Detailed questions on floor plan design renovation with extension

We do not live there, but the house is from the family. We live in an apartment with a small direct garden accessible by stairs and have a [Schrebergarten] within walking distance.

The ceiling height downstairs is exactly 2.40m, upstairs we have 2.60m, which already creates a different spatial feeling.

We have the walking issue in both cases. In front of the basement, it is about 3 m wide and straightened, then it continues down the slope via steps, etc. The currently shadier nice area is relatively far down in the garden.

The separate apartment is intended later also as an option for longer visits from parents and siblings who unfortunately live very far away.

I see the disadvantages with garden access, but they do not outweigh the other considerations.

Here people are talking past each other. Of course, no one wants to come into the house and trudge up to the living room or kitchen. But that is not the case here. Here you enter the "OG" at ground level, with living room, kitchen, ceiling height 2.60m, and then you have to go down to the "EG" to get to the garden. In the EG the ceiling height is 2.40m, which is already at the lower limit if you want to feel comfortable. So it’s not about "I have to go down if I want to get to the garden," but about "I have to go down with all the stuff for the kitchen when I come back from shopping. And then I have to go back up with all the junk. Empty boxes, garbage, etc. That is probably much more annoying than not being able to get from the living room to the garden.

Thank you , exactly that is one of our main reasons. I don't feel like going upstairs, taking off my clothes past the stairs, and then going back down with shopping and so on. The same goes for visitors. I don't find the ceiling height downstairs optimal; due to a lowered wooden ceiling, it may be a few centimeters less. It just feels more oppressive, more cramped. There is already a wonderful balcony, and even after the renovation, you can sit outside with a great view without having to climb stairs. Children are not small forever, and currently in everyday life, I go out more often through the main entrance than into the garden. Even when I was a child, the garden was mainly interesting on weekends and during vacations. During the week, at most in the summer months if you wanted to go outside again.

We don't live there, but the house is from the family. We live in an apartment with a small direct garden accessible via stairs and have a community garden within walking distance.

Yes, that's typical for apartment owners. They simply can't imagine life with a garden.

Here people are talking past each other. Of course nobody wants to enter the house and trudge upstairs into the living room or kitchen. Here you enter the "upper floor" level, with living room, kitchen, ceiling height 2.60m, and then have to go down to the "ground floor" to get to the garden.

Umm, we're not stupid. We're aware of that and no, we're not talking past each other.

"I have to go down with all the stuff for the kitchen when I come back from shopping. And then I also have to go back up with all the junk. Empty boxes, trash, etc.

I don't feel like going upstairs past the stairs, undressing, and then going down with shopping and stuff.

That will happen anyway—completely voluntarily. Besides, it's a sloping plot. Life won't work without climbing stairs.

There is already a wonderful balcony and even after the renovation you can sit outside with a great view without climbing stairs.

The balcony. For apartment owners, the most wonderful place under the sun. For house owners: never step on it again.

The ceiling height downstairs is exactly 2.40m, upstairs we have 2.60m, which already creates a different spatial feeling.

The difference is noticeable but 2.40m is standard ceiling height. It's not as if all standard house owners suffer greatly. Well, apparently you've already made up your minds. Then just renovate the place at great expense. You can report in two years how often you sit on the balcony with the kids or whether you prefer being in the garden and have reactivated the kitchen downstairs as a secondary kitchen. Regarding the design: I find the architect's floor plan very successful according to your standards. I wouldn't change a thing.

The currently shadier nice area is relatively far down in the garden.

The children do not care whether the lawn is nice. They want to play outside, they want to be looked after. Of course, they don’t stay small forever, but what are you supposed to tell them? That they should wait a few more years and be content with the sandbox on the balcony?

The ceiling height downstairs is exactly 2.40m

I don’t find that so bad if you have terrace windows on one side or even around the corner. I don’t want to convert you, ultimately you should and must feel comfortable. But a note:

In principle, a small granny flat is to be created for renting out.

The granny flat should also later serve as an option for longer visits from parents and siblings who unfortunately live very far away.

A rented flat cannot be used for guests.

The idea is to rent out fixed for a few years and then switch to short-term rental.

I don’t think corner windows would be structurally feasible.

If we did place the living areas downstairs after all, how would you plan the kitchen and living room? Due to the many load-bearing