,076 sq ft) of basement? Not only would it need heating, but also cleaning.
I look forward to more suggestions and thoughts. Thank you in advance.
If I decide to go with the basement, there will be additional costs for a half flight of stairs, partial finishing, underfloor heating, and so on. And the partial finishing still doesn’t result in a proper living basement. Logically, it means having future reserves, but the current expenses are significant, especially since it’s uncertain if those reserves will ever be needed.
A slab foundation, including excavation, will cost between €20,000 and €30,000, while the offered system basement from Knecht company as a waterproof concrete shell costs just over €70,000.
At this point, a “nice” laundry room plus space for the heating system and all the house technology will cost me nearly €100,000.
If, in the worst case, the slab foundation with the technical box were only €10,000 cheaper, so around €60,000, the budget savings increase by €40,000, allowing for extras like hardwood flooring, a fireplace, or a better kitchen. The house already offers nearly 180 sqm (1,937 sq ft) of living space. Why add 100 sqm (1,076 sq ft) of basement? Not only would it need heating, but also cleaning.
I look forward to more suggestions and thoughts. Thank you in advance.
Underfloor heating is not directly related to having a basement; in fact, the opposite can be true: I lived in a house with a partial basement, and the non-basement rooms felt colder at floor level. Insulation plays a significant role in this.
Underfloor heating is more a matter of preference: it allows for warmer floors at the same room temperature (or rather: less cold floors, since the floor will never be heated as much as a radiator), which is why it is popular among people who like to wear slippers or socks indoors. Women tend to prefer underfloor heating, and it is also appreciated by allergy sufferers (and hypochondriacs), as it creates less dry air.
When reselling an upscale single-family home in twenty years, radiators will reduce its value just like night storage heaters do today. People no longer buy a Mercedes E-Class or a BMW 5 Series with manual crank windows these days.
For 100 sqm (excl. garage) on flat terrain, I wouldn’t fully basement the house unless there is a strong desire for a large wellness area. What is the plan for parking the cars? A double garage usually provides just the right amount of space, and with a typically almost square floor plan, this offers a favorable ratio of perimeter to area.
https://www.instagram.com/11antgmxde/
https://www.linkedin.com/company/bauen-jetzt/
Underfloor heating is more a matter of preference: it allows for warmer floors at the same room temperature (or rather: less cold floors, since the floor will never be heated as much as a radiator), which is why it is popular among people who like to wear slippers or socks indoors. Women tend to prefer underfloor heating, and it is also appreciated by allergy sufferers (and hypochondriacs), as it creates less dry air.
When reselling an upscale single-family home in twenty years, radiators will reduce its value just like night storage heaters do today. People no longer buy a Mercedes E-Class or a BMW 5 Series with manual crank windows these days.
For 100 sqm (excl. garage) on flat terrain, I wouldn’t fully basement the house unless there is a strong desire for a large wellness area. What is the plan for parking the cars? A double garage usually provides just the right amount of space, and with a typically almost square floor plan, this offers a favorable ratio of perimeter to area.
https://www.instagram.com/11antgmxde/
https://www.linkedin.com/company/bauen-jetzt/
A double garage is planned, approximately 6.5m x 6.5m (21 ft x 21 ft). So far, strip foundations are planned here.
Ideally, I would also like the garage to have a basement, as it is located 80cm (31.5 inches) away from the house and its rear wall borders the terrace. I know that in Schleswig-Holstein the garage is allowed to be outside the building permit area, but I’m not sure how that affects having a basement.
The site is flat, and I don’t need a wellness area in the basement.
Ideally, I would also like the garage to have a basement, as it is located 80cm (31.5 inches) away from the house and its rear wall borders the terrace. I know that in Schleswig-Holstein the garage is allowed to be outside the building permit area, but I’m not sure how that affects having a basement.
The site is flat, and I don’t need a wellness area in the basement.
HufModum schrieb:
I know that in Schleswig-Holstein the garage can be built outside the building boundary, but I’m not sure how this applies to having a basement.As far as I know, there is no objection to basements for outbuildings (if built on the property boundary, care must of course be taken not to endanger the neighbor’s structure with the underground work); typical restrictions usually apply more to the above-ground height (for example, 3m (10 feet) from where the building footprint meets the ground).
https://www.instagram.com/11antgmxde/
https://www.linkedin.com/company/bauen-jetzt/
Similar topics