Single-family house optimization and planning (180 sqm + attic without basement)

Hello Katja,

Good point about the stairs. We just agreed independently over dinner to remove the large study downstairs. Then, in old age, put up a wall and upgrade the bathroom to a shower, done. Or alternatively install a lift.

We don't want to rent anything out. These are to be our own four walls.

The office upstairs can also work. We need one since we both have relevant jobs (home office, field service, etc.). Also for taxes, billing, etc. / Two were of course an initial idea. Maybe we should have dismissed it earlier.

The small WC in the garage is intended for parties and gardening. We saw that at a couple of friends and thought it was good.

In the current process, I would remove the study in the basement and put the living room with TV in that spot (northeast). - As a divider towards the south, where the dining table then is, there would be a stove. And where living and dining were previously planned, only the dining table will stand.

With the maximum area of 180 sqm, we actually don’t want to do anything. Larger is out of the question. I would go up to about 165 or so if the concept (the architect has to take care of that) fits.

Our budget includes VAT and additional building costs. We have a secret reserve on top, but I would rather use that for special repayments. Actually, I am planning 310k for the house and 40k for the garage. Including additional building costs and VAT. That was also agreed with the architect, but we were just ultra naive and clueless – by now I can keep up as a layman – when going into discussions, and the architect is more an artist than an engineer. We have an appointment with him soon where we basically have to discuss the project again.

The bathrooms are the most expensive rooms. The small nice toilet in the garage will easily cost you 10K, if not more. You can build something like that if you have money to spare. Otherwise, the guests use the guest toilet, which you are specially planning inside for them. Honestly, this is nonsense and utter rubbish that you have to get rid of. Such a toilet needs thermal insulation so that the pipes don’t freeze, sewage, water pipes, tiles, heating, sanitary equipment, and all just so that you don’t want to let your guests into the house? What kind of losers are these that they shouldn’t enter the house? I wouldn’t even let such guests onto my property. If garden parties with shady people are mandatory, I’d rather put up a porta-potty.

Regarding the last draft: I think putting the toilet on the southwest side would be a mistake. The entire south side is your prime side, where the terrace adjoins. Utility rooms don’t belong there.

But I want to question the placement again: You have currently placed the garage at the other end of the property. That means you have a lot of path to pave. This also affects the length of the pipes – everything costs a lot of money. Don’t you want to consider placing the garage in the southeast and then planning a house with a west garden? Doesn’t the relatives’ property border on the west anyway, or am I mixing up the thread? That would reduce the costs for paths and pipes. The way you are planning it might be the nicest, but also the most expensive. If I’m wrong, please place the house including garage on the property.

Absolutely. We'll take the 10k with us.

Actually, I need to have kitchen, living, and dining towards the south. Adjacent to the terrace with a roof. On the north side: utility room / garage access with technology, guest WC, stairs, and in case of emergency, a small study or something like that.

I would like the kitchen to be SW with short distances to the utility room/garage (drinks, canned goods, second fridge, etc.) - next to it a dining table with patio door and SO couch and TV with a view of the south garden. But where do I put my beloved oven?

Unfortunately, we cannot change the garage driveway much because the public road ends and a private path begins, whose backgrounds are all being clarified by many parties. Difficult. And building the garage directly on the entire SW side makes the structure modern, since from the street you only see the garage and otherwise tall bushes, but it takes away my SW garden. Then I only have S, SO sun.

Where would you put the guest WC? In the north between the utility room and stairs? Then we would basically move the stairs further and a vacant room would be created in the NE.

Best regards Philip

We have just agreed over dinner to remove the large study downstairs. Then, as we get older, put up a wall and upgrade the bathroom to a shower, done. Or maybe install a lift.

I have a different opinion: Katja's grandma was apparently alone during that time. You are now two and don’t age the same way. That usually means that one can still do a lot and everywhere, while the other might need central care – in a ground floor room, accessible for quick visitors or caregivers. Nowadays, no one has to become co-senile if that means the living room turning into a care station.

There is one point and the nursing home is the only sensible option. A lot has to happen before a couple moves to the ground floor. There are options like stairlifts. The care service also comes to the upper floor. Why give up the large familiar bedroom? Why squeeze into the tiny bathroom with a caregiver?

I need to come back to this statement of yours:

The house 310k and the garage 40k. Including incidental construction costs and VAT.

So these are your price expectations for 180 sqm + double garage. I have the feeling that you are not aiming for the cheapest equipment either when I hear the initial draft, fireplace wish, and design ideas here. And before you continue planning, it should become clearer what a house costs nowadays.

On average, 2000 EUR/sqm is calculated without incidental construction costs, garage, outdoor facilities, kitchen, and other furnishings and special frills. If you want to come in below 2k/sqm, either massive EL must be provided (and beyond the usual floor laying and painting) or you live in one of the few still inexpensive areas.

In your calculation, only the 40k for the garage are probably realistic. For that, you should get a garage including storage room about 6x9 solidly built. With otherwise low demands, there will probably still be 5-10k left over.

Then I calculate your house budget including incidental construction costs of 310k backward
310k
- 30k incidental construction costs with simple floor work
- 20k outdoor facilities with EL
So the rest for the house remains 260k (if you still have an extra budget for outdoor facilities 280k)
For that, you get 130 sqm (or 140 sqm with extra budget for outdoor facilities).
By your previous planning approaches, you are far from this.

Additionally, you should still have a budget for kitchen and furnishings. And I tell you, all the frills cost a lot of money.

I don’t want to spoil everything for you now, but such planning should be based on the right foundation.
Keep in mind that at 2k/sqm, the luxury variant with all kinds of extras and "design-oriented" architecture is not meant.
Even if you live in a cheap area and maybe get the sqm for 1.8k, your budget does not include 180 sqm and a large double garage.

Inform yourself about realistic numbers in your area. Go to a local general contractor and have a standard house calculated first to get a rough price feeling. Pay attention to what is already included in the construction service description and what additional costs come for your wishes. Also check what else must be provided by the client. How is the electrical and sanitary equipment of the GC?

And then plan again with a price feeling for your region.

And don’t despair, many had the same experience at the beginning of the planning.