Basement yes or no with a large building window?

Your large building window doesn’t matter at all if the floor area ratio limits your construction project to 152sqm. The fact is: your plot is not very spacious. But basement or not: you can’t comfortably store cars, bicycles, and garden tools in a basement. Laundry then usually gets moved downstairs, which means long stairs every day. Whether a pantry in the basement makes sense is up to you – I wouldn’t go down and back up the stairs for a bottle of beer in the evening. Therefore, it’s good to plan these rooms like the office on the ground floor. Additionally, a garden house etc. comes into play. I find it absolutely common; most people in the forum think the same or at least their plans show it. Better above ground than underground when you have the choice. Of course, there are basement builders out of conviction, but if they have the alternative, they would probably also opt for above ground. Many home builders are limited in height by the development plan. If you are allowed an attic with 30cm KS, everything is great in terms of attic expansion. But I would reconsider every sqm of storage space there: whatever lands there once won’t be brought down again, except maybe the Christmas decorations. Better to integrate a storage room on the ground floor and upper floor level each. Your planned 70sqm on the ground floor and upper floor plus a residential basement means 210sqm of living space. The budget must be available first. The fundamental question is the space requirement you need. Having a basement just because it’s known from grandma and grandpa, where all the old stuff as well as coal and meters of jam jars were stored, is silly if you don’t actually have this space need yourself. Greetings

Hi Yvonne,

thanks for your feedback.
The plot ratio does not provide any information about the total living area, or am I completely wrong? So I should be allowed to build 152 sqm of the plot area. (incl. terrace, garage, etc.) We will definitely stay below that.

Your arguments are also similar to ours.
We will have a 4 sqm pantry. 14 sqm utility room (all on the ground floor)
Space for washing machine and dryer on the upper floor (approx. 6 sqm) and a dressing room of 9 sqm.

Large garage with storage space...

Often it is the opinions of others. A house without a basement is not a house, we often hear.
But by now that just bounces off us.

...sounds good and sensible
More sensible than the constant shuttling to the basement and back. That's just envy!
The floor area ratio regulates the development of the property. It was about the BU's argument: large building window of just under 200 sqm... with your floor area ratio of 0.6, the generous building window has no influence on the floor area of the house, it rather defines more possibilities for positioning, so the argument is completely wrong.


Best regards

if I have enough space on the property, I always wanted to build without a basement. I am lazy by nature. I don't like climbing stairs (it's always a safety hazard) and the same thing would happen with us as already mentioned: once stored upstairs or downstairs, it will not be taken out again

I am always in favor of basements - you have so much stuff to store; like the Christmas, Easter and other decorations; seasonal wardrobe, seasonal sports equipment & clothes, hobby & workshop for the men, the bookkeeping that you have to keep for 10 years and some even for a lifetime. Wine coolers, additional refrigerators, supplies, pet food, winter blankets, garden chairs & cushions ....

.. Amber Room, swimming pools, saunas, horse racetracks, model railways, go-kart tracks ...

I currently have a 2x3 meter basement in my apartment and I would say 90% of what’s in there could be thrown away and when I look at the basements of my friends/family it’s mostly storage space for useless stuff.

If you need the space, you should build one, but just to store Christmas decorations is a bit excessive.