New single-family house in southern Germany

By the way, I have now reached a small booklet in which all my thoughts on the subject of house construction are more or less organized and recorded. One topic, one page, and as soon as something occurs to me, I try to enter it.

My like goes to this point.

According to the current status, only a massive soil replacement could bring the basement back.

Here I can't quite follow you: how can you on one hand not know the soil, but on the other hand fear that from basement depth down it is pudding?

Since the plot is only reserved but cannot yet be purchased, I cannot simply commission a soil survey to get clarity.

Yes, you can anyway. A general soil survey is also part of a new development area... just take the geologist or ask the municipality whether and when you are allowed to.

I had a little book like that too :)

And I have a folder where I keep everything. Prints, copies, notes.

After the first model house visit, we went through each house again and wrote down what we liked and what we didn't.

I can’t quite follow you here: how can you on the one hand not know the ground, but on the other hand fear that from basement depth down it’s pudding?

Maybe that was expressed unclearly. If the construction with a slab foundation would require soil exchange down to basement depth, the basement would probably be included again. But then it would suddenly become a lot more expensive and I want to rule that out. It would also make different layouts sensible again if the utility room ends up in the basement.

The idea of a general soil survey is a good one.

After the first model house visit, we went through each house again and wrote down what we liked and what we didn’t.

The thing with the model houses is more of a theoretical matter anyway. Most of them are far too big for our circumstances; I don’t know why I’d need children’s rooms of 20 sqm and more. And of course the model houses are always furnished like a Golf for 50,000€... The visit to my cousin was quite helpful since they built about the same size, so you can copy a bit there. Since then, I definitely have no more fear of our slope.

Well, there are also small model houses and simple ones. That’s not the point. You don’t have to choose your house there. You can
- already discuss with your better half that the fittings should be square,
- learn to pay attention to sufficient distance (we actually were in a model house where the oven would only open if you stood to the side)
- adopt nice things and solutions
- avoid poorly solved ones for yourself.

We noted everything down. Also at friends and relatives. From too small entrance areas, to too tight toilets, all the way to the perfect dining area or great color concept.