Basement living versus more living space on the ground floor

yes, small stumbling blocks always become tricky at some point. It’s just annoying when the nursing service can’t properly access the shower and the kitchen is only accessible by maneuvering back and forth three times. Using a compass works pretty well to get the 1.5 m turning area. I think the space needed around the bed should not be underestimated. I see with my parents how something spacious becomes a bit small.

If you build without a basement, you have to support the house in some way. Wall, stilts, etc. Just like did. However, he didn’t necessarily focus on the cost. His emphasis was more on, this is how I want it.

With such a difference in height, the cheapest solution is always to reduce the footprint and put rooms in the basement. Reducing works only to a limited extent in your case. I find the solution as you have drawn it quite good. Everyday life upstairs, everything else downstairs. I would plan a niche upstairs for the washing machine and dryer. Carrying the laundry basket downstairs can become tedious.

I had considered, regarding the possibly necessary movement space in the bedroom, planning the door so that the beds could be separated and thereby have double the movement space in the middle; I need to think that over again. On the other hand, in this case, the bedroom could also be swapped with the TV room. Also, the table in the eat-in kitchen could then be placed differently.

But how did the "non-basement builders" put up the house then? On stilts?

Well, no one here uses stilts. The mountain side was dug out here to make it level, and the depth of the houses is small so that there is no significant height difference. However, for most people the house entrance can only be reached by many steps, which is of course not age-appropriate.

Ok, some thoughts are clearing up. I can also relate to many thoughts (I myself am in my mid-50s, my husband in his mid-60s). Besides, I personally want sun in the house and open living…

I am researching endlessly, but it is impossible to get usable prices for a basement anywhere. There is talk of 1000 to 2500€/sqm or 400€ more than the floor slab etc.

The price range, or what you can read everywhere from/to, in my opinion is due to some a) including earthworks in the price or b) the difference to the floor slab. Or c) most basement calculations only refer to flat land. A pure basement with typical basement windows and with a concrete floor outside the thermal envelope is of course cheaper than a tiled utility basement where a lifting station is installed. The living basement, which in my opinion is suitable for a slope (I almost always recommend viewing the basement as a habitable lower ground floor and to save costs by not converting the roof), essentially replaces the attic and moves the living spaces in the house down. You cannot theoretically view it as such because many different costs cancel each other out.
A partial basement is not worth it for many because you can only generate a little more space for a relatively small amount of money. However, I can very well understand your thinking, because if you have 15,000 left over for space you don’t need anyway, then I as a couple would also prefer to save the 15,000 or invest it in higher quality fittings.
D) Some calculate half of the residential construction costs flat rate for the basement etc., since the expansion is omitted and it is assumed (flat rate) that the interior finishing accounts for half.

Your design (I’ll say this right away: I don’t find it very good because I find the bedroom unsuitable even for young people, far too cramped, full of useless corners and thus harakiri for toes, feet, shuffling gait, and not at all suitable for a wheelchair or the like. You would have to be able to park it somewhere in the bed area, and I don’t see that at all. The bedroom should be as rectangular as possible and the closet quickly and conveniently accessible from the door, there should be space all around the bed. Also, I adhere to the principle that the main bathroom should not be planned opposite the corridor, at least not near the visible entrance door.)

So… your design looks expensive from the outside at first glance. The idea of bringing sun and light through a shed roof is basically always sensible, only here it’s not thought through at all: you get the sun through the south side into the house! The shed roof would have to be offset so that the third central gable is above the northern rooms so that the living room gets light there as well. The living room should of course get enough light with windows to the garden, to the north and west. Unfortunately, the house seems to turn completely away from the garden. Visual axes into the garden are missing.
So… when I think about my day’s work and everyday life, and also that of my nearly 80-year-old parents (the avid reader knows this), laundry and the storage of everyday items (tools, batteries, cleaning supplies) play a bigger role than the evening trip to the quiet zone.
In short: I don’t see a need here for a basement, no basement rooms nor a utility room that is accessible underground by an uncomfortable space-saving staircase, but a — don’t be alarmed — split level with separation of living and everyday business with the quiet/sleep area including bathroom with a short comfortable staircase connecting around 1.5 to 2 meters height difference in the house.
The same or similar stair level then also in the garden from the terrace to the north.
You can then roof that with an inexpensive pitched roof, which for example lets one or two rooms be open upwards. There you can also install one or two double casement windows for even more light for a special ambiance that costs little money.
Personally, I have had (almost) everything with my legs: broken toe, torn groin, foot surgery with three months of inactivity, currently knee bruise: it’s never bothered me to master the stairs in the evening. It just has to be convenient. Later, much later, something electric will be added anyway. But that will probably not be until I’m eighty…

Therefore, I advise you to think for a few days whether you want to get several half-baked compromises with your idea instead of only one small compromise if you slightly change the original bungalow concept.
Otherwise, I have to say unfortunately: the plot is not age-appropriate, but not impossible to live on in old age.

