We designed a residential house for a family with three children on the upper plateau of a steep plot of land with a northeast-facing slope overlooking the Danube. Previously classified as a recreation area, it is now dominated by family houses that are typically inhabited all year round. The expectation was to present an economical and energy-conscious design, with emphasis on the connection with the garden and long-term sustainability. During the process of acquiring the construction permit, it was somewhat difficult to harmonise the conflicting provisions of the local building regulations, the legal status and support structure design of the holiday home that previously stood on the plot and the requirements of the CSOK housing subsidy that the family obtained.