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Building a holiday home – the most important tips

A holiday home is a dream of many city dwellers who are fed up with the hustle and bustle, polluted air and, above all, the pace of life, which can take its toll. Thanks to the place, which is far from blocks of flats, skyscrapers, office buildings and crowded streets, you can relax and recharge your batteries for the next days full of duties. No wonder that more and more people decide to take this important step and start planning their pleasant retreat.

 

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If the decision about such a property has already been made, there is still the matter of determining whether we will want to buy an affordable facility or we will fight against erecting the building on our own. Building a summer house is certainly much more demanding, so it is not surprising that most customers choose the faster and easier way to buy – but by choosing the best specialists, even complex projects will cease to be a problem. Today we want to present some valuable tips that should help you get through this very difficult, but wonderful process of building a summer house.

Construction of a holiday home

Set a budget and choose the right project – building a summer house does not have to be expensive

Since it is to be a summer facility, we reject all year-round projects that will have high-class thick polystyrene insulation and a heating system. In this way, costs can be greatly minimized and it is a solution to many problems (including logistics) for people who need a budget plan.

When determining your financial capabilities, it is worth considering the cost of purchasing the project, land, materials, labor and administrative costs. Of course, even if you plan to do some of the work yourself, e.g. putting in windows, sealing the roof, laying tiles, etc. then enter them in the budget in such a way as if it were to be done by a professional – after all, we can never be sure whether random situations will not arise that prevent us from working.

If you have a project and want to estimate all the costs associated with the construction of a summer house, a great choice will be to contact our specialists who will take care of it for you for free! All information about the necessary documents that are needed to analyze the possibilities can be found in the contact form on our website. A free quote will save you a lot of time and nerves that would have to be spent on spending time in front of a computer screen with a calculator on your desk.

 

Minimize construction time while maximizing your efforts

Time is money and in the case of real estate it is a holy truth. Let’s think about how much money we have to pay for the work of one person when building a summer house. You should consider the hourly rate, insurance premiums, and company commission. That comes out to a pretty big sum, right? Of course, we do not encourage minimizing costs by hiring people “illegally” and unreliable companies, because only specialists and professionals in their profession will be able to guarantee satisfaction – we rather want everyone to try their hand at helping, performing simple activities, if they do not have skills and experience in construction.

 

Administration, regulations and obligations when building a holiday home

When investing in a summer house, you can breathe a sigh of relief, because you have to meet much fewer requirements to apply for a building permit. Taking into account that it is a seasonal property, it should be classified as a recreational property, not a residential one – the definition of a summer house itself does not exist in the law.

If you decide on a single-storey house, the area of which will be larger than 35m2 and it will be one detached building on a 500m2 plot, you do not need to apply for a building permit, but only a notification is enough. It is an extremely convenient solution for people who plan to create a small facility for seasonal relaxation.

Construction of a holiday home

Where to report the construction of a summer house?

As mentioned, the 2022 amendment to the law introduces the possibility of notifying the construction of free-standing, single-storey individual recreation buildings with a built-up area of more than 35 m², but not exceeding 70 m², under certain conditions. However, where should you report it? Notification of the construction of a summer house from 35 m² to 70 m² should be made to the County Office where the construction is planned. The application is accompanied by, among others, a statement on the right to dispose of the property for construction purposes, a plot development plan and a cadastral map. These documents can be obtained from the relevant departments of the County Office

On the other hand, a building permit, and not the notification itself, is required if the planned facility exceeds 70 m² of built-up area or if you intend to build in a place where specific regulations on environmental protection, monuments or urban planning requirements apply.

 

Building a summer house – on what plot?

The plot on which the construction of a summer house is planned should comply with local regulations and the zoning plan. If the plan does not exist, it may be necessary to obtain a decision on development conditions, which will determine the possibility of building in a given area. It is also important to check the type of plot. A summer house can be built on a building plot as well as on a recreational plot. In some cases, for example on agricultural or forest plots, construction may be possible, but this requires a thorough check of the regulations and possibly obtaining special development conditions.

The distance of a summer house from the plot boundaries depends on several factors, including the applicable construction law, the local zoning plan and the specific conditions on the plot. Generally, summer houses should be located at a distance of:

However, there are exceptions to this rule, which allow the building to be located closer to the plot border. It is possible to locate the building at a distance of not less than 1.5 meters from the plot boundary or even directly at the border, if certain conditions are met, such as the lack of window and door openings in the wall facing the boundary line and compliance with the local spatial development plan.

 

Advantages of a summer house

But why is it worth deciding on a holiday home at all? It’s easy! It offers a number of advantages, such as the possibility of relaxing surrounded by nature, privacy and space to spend time with family and friends. It is also an investment that can bring financial benefits by renting it out during periods when it is not used by the owner. In addition, due to lower formal and technical requirements compared to the construction of a residential house, the design of a summer house can be implemented faster and in a more flexible way than a single-family house.

 

Building a holiday home – summary

Building a summer house is a dream of many people who want to have their own place to relax away from the hustle and bustle of the city. In order for this dream to come true, it is worth knowing the most important advice and regulations governing such an undertaking. This is because it is a process that requires proper preparation and understanding of the applicable standards. The key is to report the construction to the appropriate office, adapt the project to legal requirements and choose the right plot, which will allow you to make your dreams of your own place to rest come true.

Also find out how much an energy-efficient house costs!