ᐅ Two-story single-family house without a basement, with an outbuilding and driveway on the south side
Created on: 12 Jan 2025 21:11
L
leinoel
Hello! Happy New Year to you all!
My husband and I recently purchased a plot of land and are currently busy planning how our house should look. I have already read several forum posts and have been able to take away a few tips – many thanks for that!
We are now gathering initial quotes to roughly estimate whether our current plans are completely off, within budget, or if we might even be able to plan a bit more generously. We aimed for a compact design but still allowed for a bit of luxury – at least on paper. We would appreciate feedback on our plan – both positive and negative comments are very welcome.
Development Plan / Restrictions
Plot size: 1000m2 (10,764 sq ft)
Slope: no, flat plot
Site coverage ratio: no restrictions
Floor area ratio: no restrictions
Building envelope, building line, and boundary: street side 3–5 m (10–16 ft), 3 m (10 ft) on both left and right sides, rear building boundary about 30 m (98 ft) – so plenty of space
Edge development – what does this mean? Open construction method is required; neighbors are at least 3 m (10 ft) from the property boundary
Number of parking spaces: 2 cars
Number of storeys: no requirements; we want 2 above-ground storeys but no basement (due to high groundwater level)
Roof type: pitched roof is mandatory; our idea is shown in the elevations (maximum roof area facing south for photovoltaic panels). Whether this makes sense cost-wise will depend on the quotes. Otherwise, it will be a traditional gable roof with the ridge running parallel to the street
Architectural style: Bauhaus or modern country house style (we like the combination of plaster and wood)
Orientation: garden to the northeast, street to the southwest
Maximum heights/limits: maximum building height at the building line 7 m (23 ft), maximum ridge height 8.5 m (28 ft)
Additional requirements
Homeowners’ Requirements
Architectural style, roof shape, building type: modern country house style, pitched roof, two storeys without basement
Basement, storeys: no basement, 2 storeys
Number of occupants, ages: 4 people, 37 years, 33 years, 4 years, 1 year
Space requirements on ground floor and upper floor: Ground floor: living-dining-kitchen area, home office/guest room, bathroom, utility room, cloakroom; Upper floor: 3 bedrooms, bathroom, laundry/storage room
Office use: family use or home office? Home office twice a week, sleeping accommodation for parents-in-law
Guest stays per year: 3–4 weeks
Open or closed layout: living areas on the ground floor open but preferably with the option to install a sliding door later when the children are older and visitors come, in order to have some privacy
Conservative or modern construction: open to both
Open kitchen, kitchen island: absolutely open to the dining room; a kitchen island would be my wish but takes a lot of space ... might end up as a peninsula instead
Number of dining seats: 4 people, but should have space for up to 15 people for events like Christmas or birthdays – it’s fine if an additional large table is placed in the living room and the sofa moved temporarily
Fireplace: YES
Music/stereo wall: not a must
Balcony, roof terrace: no
Garage, carport: yes, carport in the front building setback; behind that, a garage as a basement substitute room plus a room for a sauna (alternatively, placing the sauna inside the main building is also fine, but we didn’t manage that in our planning; the sauna should measure at least 2 m x 2 m (6.5 ft x 6.5 ft))
Utility garden, greenhouse: no greenhouse, but a few fruit trees are already on the plot; we want to add native perennials and small vegetable beds to be cultivated with the children
Further wishes/special features/daily routine, also reasons for why certain things should or should not be included: we want at least one living room to have a view of the garden – so to the north. Therefore, the living rooms are arranged in an L-shape. The other two living rooms should face the street (south). This street has very little traffic and currently a nice undeveloped view (it is farmed). The toilet on the upper floor should be a separate room. Maximizing afternoon sunlight in the living rooms would be desirable (appropriate sun protection for the hot period is planned).
