Renovation and expansion of single-family house (2 families)

Hello,

I plan to renovate and expand the house, which has been in the family for a long time and has an ideal location (only 1 neighbor on the left and 3 across), in one to two years. It is no longer habitable (holes in the roof, deep cracks in the exterior plaster, no heating, old wiring).

Unfortunately, I have no idea where to get inspiration and how to start planning.

I have already measured and started modeling the house in Google Sketchup.

Goals:
- 2 separate apartments (regardless of whether the access is relocated)
- both age-appropriate, as I will be caring for my parents in old age
- keep the garden at the back or on the left
- definitely preserve the vaulted cellar and two half-underground cellars
- cost-effective heating (possibly water-cooled wood stove/gasifier and gas thermic in combination; wood is not a problem for us)

Apart from the masonry, about 80% of the rest will be done by myself.

I know that the structural integrity will be a problem, but I first want to have ideas about what could actually be done to achieve the goals. I don’t want to hire an architect who creates something I might not like and pay €6000 for it. That’s why I want to be able to show him one or two directions beforehand.


Where can I find ideas for such a project?

How do you want to give someone directions as a layperson?

Usually, with old houses, only the basic framework is used and a new building is constructed around the framework or on the foundation. So you need a substance/inventory analysis and an architectural plan.

Either you gather expertise in relevant specialist literature over the next few months (modernization, renovation, extensions and conversions), collect plenty of impressions through picture books, magazines and websites, and can then present your ideas to the craftsman you trust, or you get professional expertise right away!
Still, I would say: if you already lack creative as well as solid ideas and imagination that could be implemented manually, you might be missing exactly the understanding you would need as a self-builder.

By the way, it should first be checked to what extent the development plan plays a role in expansions.

Thank you for your contribution and your valuable time, (but even as a layperson, one is still a client).

I would like to emphasize the premise of this post once again:

Looking for ideas/inspiration for such houses and objectives > WHERE to find (if it exists at all in secondary literature)? For this support and cooperation, I thank all interested parties.

There are architects/draftspersons like grains of sand on the beach – of quality for every direction. It is purely about idea generation, hence this registration in a forum, to later select the appropriate expert.

Very interesting project, at least for me as well ;)

I have something similar in mind and am still in the planning phase. Unfortunately, I can’t tell you much about the brainstorming process, I have a friend who is a draftsman who simply made me a few suggestions and then refined them according to my/our interests. With this plan, I am now going to some construction companies and coordinating with them...

But as I said, maybe you could occasionally post a few "updates" on how far you have progressed? I generally haven’t read much in this forum about conversions/extensions or adding extra floors.

: I believe that, but a simple two-family house in a box style isn’t always appealing, and with the land prices here, I have to make something out of the space...

@ E-Curb: Actually, various ideas are missing about what could be done there (provided the structural engineering and building regulations + municipality cooperate), the goals are the ones above. I would like to keep something from the old building and possibly create a stable two-family house with a new floor plan by adding a floor and extending it, so that I might be able to take care of my parents in 10 years and my children won’t have it like I do right now... If I have really good inspirations, I can also convey the wishes better to the architect.

I wouldn’t start building until summer 2015/spring 2016, but the matter should become clearer over the next few months.

One option often suggested: flatten it and build new, but then the space is gone, since I would have to set back. The house stands right on the curb at the front. The municipality owns the neighboring land to the right and at the back of the 19m*21m plot, and for reasons of respect, no building can be constructed there.

Thanks again for your interest in this thread.

I also find it terribly difficult to imagine, since it is not at all clear on which side one could possibly build.