Single-family house with a ground-level granny flat on a slope

What is the limit now? Limit means maximum upper boundary. There are no ranges from - to, it is simply just one number. This far and no further.

Take a look at the old thread from the previous interested buyer about the property and see what Escorda wrote about it. I think he had set a garage in a cost-optimized way back then. It doesn’t quite fit your situation, but still take a look.

could tell you more about the access road. He is the only one here with a similar situation. Then you’ll have an idea of the approximate costs you can expect.

Regarding costs and issues on the hillside, Sichtbeton has written quite openly.

I estimate you will need 100 to 150k more.

NO master bedroom???

What is the limit now? Limit means maximum upper limit. There are no ranges from-to, it's simply just one number. Up to here and no further.

We feel comfortable in the size range of 700-800k; if it costs more, I'll just have to see if it's worth it for us. We've already had that topic with the beer :D my maximum limit is irrelevant for determining the costs of the project.

Take a look in the old thread from the previous interested buyer of the property, what Escorda wrote about it. I think he had optimized the costs for a garage back then. Doesn't quite fit your situation, but still have a look.

could tell you more about the driveway. He's the only one here with a similar situation.
Then you'll know roughly what costs to expect.

Sichtbeton has written quite openly about costs and problems on a sloped site.

I estimate you'll need 100 to 150k more.

Thanks for the hint, I had already read the posts before, but of course not everything by heart :D I'll take a look right away at what situation Hampshire was/is in. And the additional costs are still bearable. I really need someone who plans the house properly for me, then costs will either decrease or comfort will increase.

You do not have to disclose your total budget. However, if 700k is your absolute pain threshold and you are already factoring in inflation rates, you should stay away from it. Hence the question.

Talk to companies from the area. Preferably with someone who knows the slope. They might also be able to recommend an architect. I would actively ask the neighbors and all builders in the area on the slope who they built/planned with and whether the company is recommended. The big general contractors struggle the further the property is from something simple. They try, and certainly can build a house, but you get a better price-performance ratio with companies that know what they are doing.

I can recommend our civil engineer, but unfortunately he doesn't work in your area. His first estimate for concrete and earthworks was not far off. The final bill was actually about twice as high because the structural engineering came later and there were additional works that were not entirely clear before. This was not due to the slope but because the property had been built on before.

Oh, the tip about the neighbors is great, thanks. The people who know about slopes etc. seem to be in short supply in our area, and I haven’t found a real architect with experience in that yet.

Regarding the budget: the total amount at the end of the day isn’t important to me, much more the price-performance ratio. So what do I get for my money and especially what do I really need, what is practical and what is just fanciful. That’s why the search for an architect as well.