Opinions on our floor plan are welcome

Thank you! Yes, they're already ready to go. Although we're basically doing the earthworks and the foundation slab for the basement ourselves. My husband's cousin works in that field. From the foundation slab onwards, the bricklayer will take over. According to his schedule, he can start in four weeks. So it should fit. Only the heating engineer and electrician are a bit stressed at the moment. Both are good friends of ours, but they have a lot on their plates right now, which is understandable. Well, it will work out. We're moving to the parents-in-law at the end of April. Our condo has been sold. So we won't have double financial burdens and there isn't too much rush... And my husband, dad, and father-in-law want to help a lot with the trades. It'll be fine... It's not the first house for the family.

Hello Kisska,

Congratulations!!! It's really great that everything went so smoothly and you made such a great plan!

Garage and terrace on top to the west was also my favorite... After a long back and forth with my husband and the architect and a lot of reading, but rejected. We will not have a flat roof on the house.

May I ask for what reasons?
We also have a hillside property and our architect also had a suggestion with the entrance in the basement and then the garage as a southwest terrace with a flat roof attached to the house afterwards. I quite like the idea.

Sorry, I just searched again and now found out why. You wrote quite early on that they can't be made watertight. My husband has similar concerns, but our architect said that nowadays that is no longer a problem.... What is it really like now? How watertight is such a roof terrace after 30 years of being exposed to snow, sun, heat, and cold?

Well, I don't have much of an idea. According to my husband and various shell builders: flat roofs can be sealed nowadays. It works! BUT: a flat roof is simply much more vulnerable to water because it doesn't drain properly. And sooner or later, water will probably get in. We know several garage roofs with flat roofs and also bungalows, and they often need repairs more frequently than pitched roofs. If I had decided alone, I would have taken the flat roof including terrace, but my husband is very particular about that. And he wants HIS house perfect and without dangers and risks...

Good evening,

BUT: a flat roof is simply much more susceptible to water because it just cannot drain properly. And sooner or later, water will get in.

I’m sorry, but that is purely nonsense.

We know some garage roofs with flat roofs and also bungalows, and these often need repairs more frequently than pitched roofs.

What did the garages cost? When were the bungalows built? Does the investment correspond to the value?

In recent years, many craftsmen have become much more thorough in the execution of their work due to changes in DIN standards, case law, and above all public pressure; insurers are very reluctant to pay. It should be noted that reputable craftsmen have always built well; there are countless examples that can be viewed undamaged after many years. However, quality has always come at a price.

Moreover, water can very well drain from flat roofs – it must; for this, there are – how could it be otherwise – the DIN standards. A slope must be created and the water then drains away through suspended pipes.

By the way, “pitched” roofs can also have a short lifespan if they are poorly executed. Potential builders can protect themselves from shoddy work by solid price assessment, credit checks, and research on the preferred construction partner. Looking exclusively at the price at the bottom right is a very poor advisor; also insofar as cheap always becomes very expensive.

Rhenish regards