Terrace planning for a corner terraced house with a large garden - What to consider?

Hello everyone,

now we are moving on to the outdoor area. We have an end-terrace house with a relatively large garden but a small budget. Still want to build a large nice terrace.

We have had various craftsmen/gardeners/companies with different offers: from 5000 to 25000, I've heard everything.

I now need ideas:

Below I have the sketch: the fact is that I definitely want 2 terraces: one at the front, the main terrace along the house, 28m2 and a small one on the side, 12m2. Now I want to connect the terraces, I have heard different things, some recommend laying the terrace stones staggered as a path, etc. I have actually decided to close the corner, that means making the main terrace bigger on the side again, so it is a corner terrace. Sometimes I think it won’t look nice, I am unsure. We have a large family, I want big tables with chairs, swings, etc. and more solid surface, but not exaggerated. Then it would be too exhausting for me to maintain a huge garden, which is why that would also be practical for me. The neighbor was not allowed to build wider and bigger because due to the subdivision of the property he would have too much sealed area, for Jens it should not be a problem.

Now my question to you:
How would you plan the terrace. The bigger the more expensive it gets.
Which slabs do you have, which material and laying method. I have offers to lay 2cm slabs in concrete or 4cm on gravel. Then I want to have large slabs.
I would like light slabs with anthracite edging. For the roofing I’m not exactly sure if I’m allowed to build 7m wide and whether the building boundary may be exceeded. I would like 7 by 4 m... but that would be 1m over the building boundary. On the side I have already extended the living space with a bay window with a special permit, I don’t know if I can still roof there. Now I need advice, ideas, tips, I am a bit lost about what to consider, etc.

I’m also just happy about your experience with terraces, what mistakes did you make and what turned out well, what would you do differently. Especially what you paid for your terraces.

Thank you

Do I understand correctly that the first terrace already measures 7x4m, thus 28sqm, and the second one an additional 12 sqm??

Do I understand correctly that the first terrace is already 7x4m, so 28sqm, and the second one is another 12 sqm??

Yes. My neighbor has 6 by 3m, which I find much too small, that's why I want the large terrace, 7 by 4m, so 28 sqm.

I once had a 28 sqm terrace on which we never sat, but always only on the "smaller" one. Even compared to your house, I would consider that far too large, and I don’t believe anyone would design that for €5,000; the 12 sqm on top of that even less. I also tend to like it spacious, but 28 sqm is more than most dining rooms have, and even with some room around it, that would feel too big to me, and 40% of the area would never be used. What do you want to do on the 12 sqm side terrace? Wouldn’t a rather simple construction suffice there, or for example, stone slabs laid in a gravel bed without a massive substructure, or loose wooden boards laid on paving stones for a side terrace for a coffee break in between? The costs are supposed to stay low, and with your ideas, I’m actually seeing the opposite. Just as important or even more important would be the question of shading.....

How would you plan the terrace? The bigger it is, the more expensive it also becomes.

Enough space so that everyone who should be able to sit there can also sit. And don't just think of "a terrace" if the plot allows it. There are different seasons, temperature and lighting conditions, etc.

Which slabs do you have, what material and laying method? I have offers to lay 2cm slabs in concrete or 4cm on gravel. Then I would like large slabs.

For the large balcony terrace, we have larch wood. That is mainly used. A small terrace at the kitchen door has small cobblestones. We sit there rarely but like the look with a bistro table and use it again and again for gardening work. A terrace under the balcony terrace we built with bankirai wood. That is a kind of spa area. A terrace at the exit of the sleeping area and gravel is executed in gravel. It faces north and is pleasantly cool in summer and close to trees. In our terraced house, we had the terrace quite plainly from 10-20-8 concrete stones and that worked great. In summer, the stone caused an increase of the heat effect. Therefore, I would no longer use stone for a terrace with direct sun. Take the material you like, there are many really good solutions. You like large slabs – that works great if you have someone who lays them very cleanly. There are enough examples here of poor workmanship.

I would like 7 by 4 meters ... however, I would be 1m over the building boundary. On the side, I have already enlarged the living space with a bay window with a special permit, I don't know if I can still cover it.

If you get that approved, keep in mind that the roof may take away a lot of light from the adjacent rooms in the house.

Now need advice, ideas, tips, I'm a bit lost about what to think of, etc.

Write down what should all fit there. Which outdoor furniture, possibly also cupboard, sideboard, kitchen, grill, plant pots, paddling pool... . Not everything is possible at the same time, but it's better to have a shortlist than to forget something. Materials differ in durability, slip resistance, cleaning effort, etc. Don’t aim for the very best each time, but choose knowingly what you like best. If I have something very beautiful, it may also mean a bit more care for me. Other forum members see it differently. Different materials absorb and store heat differently. A stone terrace gets much hotter than, for example, a wooden terrace and radiates heat for hours after the sun is gone. I find microclimate important. Keep in mind that when it rains, the water will flow somewhere and where it should go then. There are different solutions depending on material and construction, which have different cost implications. We enjoy the infrared heater installed in a covered area for the transitional seasons.

now we are moving on to the outdoor area.

Link your main thread.

I want large tables with chairs, swings, etc. and more solid surface,

Put the swings normally on the lawn and a smaller terrace will suffice.