Good evening!
I come from the Tübingen district and I am 27 years old. My wife and I have now received confirmation for our desired plot, which we will buy in the next few days. Now the planning for the actual house begins.
I am a complete beginner and have browsed this forum a bit, but it’s overwhelming. All the information drives me crazy and discourages me; I don’t even know where to start!
We don’t have a huge budget and want to build with a construction company such as Heinz von Heiden, Town & Country, or Scanhaus Marlow. Some kind of builder that is not the most expensive but still delivers good quality work, preferably solid construction. There are good and bad reviews about every builder online, so I won’t even ask here for recommendations, right?
What I have found out so far are the following hidden costs: (House only, no landscaping)
On top of the “turnkey price,” I have to calculate:
1. About 25,000€ (27,500 USD) additional construction costs
2. Kitchen
3. Lighting fixtures
4. Own work, usually: flooring/wall work + materials
5. Basically add about 20,000€ (22,000 USD) for selections to the stated “turnkey price” because the standard is often too basic
I need to pay attention to the construction description included with “turnkey”:
1. Is triple glazing included?
2. What standard is installed?
3. Heat pump, etc.?
4. What extras do I want + what does all that cost?
I would like to know now:
1. What is the best way to proceed? I want to schedule appointments with the companies mentioned above. How do I best prepare for meetings with these somewhat opaque builders?
2. What other hidden costs should I watch out for that I haven’t mentioned or don’t know yet?
3. What must the house absolutely have in terms of “equipment”/standard?
An example of how I calculate:
House standard turnkey: about 170,000€ (187,000 USD)
Selections: about 20,000€ (22,000 USD)
Additional construction costs: about 25,000€ (27,500 USD)
Flooring + wall materials: about 6,000€ (6,600 USD)
Kitchen: about 15,000€ (16,500 USD)
Lighting: about 3,000€ (3,300 USD)
Financial buffer: about 5,000€ (5,500 USD)
= 244,000€ (269,000 USD)
Is this correct? Am I missing anything? Do I need to add anything else, if yes, what?
I would really appreciate your help!
Best regards
I come from the Tübingen district and I am 27 years old. My wife and I have now received confirmation for our desired plot, which we will buy in the next few days. Now the planning for the actual house begins.
I am a complete beginner and have browsed this forum a bit, but it’s overwhelming. All the information drives me crazy and discourages me; I don’t even know where to start!
We don’t have a huge budget and want to build with a construction company such as Heinz von Heiden, Town & Country, or Scanhaus Marlow. Some kind of builder that is not the most expensive but still delivers good quality work, preferably solid construction. There are good and bad reviews about every builder online, so I won’t even ask here for recommendations, right?
What I have found out so far are the following hidden costs: (House only, no landscaping)
On top of the “turnkey price,” I have to calculate:
1. About 25,000€ (27,500 USD) additional construction costs
2. Kitchen
3. Lighting fixtures
4. Own work, usually: flooring/wall work + materials
5. Basically add about 20,000€ (22,000 USD) for selections to the stated “turnkey price” because the standard is often too basic
I need to pay attention to the construction description included with “turnkey”:
1. Is triple glazing included?
2. What standard is installed?
3. Heat pump, etc.?
4. What extras do I want + what does all that cost?
I would like to know now:
1. What is the best way to proceed? I want to schedule appointments with the companies mentioned above. How do I best prepare for meetings with these somewhat opaque builders?
2. What other hidden costs should I watch out for that I haven’t mentioned or don’t know yet?
3. What must the house absolutely have in terms of “equipment”/standard?
An example of how I calculate:
House standard turnkey: about 170,000€ (187,000 USD)
Selections: about 20,000€ (22,000 USD)
Additional construction costs: about 25,000€ (27,500 USD)
Flooring + wall materials: about 6,000€ (6,600 USD)
Kitchen: about 15,000€ (16,500 USD)
Lighting: about 3,000€ (3,300 USD)
Financial buffer: about 5,000€ (5,500 USD)
= 244,000€ (269,000 USD)
Is this correct? Am I missing anything? Do I need to add anything else, if yes, what?
I would really appreciate your help!
Best regards
P
Peanuts7412 Aug 2016 08:43Hoeffa schrieb:
Hey @Schwabenland,
With the Association of Private Homeowners, you can purchase comprehensive services that help you review construction contracts and work specifications. At the same time, you can arrange appointments with an independent expert.
Whether all this is always necessary is a common debate. Do I need construction performance insurance? You only find out afterward if you actually needed it.
There are certainly several threads here that deal with legal reviews and construction inspections. How much you want to pay for it and whether you want it at all is up to you.
Regarding the space/house.
We are also building without a basement. When we received the offer for that, we were really surprised by the price. We solved it with an attic (for things like Christmas decorations or similar) and especially with a large garage (6 x 9 m (20 x 30 ft)). Two prefabricated garages side by side create a double garage (of course without a dividing wall), and at the back, a garage is attached perpendicular. That means you have a whole garage for stuff that won’t fit in the house and isn’t too sensitive (tools, car tires, etc.). How much did the three garages cost fully installed?
I’m being straightforward: they will get a standard single bed. If they want a larger one, they will have to clear out some stuff. If the room feels too crowded for them, they’ll need to sort things out. Bulky items will either go on top of the wardrobe or into the garage/attic. Our paintball gear will also be stored there.