And how do you want to realize the entrance from the east? Will it be filled up until then?

What bothers me especially: You have to move from the bedroom past the kitchen, dining table, and entrance to get to the bathroom. I miss the privacy there. Especially if one has visitors and the other is bedridden or sick.

Carrying the laundry basket up and down such a steep staircase also poses a risk of accidents.

I agree with [USER=12491]@ypg, age-appropriate is different. It is all too tight and convoluted. I like the idea of the large, wide, comfortable staircase in split-level construction! You can probably use it for a very long time, and if not, a small lift will be installed.

Because otherwise I have to say: the property is not age-appropriate, but it is not impossible to live there in old age.

Would a new property be an option?

Ok, some thoughts are becoming clearer. I can also relate to many thoughts (I’m in my mid-50s, my husband in his mid-60s). Besides, I personally want sunlight inside the house and open living...

The price range, or what you can read everywhere from/to, is, in my opinion, due to some a) including earthworks in the price or b) the difference to the slab. Or c) most basement calculations only refer to a flat plot. A pure basement with typical basement windows and a concrete floor without thermal envelope is of course cheaper than a tiled utility basement with a lifting system. The living basement, which in my opinion is suitable for a slope (I almost always advise to rather consider the basement as a habitable lower ground floor and to save costs by not expanding the roof) almost replaces the attic and pulls the living spaces downwards in the house. You cannot theoretically regard this as such, because many different costs cancel each other out. A partial basement is not worthwhile for many, as you can generate only a little extra space for a guess amount of money. However, I can very well understand your thinking, because if you have 15,000 left over for space that you don’t even need, then as a couple the two of us would rather save the 15,000 or invest it in higher quality fittings. D) Some calculate half of the residential construction costs flat rate for the basement, etc., since the expansion is omitted and it is assumed (generally) that the interior finishing accounts for half.

Your design (I’ll take the liberty to say this in advance: I don’t find it very good because I find the bedroom unsuitable, not even for young people, way too cramped, full of useless corners and thus harakiri for toes, feet, shuffling old-age gait, and not suitable at all for a wheelchair or so. You would have to be able to park it somewhere near the bed area, and I don’t see that at all. The bedroom should be as rectangular as possible and the closet accessible quickly and conveniently from the door; there should be space all around the bed. Also, I hold the view that the main bathroom should not be planned opposite the hallway, at least not near the visible front door.)

So... your design already looks expensive from the outside. The idea of bringing sun and light inside via a shed roof is basically always sensible, only here not at all thought through: you get the sun into the house from the south side! The shed roof would have to be shifted so that the third central gable is above the northern rooms so that the living room also gets light here. However, the living room should get enough light with windows facing the garden, to the north and west. Unfortunately, the house seems to turn completely away from the garden. Sight lines into the garden are missing. So... when I think of my daily work and everyday life, and also of my nearly 80-year-old parents (the avid reader knows this), laundry and the storage of everyday items (tools, batteries, cleaning supplies) play a bigger role than the evening walk to the quiet zone. In short: I see no need here for a basement, no basement rooms, or a utility room accessed underground via an uncomfortable space-saving staircase, but a — don’t be alarmed — split level with the separation of living and everyday activities from the rest/sleep area including bathroom with a short comfortable staircase connecting around 1.5 to 2 meters height difference inside the house. The same or a similar stair level should also be in the garden from the terrace to the north. This can then be covered with an inexpensive pitched roof that, for example, lets one or two rooms open upwards. There you can then also install one or two double casement windows for even more light for a special ambiance, which costs little money. Personally, I have (almost) had everything with my legs: broken toe, damaged groin, foot surgery with three months downtime, currently knee bruise: it never bothered me to master the stairs in the evening. Only they have to be comfortable. Much later, much, much later, something electric will be added anyway. But that will probably only be when I’m 80...

Therefore, I advise you to think for a few days whether you want to burden yourself with several half-baked compromises instead of just one small compromise if you slightly change the original idea of the bungalow. Otherwise, I unfortunately have to say: the plot is not age-appropriate, but not impossible to live on at an older age.

SplitLevel is supposed to be relatively expensive though