2. Escape route for semi-detached house - requirements

2nd emergency exit (RW) should have actually been the (bathroom) window above the front door. But the architect missed that, as it does not have the required height, and even without a mullion it would not comply with regulations.

For us, it is now the French door on the far left on the 1st floor, which leads directly to the garage, and whether you jump into the garden or the driveway doesn't really matter.
From the 2nd floor you could also get out onto the roof with a ladder.
During construction, the window installer said the local volunteer fire department doesn’t even have an aerial ladder truck, and by the time one arrives from the neighboring town, you’d already be dead anyway, so a dormer (which wouldn’t be permitted on our 2nd floor anyway) would be useless for rescue.

By the way, NRW.

Every floor with at least 2 habitable rooms must have a second escape route. According to the State Building Code BW.

Thanks ! Yes, we understood that too. Although, the part about "at least 2 habitable rooms" is new to me. That would mean, in the attic studio (=a single large room), we don't need a second escape route at all?! Which in turn would solve the problem with the window above the garage. I can hardly believe it.

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For us, it is now the window door on the far left on the 1st floor, which leads directly to the garage, and whether you then jump into the garden or the driveway doesn't matter.

Nice house!

Yes, that’s how I would understand it with common sense. But our provider says that a 3x3m "ladder area" must be planned and it has to be in front of (that is, directly below) the emergency escape window.

Quote LBOAVO BW:
"(1) Buildings whose second means of escape is via firefighting rescue equipment may only be constructed if access or entrance and suitable set-up areas for the required rescue equipment are provided. If the use of aerial rescue vehicles is necessary for rescuing people, the necessary set-up and maneuvering areas must be provided."

Just ask the local fire chief what kind of vehicles/equipment they have and how they see it... that's usually more useful.

I am not sure that the assembly areas have anything to do with the second escape route. We have fire department clear spaces in front of the building complex. However, from there you can never reach our house. We are built in such a way that there is nowhere for a fire truck to park. (sollte ich mir jetzt Sorgen machen? )

So for our second escape route in the basement, you can only flee on foot, the path is one meter wide. Heavy equipment definitely cannot get through there.