They will only get a sofa in the room if they give up the bed for it.
They can play with friends outside. In bad weather, they can extend to the hallway. Otherwise, there is always the living room. If they don’t like that, they will have to play at friends’ houses, who hopefully have a bigger room.
They will only get a sofa in the room if they give up the bed for it.
They can play with friends outside. In bad weather, they can extend to the hallway. Otherwise, there is always the living room. If they don’t like that, they will have to play at friends’ houses, who hopefully have a bigger room.
Peanuts74 schrieb:
As mentioned, in the past, several children used to share a room like this. However, especially during the teenage years, they might want a bigger bed, a couch with a table, and a slightly larger wardrobe. Depending on what they are studying, they may also need some space for their training or education. At times, I only had about a 10m² (108 sq ft) room, and it was terrible—here the tennis bag blocks the way, you can barely get through, and everything is just piled up. Cleaning such a room is dreadful... When children are small and have friends over, you might not want them in the living room, and later it could be the other way around—they want some private space. Therefore, I would rather take the 5-10m² (54-108 sq ft) for two children's rooms from the living room, even though I also like having a spacious living area...I see it similarly. I had a 15m² (162 sq ft) room (okay, until I was 9, I shared 10m² (108 sq ft) with my sister) and was very happy with that. Still, there was no unused space, and my bed was never wider than 1m (3.3 ft). Nowadays, children already have 1.4m (4.6 ft) beds by age 10. That takes up the first 3m² (32 sq ft) just for the bed. On top of that, you need a desk and a wardrobe, which takes another 2.5m² (27 sq ft). A sofa definitely won’t fit anymore, and if the child plays an instrument, space will get very tight. But everyone’s planning and lifestyle are different, and there’s no better or worse. You should just think it through carefully beforehand. I have two siblings and get along great with them. However, there might have been some hurt feelings if we had to play in the same room together sometimes.
P
Peanuts7412 Aug 2016 09:33Evolith schrieb:
I’m being straightforward here: they will get a regular single bed. If they want a bigger one, they’ll have to get rid of something. If they find the room too cluttered, they have to downsize. Bulky items will either go on top of the wardrobe or into the garage/attic. That’s also where our paintball gear will be stored.
They will only get a sofa in the room if they give up the bed for it.
They can play with friends outside. In bad weather, they can extend into the hallway. Otherwise, there’s the living room. If they don’t like that, they’ll have to play at friends’ houses—hopefully those have bigger rooms. Okay, that’s one way to do it. I find it a bit selfish, especially if the overall size of the house allows for it—I personally wouldn’t want to give up a 5m² (54 ft²) living room...
It’s a mystery to me why priorities vary so much and arguments like “it used to be fine that way” are brought up.
In the past, 5sqm (54 sq ft) bathrooms were common, and that was accepted. Similarly, 6sqm (65 sq ft) kitchens were typical and worked fine back then. People used to have...
Children’s rooms should be among the most important spaces in a home. Of course, little ones also enjoy playing in the living room and other areas, but using that as a reason to build a 50sqm (538 sq ft) living room, a 20sqm (215 sq ft) bedroom, and only a 10sqm (108 sq ft) children’s room — well, that’s questionable. Also, placing the children’s room in the worst location in the house, with the bedroom facing the garden and the children’s room at the back — in my opinion, this is no longer appropriate.
If you can’t afford to build as large as you’d like, that’s completely understandable. But dedicating any additional space exclusively to the living room and bedroom is not my preference.
In the past, 5sqm (54 sq ft) bathrooms were common, and that was accepted. Similarly, 6sqm (65 sq ft) kitchens were typical and worked fine back then. People used to have...
Children’s rooms should be among the most important spaces in a home. Of course, little ones also enjoy playing in the living room and other areas, but using that as a reason to build a 50sqm (538 sq ft) living room, a 20sqm (215 sq ft) bedroom, and only a 10sqm (108 sq ft) children’s room — well, that’s questionable. Also, placing the children’s room in the worst location in the house, with the bedroom facing the garden and the children’s room at the back — in my opinion, this is no longer appropriate.
If you can’t afford to build as large as you’d like, that’s completely understandable. But dedicating any additional space exclusively to the living room and bedroom is not my preference.
Yes, I’m being selfish here. I’m building the house for myself and my husband. The children will be out in at most 20 years. Then I’ll have large rooms that I don’t really need in that size.
@Tego: Our bedroom is 12 square meters (130 square feet), so it’s just slightly larger than one of the children’s rooms. We will spend more time in the garden in the evenings. There, I want to be able to have a normal conversation without whispering because the children might not be able to sleep otherwise. And a bad location? Both rooms face the forest. It could have been worse.
Everyone prioritizes the importance of their rooms differently. We all mostly use the bedrooms just for sleeping. The children spend most of their time in the living room.
We planned the house exactly how we need it, not how others would like it.
@Tego: Our bedroom is 12 square meters (130 square feet), so it’s just slightly larger than one of the children’s rooms. We will spend more time in the garden in the evenings. There, I want to be able to have a normal conversation without whispering because the children might not be able to sleep otherwise. And a bad location? Both rooms face the forest. It could have been worse.
Everyone prioritizes the importance of their rooms differently. We all mostly use the bedrooms just for sleeping. The children spend most of their time in the living room.
We planned the house exactly how we need it, not how others would like it.
Similar topics