Is it architecturally feasible to make a semi-detached house half attractive?

Hello,

(Just to clarify: I don’t need financing, on the contrary, my money needs to go somewhere ;-) )

I have to admit, I have little experience with building, but now I want to do the following:

Build a semi-detached house on a nice plot of land (a good 800m2). Why? Because I am looking for a solution for the next 10-15 years. In other words, I want something good now, and later I want to sell or rent it out (why, I don’t want to go into here right now). Let’s say I want to live there myself for 10 years.
If I put a nice bungalow right in the middle of the plot, the plot would be spoiled. But if I plan a semi-detached house, initially build only one half and use the rest as a garden, I can later either build the second half and rent both out, or sell the plot and semi-detached house separately. That seems to me the most economical use of the good plot. As long as I live there, I don’t want a semi-detached neighbor.

So, my question is: is something like this common, i.e. to build only one half of a semi-detached house initially? Are there architecturally sensible solutions that also look good as stand-alone? Or does it inevitably look bad afterwards because there are no windows on one side of the wall?

Thanks for your opinions!

Or does it then inevitably look crappy afterwards because there are no windows in one of the walls?

That's how it is :)

Hello,

in our town there has been a semi-detached house standing alone for about 30 years.

The sight of the wall without windows is really something you have to get used to.

If you actually do that, I would consider, in your place, planning windows into the future dividing wall anyway, which could then be bricked up when building the second half of the house - so take into account that the affected rooms will still have other sufficiently sized windows.

Regards,

Dirk

Hello,

Building a semi-detached house on a nice plot (about 800m2). Why?

I ask myself that question too! 800 sqm is not exactly little; usually, 400 well-designed square meters are enough for a detached building. Have you inquired at the responsible building planning office about the possibilities for development? If not, you should do so and only after this conversation explore the development options.

If the idea that semi-detached houses are cheaper to build than classic single-family homes has so far kept you from further considerations, let me tell you that this assumption is incorrect. With a complete semi-detached house, you only save due to the required party wall (the wall between the halves); in your current plan, however, this wall is omitted in favor of a required "normal" exterior wall.

So, my question: is it common to build only one half of a semi-detached house initially?

I wouldn’t call it common, but it does of course happen from time to time that one half of a semi-detached house stands alone for a longer period.

Are there architecturally reasonable solutions that also look good as standalone? Or does it inevitably look bad afterward because there are no windows on one wall?

That depends on how wide the single semi-detached house will be. 6.00 m looks lonelier than, for example, a width of 8.00 meters or more ;)


Rhenish greetings

Thank you, building expert!

Since everything is still just considerations, I will of course also examine the possibility of 2 single-family houses! I just fear that they might end up looking into each other's windows. Currently, 2 single-family houses of similar size are being built on neighboring plots, and they are already quite close to each other. Therefore, I think that one is ultimately happier with a semi-detached house, even if one side remains windowless for a while (or maybe for aesthetic reasons has one window that can be bricked up later (staircase or something like that).

Franconian greetings