ᐅ Procedure up to the First Groundbreaking

Hello everyone,

I have many questions and sleepless nights at the moment.
Heating, soil survey, structural engineer, heating load calculations, U-values, KfW, financing, Energy Saving Ordinance 2014/16, etc.

When should what be done, and in which order?

My wife and I want to build a custom house tailored to our needs.
We already own a nice plot of land (own equity) and have commissioned an architect for design phases 1–4. (Rough costs are known and have been approved by our bank.)
I hope the building permit / planning permission can be submitted by the end of April 2016.
Planned start is spring 2017.
Currently, we are trying to pay for as much as possible out of our savings (about €35,000 (approx. $38,000)).

What should the next steps be now?
- Submit the building permit / planning permission application and wait for approval? Can anything else be done in the meantime?

- Hire a structural engineer? Or wait for the building permit / approval? According to our architect, the structural safety certificate (statics) can be submitted later, but before the start of construction.

- Perform heating load calculations? We just want to comply with the Energy Saving Ordinance 2016. Does this heating load calculation specify which U-values the walls, roof, windows, etc. must meet? The plan is a monolithic wall structure with a 36.5 cm (14.4 inches) Ytong wall. Does this calculation need to be submitted to the building authority?

- When is the right time to contact a heating technician?

- When should the soil survey be carried out? We relied on statements from neighbors.
(It is reportedly very stony, and a basement is not planned!)

- Finalize/compare financing? Preferably a loan / one term / fixed interest rate.

- Find a general contractor?

How did you approach your house construction?
I appreciate any advice.

Best regards,
D.Gerner

You have an architect on board, don’t you? Wouldn’t it be easiest to just ask them?

Hello Watcher78,
during our meetings, we usually discuss the floor plans. They usually last between 1 and 1.5 hours (so far we have had three meetings).
Unfortunately, there isn’t much time left for additional questions because the next prospective homeowner is already waiting at the door.

Hello,
I don’t think there is a one-size-fits-all answer to this. Everything is important, and everything can already be coordinated! It’s all about aligning the different aspects with each other.
If you don’t know which heating system you want, you can’t have the complete energy performance certificate prepared.
If significant changes to the building geometry are still possible, the structural calculations are not yet meaningful, and so on.

Therefore, from my point of view, this is a very difficult question.

So I should first consult a heating engineer to get advice on which heating system is suitable for our house. Then have the energy performance certificate prepared?

D.Gerner schrieb:
- When should the soil survey be conducted?

So – many questions. Understood.

First of all: Please stop losing sleep over this immediately. Building a house is definitely very demanding, but also enjoyable.

Next: Make sure to clarify the soil survey, as only with this can you later better estimate additional construction costs. You need a report for your own plot of land. One from your neighbors is not useful. There can be significant differences even over a distance of 30 meters (about 100 feet). This can also be very important if you want to build a basement but the subsoil would lead to extreme extra costs (a neighbor of mine had this issue just 30 meters away... noticed too late).

However, foundation design is also crucial even for slab foundations. Rocky soil can get expensive.

Foundation costs are a major financial risk factor, but you can quantify and limit them now. Also, check with potentially several disposal sites regarding excavation waste disposal and whether a LAGA report (chemical soil analysis) is required for a reasonable disposal price. You are in the fortunate position (finally one!) to clarify this in advance.

Also, please check with your utility providers now about the costs of house connections (access for gas, water, electricity, sewage) and whether you need to install a cistern or similar. Clarify if you need an inspection chamber and what other requirements there are for drainage. Just schedule a consultation appointment with your provider (e.g. municipal utility company and building authority). They usually provide detailed help by appointment and can connect you to many contacts.

With this, you will have established essential basic conditions for a reasonably reliable estimate of additional construction costs, which will need to be refined later.

Then clarify what, how, and with whom you want to build (alternatives within the timeline: possible).

Once it is clear what kind of house (size, building method, insulation) you can afford, clarify the heating system. Whether or not you apply for KfW funding matters here; the Energy Saving Ordinance 100 is standard anyway.

With more facts becoming available step by step, people here (including myself) will certainly help with further tips.

Best regards
Thorsten