ᐅ Building Without Stress – Who Has Tips or Experiences on How to Achieve This?

86bibo schrieb:
Even though thousands of houses are built every year, overall it’s still quite a complex undertaking,

This becomes even more true during times when tens of thousands of houses are being built. In that sense, it might actually be relieving to wait for the boom to end. Right now, there's a lot of stress caused by the workload, where the eighth person isn’t immediately available after the seventh to complete their task. More time pressure leads to more careless work, and full order books also push prices up (= more stress later when paying off the loan because it was more expensive).

markus2703 schrieb:
I can often only smile at the reports of hours worked by the homeowners themselves here.

These usually come from desk workers who take their initial burst of energy under ideal conditions—where the hands-on work actually relaxes them and they took time off for it—and simply extrapolate that 1:1 over the long term and any additional work they do after regular hours. It feels like with the strength of the first week you build the entire subdivision alone, but in reality the breaks for catching your breath become more frequent, until three years pass between setting up the scaffolding for the exterior plaster and the last planting ring. And all the while, the hardware store ads made it look so easy.

---

https://www.instagram.com/11antgmxde/
https://www.linkedin.com/company/bauen-jetzt/

Doing some work yourself can definitely be a great thing, but no matter how much or how little, doing work yourself and stress-free cannot be used in the same sentence.

The original poster can take away from this: no DIY = less stress.

Thank you very much for the numerous responses.

I will try to briefly summarize:
Less stress through
- careful selection of the general contractor (GC) based on conversations with previous clients, online research, and good chemistry (or alternatively a competent architect who takes on site management)
- building expert, also carefully chosen, preferably local (short distance, has reputation to maintain)
- plenty of money
- sufficient time to study and understand the subject
- regular site inspections or letting the GC handle it and personally staying less involved and not getting stressed if not everything is perfect
- doing some work yourself or none at all—opinions differ widely on this

Thanks again for all the contributions!

It still feels too general to me.
A common source of self-imposed stress is underestimating costs and planning too little construction time. Allow yourself nine months of build time, and plan thoroughly—including driveway, garden, lighting, plants, and so on.
External stress often comes from the contractors. The solution is to hire a general contractor (GC) who has, first, a good reputation, and second, does most work in-house and uses few subcontractors. This helps ensure a smooth process. For example, our GC handled everything except plumbing, heating, electrical, painting, and flooring. But he always works with the same companies for these trades. Everything progressed in sync that way.
Another way to avoid stress is being present on site, talking with the workers, giving small tips, providing drinks and food.
This builds a sense of community and motivates everyone to work well.
Karsten

I think it’s very important that partners are in agreement about the direction of the project. My husband and I are still far from building a house (at least 3 years, more likely 5 to 6), but we have already started studying the subject, figuring out what we want and what we consider unnecessary.

If you only start thinking about it at the last minute, especially if you have set a target date like starting in June, and the two of you can’t agree on the floor plan (aside from what’s discussed in forums), having a lot of money won’t help :P

This can cause problems with everything:
- How the house will look, both inside and outside
- Which staircase feels the most comfortable
- Whether the husband might want a private space, especially considering his career and plans for children
- Whether to build for now or for old age
- What kind of flooring should be installed

Agreeing on these points can help keep stress levels low and avoid ongoing arguments over every decision.

j.bautsch schrieb:

All of this can help keep stress levels low if everyone agrees and you don’t have to argue over every decision.

That is basically true, but on the other hand, so many detailed questions come up during the final planning stage that there is still plenty of room for discussion.

Furthermore, tastes, trends, and personal needs change over time. I think it’s good that you’re already thinking ahead and that some factors (such as the orientation of the rooms in relation to the cardinal directions) remain constant. Ultimately, the plot of land plays a huge role, as well as the budget, which is often difficult to estimate at this point.

Fifteen years ago, I would definitely have wanted a basement bar; today, it would more likely be a home theater room. In ten years, I might prefer a wellness room with a sauna and whirlpool or a room with a fireplace, armchairs, a minibar, and a library. So it’s not that simple. Likewise, right now, I’d probably choose wood-look tiles for the bathroom, but in fifteen years, that trend will probably be completely out of style—just like the very minimalistic look today (white-painted walls without wallpaper, large anthracite-colored tiles, etc.). In a few years, the "natural style" might come back, with exposed beams and lots of wood. Perhaps by then, building plots will be so scarce that three-story designs become more common, or land might become cheaper, making large bungalows feasible. I find it difficult to plan that far in advance.

On the other hand, my wife and I have very different opinions on many things, such as interior design and fittings. Ultimately, though, we have always found a compromise that we both really like. It always comes down to how you communicate with each other and, of course, with the builders and tradespeople.