Hello everyone!
After reading quite a bit in this forum over the past few days about basements/livable basements/square meter costs, I thought it would be good to get your assessment of our building project.
In short: Are we imagining something here that doesn’t fit our budget?
Our basic conditions are still quite flexible since we are very early in the process and only submitted an application for the planned development area two months ago. However, it looks like there is a good chance to get a plot there; so maybe the allocation will start around mid/end of next year. The whole thing is planned in a rural area in NRW.
That’s basically it…although I really did not expect the issue of the livable basement to cause us such a headache.
We were thinking of a budget for the house of 300,000 to 350,000 euros. Not turnkey, but “almost finished” each. We planned to do the flooring ourselves, walls, etc. Mainly for the basement, since my father and I also finished our parents’ current basement ourselves. If the single-family house could then be delivered turnkey on top and everything still fits the budget: even better. Well… was that wishful thinking?
We have already received two initial offers and are waiting for two more. For both quotes, the basement alone was about 60,000 euros, with the costs for the livable basement reaching approximately 120,000 to 140,000 euros! Ouch!
In the end, both offers were at least 420,000 euros, and with the second offer, they even hinted at a starting price of “five digits” if certain cases occur.
Have we so badly underestimated with our 300-350k euro (for the house)? Do we have to accept that what we want simply isn’t feasible with these requirements?
After reading quite a bit in this forum over the past few days about basements/livable basements/square meter costs, I thought it would be good to get your assessment of our building project.
In short: Are we imagining something here that doesn’t fit our budget?
Our basic conditions are still quite flexible since we are very early in the process and only submitted an application for the planned development area two months ago. However, it looks like there is a good chance to get a plot there; so maybe the allocation will start around mid/end of next year. The whole thing is planned in a rural area in NRW.
- The plan is for a 1.5-story single-family house with a basement apartment
- The building site is on a slope
- The basement will be for the parents, with a living area of 80sqm (860 sq ft). An additional 10sqm (110 sq ft) is planned as utility space (technical room, storage)
- Above that, as mentioned, a 1.5-story single-family house with about 120sqm (1,290 sq ft)
- The basement should slightly protrude to the south (towards the slope) to provide a small terrace for the ground floor
- We don’t have to pay for the land since the parents are covering that. Still, we expect to pay a typical two-thirds rent (+ rent for a parking space = at least 500€). That’s already nice
- Oh yes: both parts will be prefabricated. Due to various circumstances, the rather fixed and well-planned time frames for “when everything will be ready” are important to all of us.
That’s basically it…although I really did not expect the issue of the livable basement to cause us such a headache.
We were thinking of a budget for the house of 300,000 to 350,000 euros. Not turnkey, but “almost finished” each. We planned to do the flooring ourselves, walls, etc. Mainly for the basement, since my father and I also finished our parents’ current basement ourselves. If the single-family house could then be delivered turnkey on top and everything still fits the budget: even better. Well… was that wishful thinking?
We have already received two initial offers and are waiting for two more. For both quotes, the basement alone was about 60,000 euros, with the costs for the livable basement reaching approximately 120,000 to 140,000 euros! Ouch!
In the end, both offers were at least 420,000 euros, and with the second offer, they even hinted at a starting price of “five digits” if certain cases occur.
Have we so badly underestimated with our 300-350k euro (for the house)? Do we have to accept that what we want simply isn’t feasible with these requirements?
B
Bauexperte8 Aug 2016 11:24Hello Jan,
Best regards, Bauexperte
Wissi schrieb:How is the basement supposed to have over 90 sqm (970 sq ft) of floor space when the ground floor above it only has about 65 sqm (700 sq ft)?
- The basement is intended for the parents to move in and will have a living area of 80sqm (860 sq ft). Another 10 sqm (110 sq ft) are planned as utility space (technical room, storage).
- Above that, as mentioned, a one-and-a-half-story single-family house with approximately 120sqm (1,290 sq ft).
Wissi schrieb:I see — an expensive solution, since the "small" terrace (missing sqm for the secondary apartment) probably won't be that small after all; then again, "small" is relative.
- The basement should protrude slightly to the south (towards the slope) to provide a small terrace for the ground floor.
