Planina Cottage — 2-Bed Mountain Style
Bedrooms
2
Bathrooms
1
Floor Area
92m²
Storeys
1
The Planina Cottage is our compact, affordable option — designed for couples or individuals who want a high-quality permanent home or holiday retreat without the cost of a larger build. Inspired by traditional Bulgarian mountain architecture, it uses stone and timber accents to create warmth and character within a tight footprint.
What's Included
- Efficient 92m² layout — nothing wasted
- Two generous double bedrooms
- Full family bathroom
- Open-plan kitchen and living room
- Covered terrace with mountain view orientation
- Stone and timber cladding details
- High thermal mass construction — warm in winter
- Low maintenance exterior materials
- Loft conversion potential if additional space needed later
- Meets all Bulgarian building regulations
Estimated Build Cost
€55,000 – €68,000
Includes all structural work, finishes, utilities, and inspections. Does not include furnishing, appliances, or landscaping.
The Planina Cottage
The Planina Cottage answers a question I hear often: “We just want something simple and good. Can we build that in Bulgaria for under €80,000 all-in?”
The answer is yes — if you build right.
At 92m², the Planina Cottage is compact by modern UK standards but generous by Bulgarian village standards. The layout is efficient: every square metre does something useful. There’s no wasted corridor, no underused formal room, no space that feels like it exists just to fill the plan.
Design Philosophy
The design draws from traditional Bulgarian mountain architecture — the stone and timber vernacular of the Balkan range villages — rather than the plainer render-over-blockwork construction common in recent decades.
Stone accents on the base of the external walls. Timber details at the eaves and around windows. A steeply pitched roof with traditional clay tiles. These aren’t expensive additions — in Bulgaria, local stone and timber are reasonably priced — but they transform how the building looks and feels in its setting.
Floor Plan
The layout is a simple rectangle, which is efficient to build and easy to understand:
- Living/kitchen (facing south and terrace): Open-plan living and kitchen with south-facing glazing. Access to covered terrace.
- Bedroom 1 (master): Double bedroom, built-in wardrobe, east-facing for morning light.
- Bedroom 2: Second double bedroom or study, north or west facing.
- Bathroom: Full bathroom (bath and shower), WC.
- Utility area: Small utility space off kitchen for washing machine, storage.
Build Cost
The compact footprint makes this our most affordable plan to build:
- Standard specification: €55,000 – €62,000
- Premium specification: €62,000 – €68,000
Total project cost including Plot B (the ideal pairing): approximately €73,000 – €87,000.
That is a complete, legal, move-in-ready home in Bulgaria.
Who Is This For?
The Planina Cottage suits:
- Couples retiring to Bulgaria who want a manageable permanent home
- Part-time residents who want a high-quality holiday retreat
- Single retirees who want space without unnecessary maintenance
- First-time self-builders who want to manage risk with a smaller project
The smaller project size also means shorter construction time — typically 8-12 months from planning permission to Act 16.
Regulation compliance
All plans are designed to meet Bulgarian building regulations and can be submitted directly for planning permission.
Interested in this plan?
Talk to Miglena about combining this plan with one of our available plots.
Ready to build your Bulgarian home — legally?
Talk to Neil and Miglena. First consultation is free and completely without pressure.