Land consultation for semi-detached house (237 sqm)

Otherwise, for inspiration I would search on ImmoScout for RH or semi-detached house projects that look somewhat similar (they can be somewhere completely different as well). Spontaneously, for example, I also saw a few projects at Werner Wohnbau with floor plans that would certainly fit your needs (and also have a staggered floor).

As mentioned, it is quite common elsewhere for developers to buy up entire areas and "stock" them, and especially in urban regions, the plot sizes planned for you are not so unusual. Therefore, you could certainly look there for inspiration to better visualize it. Whether it always fits exactly the same way for you is, of course, another matter.

Whether anyone is available as a general contractor to be hired privately, I have no idea. For now, my concern was just to look at how something like this might possibly look.

could I build my semi-detached house, for example, a little further into the garden if the neighbor wants to build smaller?

Yes, that is possible. You are allowed to build approximately 94 sqm including the terrace.

Regarding the width and height (e.g. staggered floor), I definitely could not build differently

The height of the roof and the overhang must be the same. Also the height of the parapet/attic of the staggered floor. Staggered floors are mandatory with flat roofs. Everything else is free. There are also gable roof plots, which have more difficulty with matching roofs. The first builder decides.

So the plot is only 9.5 * 25m. Do you consider that to be a sensible size for a semi-detached house?

We actually had this size and built an end-terrace house on it. It’s not generous! Especially if you want the freezer room on the ground floor without a basement.. Well, we had it very generously with a basement, large multi-purpose room, usual floor plan. It’s best to check again whether the terrace has to lie within the building envelope – that determines the length of the building body as well as the width of the strip of lawn. In fact, almost no lawn remains, and it ends up being a courtyard terrace enclosed by a hedge. At least this side faces south, so you can equip the strip with a raised bed and get more light inside.

LOL. If I were to heat my house (comparable to a new build) with local heating, my annual costs would be 3 to 3.5 times higher than my current electricity costs. The offer is normal, but far from "really good."

You are right about that. Cost-wise it is definitely disadvantageous compared to a heat pump with photovoltaics. But at least I don’t have to worry about a heat pump or maintenance. Annual costs for maintenance and energy (heating + hot water) will be around €1,500 up to 6,000 kWh. The commitment is 20 years.

You can look up "AM RAUHEN HOLZ, Dortmund" and go to Wilma’s website. There are "exemplary residential properties," and the house W195 is a semi-detached house with a similar width and, if I see it correctly, a stepped top floor.

Thanks for all your information. Especially the one in Dortmund already sounds really quite cool :)

Yes, that is possible. You may build just under 94 sqm including terrace.

That is very important information. I am quite afraid that the neighbor only wants to build smaller, and this way I would still have the option to fully utilize the length up to the building envelope.

The stepped floor is of course set with the flat roof.

What do you mean by that? If I am unlucky and the neighbor does not want a stepped floor, I also cannot build one, correct?

We actually had this dimension, built with an end terraced house. It’s not generous! Especially if, without a basement, the freezer room is to fit on the ground floor... Well, we had it very generously with a basement, large all-purpose room, usual layout. Best to read again whether the terrace must be inside the building envelope — that determines the length of the building mass as well as the width of the lawn strip. Actually, almost no lawn remains, and it ends up being a courtyard terrace enclosed by a hedge.
At least that side faces south, so you can still equip the strip with a raised bed and get more light inside.

A basement would still be an option in an emergency if it really doesn’t fit well.

Fortunately, the terrace is allowed to be outside the building envelope.

Currently, we live in a rented terraced mid-house with 140 sqm + basement on a 180 sqm plot. Here the garden is correspondingly small at about 7 by 7 meters. It is 50% terrace and 50% lawn area. That would be sufficient for me, or rather, with the semi-detached house it would even be minimally larger, I think.

But at least I don’t have to take care of a heat pump or the maintenance.

You don’t have to take care of it. But you have to pay for the connection and the heat pump – and you don’t even own it then.

Annual costs for maintenance and energy (heating + hot water) are around €1,500

By the way, with a heat pump there is no real maintenance. That’s over €30,000 more in 20 years. You can do it, you just have to know.

Then you know what life is like in a relatively narrow house.

That is very important information. I am very afraid that the neighbor only wants to build smaller, and so I would still have the option to extend the length up to the building window.

My statement is without guarantee. It may be that they are pedantic with you and “actually mean complete equality with the development plan.” I have only read that one passage now.
It is best if you are the first or come to an agreement with the neighbor. It is better anyway if you build the shell together with the same building permission.

What do you mean? If I'm unlucky and the neighbor does not want a setback floor, I can't build one either, correct?

Correct, but one should take advantage of the possibility here. Those who don’t need a setback floor usually build one anyway for the resale value.
Building a basement is difficult if the neighbor has already started with the development plan.
Try to find out about the other. With data protection not easy, but certainly doable.

By the way, there is no real maintenance for a heat pump. That amounts to over €30,000 in "extra" costs over 20 years.

Why? The €1500 per year were

Annual costs for maintenance and energy (heating + hot water) will be around €1,500 for up to 6,000 kWh.