Again at the beginning:
To your surprise, there was no criticism, right?
Some may still come, who knows.
You got a lot of input on that.
What I noticed is that your specifically asked questions (entrance, stairs, tenant apartment bedroom, bathrooms, etc.) were addressed, but you dismiss them. Why did you ask them?
I responded to every single post and said in many cases that we will take another look at them. However, that takes time. It will take a few days to remodel some areas. I might post it here again for comparison, but just because we didn’t replan everything within <24h doesn’t mean you should immediately assume I am resistant to advice. For some criticism points, I also asked follow-up questions but have not received any answers so far (which is of course okay, people have other things to do or no longer want to participate in the thread… all good). For example, you said both bathrooms are too tight. I asked where exactly you see problem areas, but no reply came. That is a bit vague to draw meaningful conclusions from.
No one wrote here about accessibility, but rather that, for example, a walker needs space, as well as an elderly person sometimes requires movement area. What you make of that is your business.
You mentioned several times that you had it the same way, etc. But that does not mean in reverse that one should not do it better if possible.
Because criticism came up several times that the tenant apartment is too small, we are currently looking at how we can create more space and better divide it. See, for example, my post from 5:23 pm. In other areas, however, I find it legitimate to say: we had it that way (and many others do too), it worked well for us. For example, regarding the toilet on the ground floor that you think is too small. As I said: of course more space would be better here, but that also means a compromise elsewhere and then it comes down to personal priorities.
It’s not like no one here knows what owner-performed work means. Honestly, your husband can be as ambitious and willing to do “something” as he wants, just like you. But some here also know that there is a difference between renovating a manageable apartment and doing all interior work on 250 sqm with 3-meter ceilings yourself. Some people had to give up their annual vacation for the absolute necessities, such as “painting by the builder.” And after that, most were too exhausted for a wellness day that they usually enjoy as a hobby instead of an office job.
I don’t want to be presumptuous (just like I don’t feel insulted when people assume I moved into a turnkey house—I know what I sweated to get the walls ready to live in as well as some interior finishes), but it seems to me that you are kind of sitting in an American bubble soap and just let us talk. And perhaps some things will be checked again.
However, with – in my opinion – small changes it can become a chic, very livable, and special house… if only a large fridge can find its place in the main kitchen.
The small dismissed little quirks may hurt a bit when living or furnishing. But you can live with that too. We all know: the first house is for the enemy, the second for the friend, etc.
Just to mention: ceiling height is unfortunately only 2.70m, even though I would of course prefer 3m. I personally find the bulky American refrigerators very unattractive and many Americans nowadays ironically see it that way too – apparently, the European discreet built-in refrigerators are very trendy right now. Otherwise, I don’t know what the desire for owner-performed work (not this topic again…) has to do with an American bubble or why I am even accused of living in an American bubble. The style can easily be implemented in Europe as well; as said, several Swedish house providers explicitly offer it for the German market. Stylistically, the classic American Colonials are anyway based on European models (especially English and Dutch), so I don’t find the houses totally “foreign” either.