Building with or without a basement in Southern Germany - experiences?

A basement is not just a basement. One differentiates between living basements and utility basements. I am in favor of living basements, but against utility basements.

We have a guest room in the basement, it's great. You can live there permanently at any time. Children's rooms are also no problem. Warm and bright.

By the way, where there’s a will, there’s a way: 60% of mine are stored above ground *LOL*

Thank you very much for your opinions.

Out of complete conviction, I will not build a basement, as I have hated basements since I was a child. Additionally, I am a fan of moderate minimalism and regularly declutter. This attitude will probably do a lot of good for my wallet when building the house.

When I think about what I currently have in the basement, it can be very well accommodated above ground.

Books and materials for my profession -> wall unit in the study (currently I have no study and only a cupboard in the hallway). The problem right now is that I no longer know what I have there because I never see it. So I want to have it permanently accessible or throw it away.

Camping equipment/ski equipment/sleds: either in the utility room or in a storage room behind the garage.

Children’s clothes/Christmas decorations/kids' stuff: sort out!, utility room

Tools: utility room and storage room by the garage

And a huge amount of chaos and trash, which already causes me to reluctantly go into this basement room. Only my guilty conscience awaits me there, reminding me to clean up again. Not a nice feeling...

Yes, you are right, a basement is not suitable for a storage room. Better not to build one if the necessary living space can also be realized above ground.

I come from rural Bavaria, where cellars are also standard. However, due to the high prices, more and more houses without cellars are being built. I also built without a cellar because, on the one hand, I wanted to save money and, on the other hand, I never liked cellars. I don’t want to have to clean it, I don’t want to go to the cellar to get drinks, etc. I have a utility room on the ground floor, a laundry room right next to the bathroom on the upper floor, an attic for odds and ends (decorations, etc.), and a large room next to the garage for tools, garden furniture, and so on. So far, the space is completely sufficient.

Due to the high prices, more and more houses without basements are being built.

My "rule of thumb" properly understood also means: with a height difference (in the "used" building plot) near zero – and without pressure from the floor space ratio – you only build with a basement if you personally tend to do so; otherwise, you forgo digging in the "basement" rooms.