House Design
Who designed the plan:
- Do-it-Yourself
What do you particularly like? Why? I especially like our plot because it is so quiet, and we are already looking forward to sleeping with open windows in summer. I like the – compared to our current home – large bathroom where, hopefully, people won’t bump into each other brushing their teeth and where there is still space for a laundry hamper. The kitchen next to the dining area is also very important to us. We don’t have that now, and it can be a challenge with the children.
What do you not like? Why? The entrance area – I’m not sure whether there will be enough space for our clothes. Also, perhaps it would be practical to have a direct connection from the garage into the house. I also worry that the long corridor between the buildings might be too dark.
Price estimate according to architect/planner: we are currently waiting for this
Personal price limit for the house, including fittings: €600,000 (about 600,000), but we would prefer to target €500,000 (about 500,000)
Preferred heating technology: geothermal (deep drilling or horizontal collector)
If you have to give up on details/extensions
- can you do without: lift-and-slide door (a hinged door is also fine), straight staircase, kitchen island, staircase from living room to upper floor
- cannot do without: guest room, garden view from at least one living room, bathroom on the ground floor, separate toilet on the upper floor
Why is the design the way it is?
We conducted a needs analysis and arranged the rooms according to cardinal directions (lighting is important to me — it will also be important later). After many pencil sketches and moving paper furniture around, this design finally emerged. This is the first one I haven’t completely reworked after just a few days. Let’s see if it stays that way 😀
My husband and I recently purchased a plot of land and are currently busy planning how our house should look. I have already read several forum posts and have been able to take away a few tips – many thanks for that!
We are now gathering initial quotes to roughly estimate whether our current plans are completely off, within budget, or if we might even be able to plan a bit more generously. We aimed for a compact design but still allowed for a bit of luxury – at least on paper. We would appreciate feedback on our plan – both positive and negative comments are very welcome.
Development Plan / Restrictions
Plot size: 1000m2 (10,764 sq ft)
Slope: no, flat plot
Site coverage ratio: no restrictions
Floor area ratio: no restrictions
Building envelope, building line, and boundary: street side 3–5 m (10–16 ft), 3 m (10 ft) on both left and right sides, rear building boundary about 30 m (98 ft) – so plenty of space
Edge development – what does this mean? Open construction method is required; neighbors are at least 3 m (10 ft) from the property boundary
Number of parking spaces: 2 cars
Number of storeys: no requirements; we want 2 above-ground storeys but no basement (due to high groundwater level)
Roof type: pitched roof is mandatory; our idea is shown in the elevations (maximum roof area facing south for photovoltaic panels). Whether this makes sense cost-wise will depend on the quotes. Otherwise, it will be a traditional gable roof with the ridge running parallel to the street
Architectural style: Bauhaus or modern country house style (we like the combination of plaster and wood)
Orientation: garden to the northeast, street to the southwest
Maximum heights/limits: maximum building height at the building line 7 m (23 ft), maximum ridge height 8.5 m (28 ft)
Additional requirements
Homeowners’ Requirements
Architectural style, roof shape, building type: modern country house style, pitched roof, two storeys without basement
Basement, storeys: no basement, 2 storeys
Number of occupants, ages: 4 people, 37 years, 33 years, 4 years, 1 year
Space requirements on ground floor and upper floor: Ground floor: living-dining-kitchen area, home office/guest room, bathroom, utility room, cloakroom; Upper floor: 3 bedrooms, bathroom, laundry/storage room
Office use: family use or home office? Home office twice a week, sleeping accommodation for parents-in-law
Guest stays per year: 3–4 weeks
Open or closed layout: living areas on the ground floor open but preferably with the option to install a sliding door later when the children are older and visitors come, in order to have some privacy
Conservative or modern construction: open to both
Open kitchen, kitchen island: absolutely open to the dining room; a kitchen island would be my wish but takes a lot of space ... might end up as a peninsula instead
Number of dining seats: 4 people, but should have space for up to 15 people for events like Christmas or birthdays – it’s fine if an additional large table is placed in the living room and the sofa moved temporarily
Fireplace: YES
Music/stereo wall: not a must
Balcony, roof terrace: no
Garage, carport: yes, carport in the front building setback; behind that, a garage as a basement substitute room plus a room for a sauna (alternatively, placing the sauna inside the main building is also fine, but we didn’t manage that in our planning; the sauna should measure at least 2 m x 2 m (6.5 ft x 6.5 ft))
Utility garden, greenhouse: no greenhouse, but a few fruit trees are already on the plot; we want to add native perennials and small vegetable beds to be cultivated with the children
Further wishes/special features/daily routine, also reasons for why certain things should or should not be included: we want at least one living room to have a view of the garden – so to the north. Therefore, the living rooms are arranged in an L-shape. The other two living rooms should face the street (south). This street has very little traffic and currently a nice undeveloped view (it is farmed). The toilet on the upper floor should be a separate room. Maximizing afternoon sunlight in the living rooms would be desirable (appropriate sun protection for the hot period is planned).
