Plan for building a single-family house, sticking point living basement, dream or nightmare

If the basement is supposed to be visible, possibly a living basement with access to the terrace or garden, then it already reads like a two-story house with an attic. Is barrier-free access a must? Then what’s the point of the roof terrace? Just take the dreamed 120 sqm + attic + basement, which makes a house that is more than twice as large as an average 4-person house. And you wonder why the dream will burst?

Hello Marc Wen,

your planned house does not differ much from our construction project. For us, it is 221 sqm of living space and 85 sqm of usable space. The garage is a 9x3.6 meter garage with access to the house.

We have some expensive frills like an integrated conservatory in the pitched roof (approx. 16,000 euros), insulated basement, white tank, and central ventilation system planned. The execution is in my opinion high quality: expensive roof tiles, decent craftsmen planned, floor coverings at 60 to 70 euros per sqm, better insulation.

The architect has estimated around 450,000 euros for the house, almost everything included except for [Außenanlagen] and connection costs. The shell construction offer is already available, we have already saved 12,000 euros for estimation.

I do not believe that your house necessarily has to have a price starting with a 5.

Merlin, build first - the shell construction is usually the factor where you still save money

We also have a basement apartment of about 55m2 on the slope. The additional cost was about 35k. Including underfloor heating + extra apartment + about 5k extra for the outdoor area since windows and patio door are exposed.

The basement still needs to be plastered, tiled, etc.

If the basement is supposed to be visible, possibly a living basement with access to the terrace or garden, then it already reads like a 2-story house with an attic.

Why? By definition, it remains a 1.5-story house + basement, right?

Is barrier-free access a must?

Ok, I actually wanted to address that in more detail later, when we maybe already had plans etc., at least when we are a bit further along with our project.

For now, I was just looking for some feedback on what such a single-family house can and should cost.

Parents-in-law (father-in-law, degree of disability 100 with G, aG) will move into the 75 sqm apartment in the basement. Father-in-law can basically roll into the apartment on ground level.

My wife and I (degree of disability 100 with G, aG) will move into the approx. 120 sqm on the ground floor. Here I can reach all rooms without stairs and also access the apartment on ground level.

Now to the attic, which arises naturally and we certainly don’t need in this size. Currently 1 daughter, 2nd child planned. We mentally divide the attic so that 2 children's rooms and a separate apartment are created. Later on, a child might move in there (when they grow up) or we seriously consider renting out this apartment.

Why then the roof terrace?

We need a double garage; this is located at the house. A flat roof was planned anyway. The flat roof is at ground floor height, so a balcony door can be installed on the ground floor and you can walk onto the garage. So the roof terrace will be used by us from the ground floor. Among other things, we have to assume that we will not get much garden.

Take the dreamed 120 sqm + attic + basement, which adds up to a house that is more than twice the size of an average 4-person house. And you wonder why the dream will burst?

And that’s exactly how most sellers approach it. They first see 300–400 sqm, quickly calculate that, and initially call out 6 or 7 (hundred thousand) in costs.



That already sounds optimistic. That's roughly how we calculated. We had almost left everything out, really reduced it to the minimum. Among other things, one could also have planned a kids’ bathroom in the attic, but we don’t need that; the kids come to us on the ground floor.

, construction expert

All questions answered?

No, not if the basement, for example, protrudes on average 1.40. The definition of a full storey depends on the state.