Cellar vs. large garage

Hello, what do you think about the topic basement yes/no? Generally, most people advise against a basement because it is expensive, dark (not necessarily), and only for a party room and sauna or laundry room.... . Does anyone have experience without a basement but with a large garage? Does that really work? Where to hang laundry? Where to put workbench + tools + bicycles etc.? Thanks for your opinion!

Works, as far as granted

Laundry is washed and hung upstairs or in the garden

Garden furniture and stuff in the old above-ground cellar

Trash bins, tools, bicycles and stuff in the garage or side room

Decorations, suitcases etc. attic

The answer is as simple as it is complicated. A basement is certainly much more expensive than the garage. The basement has more functionality and above all direct connection to the house. The garage, on the other hand, can serve many purposes, also workshop and party, perhaps also connection to the house, but rather outdoor area. As in many real existing families, the price will be decided in relation to the frequency of use.

We had a beam storage (half of it) installed in the attic area of our garage (approx. 7x9m) with direct access to the house, using planed tongue-and-groove boards (just under 2000€ extra). It looks great and the created storage space (30sqm) feels like a mini cellar.

The whole thing depends on various factors from my point of view.

- Plot: Is it even large enough for a [Großraumgarage].
- I don’t want a [Sportzimmer] in a garage.
- Workshop for bulky parts. Can you even get them into the basement?
- ....

Everyone has to decide for themselves what is important to them.

The technology is often housed in the basement. You can’t just move it to the garage... What does [Großraumgarage] mean? Assuming a standard city villa, the garage would need an additional 90-100 m2. That means the footprint is then larger than the house itself. Of course, a corresponding foundation slab and roof are also required for the garage, etc. With soil that isn’t too bad, the savings won’t be huge. In my opinion, it’s not an either/or case. A garage has different uses and requirements than a basement. Usually, the basement is within the thermal envelope, while the garage is not. I would position laundry next to the bathroom/bedroom/dressing room. Bicycles go in the garage so they can be easily taken out. I prefer to have parties in the living/dining room rather than in the basement or garage. But we don’t host raves.