Wissi schrieb:At present, a traditionally built single-family house is ready to move in faster than the building shell of a prefabricated house.
Oh yes: Both structures are prefabricated. Due to various circumstances, the rather fixed and therefore plannable timeframes for “when everything is completed” are important to all of us.
Wissi schrieb:With few exceptions, customers of prefab house providers purchase the basement separately. Looking at what you have planned regarding the living basement, I would estimate it will cost you around €100,000 to €120,000. Including the protruding basement, terrace installation, exterior plaster on exposed masonry, protection against rising damp and groundwater seepage, and the setup as a secondary apartment. Then add about €195,000 for the single-family house (prefabs tend to be more expensive), plus additional construction costs, plus painting and flooring work you do yourself, plus a garage, plus landscaping, plus a contingency fund for extras. It will be at least €400,000 in total.
The plan was for a budget for the house of 300,000 to 350,000 euros. Not turnkey, but “almost finished” in each case. Installing flooring yourself, painting walls, etc... We have already received two initial offers... in both, the basement amounted to roughly 60,000 €. Then the costs for the living basement came on top of that. Those were about 120,000 to 140,000 euros! Ouch!
In the end, both offers were at least 420,000, and with the second offer, they even mentioned sometimes “the 5 in front” if certain cases applied.
Have we underestimated with our 300-350k € (for the house)? Do you have to say that such a project is simply not feasible with the requirements mentioned?
Wissi schrieb:The interesting question remains: where do you intend to get the missing 25 sqm (270 sq ft) for the secondary apartment in the living basement?
Thanks for your feedback so far!
For cost reasons, we could also step back from this and just build a normal balcony instead.
Best regards, Bauexperte
B
Bauexperte8 Aug 2016 11:26Mirco schrieb:
Since we are planning something similar next year, I am also a bit surprised. I thought a basement in a hillside location would be cheaper than the living space in the upper floors.Wrong assumption!With a hillside location, it does make sense to develop the basement – alternatively, you spend a lot of money on backfilling – so either way, it is not a cheap option.
Regards, Bauexperte
80m² (860 ft²) of living space plus 10m² (110 ft²) of utility space on the ground floor plus 120m² (1,290 ft²) of living space upstairs results in a total of 210m² (2,260 ft²).
At a cost of 1700 euros per m², that comes to 357,000 euros excluding the usual additional expenses.
Why does everyone assume that a basement is cheaper than above-ground living space? What does a finished basement require less of? I would say it actually requires more (waterproofing, earthworks, etc.). Or should my house be cheaper if I just fill it in with soil?
At a cost of 1700 euros per m², that comes to 357,000 euros excluding the usual additional expenses.
Why does everyone assume that a basement is cheaper than above-ground living space? What does a finished basement require less of? I would say it actually requires more (waterproofing, earthworks, etc.). Or should my house be cheaper if I just fill it in with soil?
Jochen104 schrieb:
Why does everyone assume that a basement is cheaper than above-ground living space? Maybe because building upwards is more strictly regulated and usually limited in height. If you’re also planning for the parents, you usually don’t want to place them in the attic.
Of course, there are good concepts, such as having two residential units side by side on the ground floor and the attic for the homeowners themselves.
The interesting question remains: where are you going to find the missing 25 sqm (270 sq ft) for the granny flat in the basement?Well, if you only knew!
No, the 120 sqm (1,290 sq ft) is our minimum requirement. Roughly speaking, we were thinking of an external width of about 10 m (33 ft) to provide the parents with a minimum window area. As I said, we are still at the very beginning and want to see where this journey might lead and what is feasible.
[...] plus detached garage, plus landscaping, plus reserves for extras. It will be at least 400,000 euros. Again here: The mentioned budget was set only for the house (including basement). No garage, no landscaping, no reserves, no extras! That does not mean that these items are not part of the plan (within the overall budget).
Oh, I almost forgot:
Currently, a solidly built single-family house is ready to move into faster than the shell of a prefabricated house is erected Here I did not mean the total construction time, but specific deadlines (2 to 4 days) in which a prefabricated house plus basement can be "completed" onsite.
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