House Design
Who designed the plan:
- Do-it-Yourself
What do you particularly like? Why? I especially like our plot because it is so quiet, and we are already looking forward to sleeping with open windows in summer. I like the – compared to our current home – large bathroom where, hopefully, people won’t bump into each other brushing their teeth and where there is still space for a laundry hamper. The kitchen next to the dining area is also very important to us. We don’t have that now, and it can be a challenge with the children.
What do you not like? Why? The entrance area – I’m not sure whether there will be enough space for our clothes. Also, perhaps it would be practical to have a direct connection from the garage into the house. I also worry that the long corridor between the buildings might be too dark.
Price estimate according to architect/planner: we are currently waiting for this
Personal price limit for the house, including fittings: €600,000 (about 600,000), but we would prefer to target €500,000 (about 500,000)
Preferred heating technology: geothermal (deep drilling or horizontal collector)
If you have to give up on details/extensions
- can you do without: lift-and-slide door (a hinged door is also fine), straight staircase, kitchen island, staircase from living room to upper floor
- cannot do without: guest room, garden view from at least one living room, bathroom on the ground floor, separate toilet on the upper floor
Why is the design the way it is?
We conducted a needs analysis and arranged the rooms according to cardinal directions (lighting is important to me — it will also be important later). After many pencil sketches and moving paper furniture around, this design finally emerged. This is the first one I haven’t completely reworked after just a few days. Let’s see if it stays that way 😀
M
motorradsilke13 Jan 2025 20:07Arauki11 schrieb:
We would never give up our fireplace; its regular use for heating was even a key factor in our building project.
Combined with a technically slow-responding underfloor heating system, I think it should be evaluated individually whether this works for me. For me, it was always much too warm, and I sometimes had to basically cool down the space to avoid overheating.
Basically, though (without underfloor heating), my recommendation would always be: Go for a fireplace! Maybe I’m mistaken or can only speak from my own experience with underfloor heating. Especially with a slow-responding underfloor heating system, I find a fireplace very useful and great. We have it like this, and I wouldn’t want to miss it. The underfloor heating is set to 21°C (70°F), which is perfect for us during the day when we move around more or are not at home. But in the evening, it feels too cold for us. That’s when the fireplace comes in, raising the temperature to around 24/25°C (75/77°F). That is perfect for us.
leinoel schrieb:
The federal state would be Lower Austria, but only OE was available as a choice The last time I was there was repeatedly in Sopron, my mother’s former hometown. Vienna is now our preferred airport.
motorradsilke schrieb:
Especially with slow-responding underfloor heating, I find a fireplace practical and great. That’s how we have it, and I wouldn’t want to do without it. The underfloor heating is set to 21 degrees Celsius (70°F), which is perfect for us during the day when we are active or not at home. But in the evening, it feels too cold for us. That’s when we use the fireplace, raising the temperature to around 24/25 degrees Celsius (75/77°F). That is perfect for us. Okay, I understand that there are different perceptions on this. I can only speak from my own experience, although I must say that every type of heating has its advantages and disadvantages.
For me recently, the temperature during the day was normal (perhaps around 21 degrees Celsius (70°F) or so), and whenever an additional heat source appeared (for example, sunlight), I had to open the window; a fireplace would have raised the already normal temperature by at least 1-2 degrees Celsius (2-4°F), which would have been too much for me, as I don’t like “too much” heat.
Maybe it’s also the case that my activity level doesn’t vary much between day and evening, so it doesn’t make a difference for me. But it’s definitely good that the original poster can consider different viewpoints and sensitivities and explore them further.
leinoel schrieb:
The federal state would be Lower Austria, but only OE was available as an option Yes, but then you mention this in the opening post, so that the German rules are not applied. Then forum members can adjust their expectations. You are not exactly unusual, but different laws do apply. I will get back to that.
leinoel schrieb:
therefore only very small, basically as an emergency shower If you want a shower there later and even lay pipes now, it should actually work later—meaning it should be sized so that someone about 1.40 meters (4 ft 7 in) tall or taller can shower comfortably. It doesn’t help to confuse “emergency” with “micro” for the shower. On 180cm (71 inches), you can just squeeze in a toilet and shower each at 90cm (35 inches), which fortunately is still doable.
leinoel schrieb:
The sauna apparently depends on the municipality’s interpretation—however, a bathroom is explicitly listed in our building regulations as an allowed room use in an outbuilding, since it’s not a living space. But this varies in each federal state. No, it is not a matter of interpretation. Even if it is not a living space for you, an auxiliary building with a combustion unit/fireplace/fire pit cannot be placed directly on the property boundary. See the Lower Austria Building Code.
leinoel schrieb:
I read through the building regulations again; in our case, only a maximum footprint of 100m2 (1,076 sq ft) and a building height of 3m (10 ft) apply for the outbuilding— I would double-check that. Have you read the general Lower Austria Building Code, the garage regulations, fire protection rules, neighbor law, or whatever else applies? As mentioned before, sensible laws tend to be similar across the regions.
I don’t really care where you put your sauna, but if you are planning your house, you should be able to apply the relevant laws.
leinoel schrieb:
Their technical room was even smaller than 5m2 (54 sq ft) and they still managed to fit a washing machine and freezer in there. What kind of heating do they use? Or is the technical room not actually the utility room in your case? Are you trying to set a record for the smallest possible utility room? It’s really not great to have such a tiny room where you can’t even sort laundry. Plus you want to fit your wardrobe in there. 5m2 (54 sq ft) is about half the optimal minimum size. It’s possible to get by somehow, but most people would probably prefer 5m2 (54 sq ft) for a hallway and 20m2 (215 sq ft) for a good-sized utility room, so you have space for tools, drinks, and cleaning supplies.
leinoel schrieb:
A new stairway changes everything. Yes, that would often indeed be better.
T
Teimo198814 Jan 2025 07:58leinoel schrieb:
How did you set up your sauna? Do you also use it in winter? How close to the terrace should it be? Could you maybe suggest where you would place it? With more information, I’m sure I can convince my husband, as I personally like the idea better. Otherwise, so much of the garden remains unused, which would be a shame. We have the barrel sauna you mentioned. We use the sauna from October through April/May on average twice a week during that period.
We used to go to public saunas often, but with small children, having a sauna at home is basically the only option if you want to sauna regularly and together. Our sauna is, as I said, attached to the terrace. Normally, after saunaing, we relax on the terrace first, then enter the living room through the terrace door. From our terrace, you can also access the guest room and the master bedroom (three terrace doors), so we are flexible if things change as the kids grow.
I don’t really know how you could implement this concretely. I just wanted to suggest that I would wait with the sauna until the house is built and approach it alongside garden planning. That way, you might have a better sense of where it makes the most sense. Maybe there’s a spot on your property with a nice view or something similar...
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