ᐅ Prefabricated House Planning: Initial Meetings Scheduled
Created on: 10 Jun 2019 19:37
B
BauherrRookie
Hello dear community,
We (24 and 23 years old) no longer want to pay off someone else’s mortgage, so we have decided to invest in our own property. This has always been our wish. Since building a house ourselves seems too complicated, a prefab house appears to be a very good alternative.
As I only finished my studies this year and my partner completed her apprenticeship last year, our equity is understandably very limited. We have a bank appointment next month. We scheduled the meeting to run the numbers with the bank and see what is actually possible. Of course, we will also obtain comparison offers.
At a prefab house exhibition, we got in touch with a consultant, and we arranged an appointment with him for the end of the month. His idea is that we present something to take to the bank for calculations. We also informed the consultant that we do not yet own a plot of land. While the company does not broker properties, they can assist us in the search.
Regarding location, we are very flexible. Everything between Stuttgart and 30km (19 miles) north is an option. A train connection should be available at most one town over. We plan for 140 - 160 square meters (1,500 - 1,700 square feet), ideally with a basement and a small garden. We assume that a 300 square meter (3,230 square feet) plot would be sufficient. Most likely, a carport or garage would be added later. We expect the total budget to be around 500,000 euros (about $540,000 USD). This would need to include the plot and additional construction-related costs.
We know that verbal promises are nice but that everything should be put in writing. What tips can you give us for the consultation with the prefab house provider? What should we definitely pay attention to?
How do you evaluate our plans given the circumstances?
What advice do you have regarding the property? (We hear that it can be difficult to get land through municipalities, so we are hoping the consultant can support us here.)
How did you ensure that good contact with the prefab house company was maintained afterward? (We often read that contact becomes scarce after signing.)
Does the help with finding a plot sound realistic? The consultant said it might even be possible to find one within 2-3 months.
What costs should we keep in mind? (Prefab house, plot, additional construction-related costs, property transfer tax / stamp duty, notary, possibly furniture and kitchen, etc.) Should we also plan a 10% contingency even if it is a fixed price?
I have not mentioned the name of the provider yet, as I am not sure if that would count as advertising.
Best regards
We (24 and 23 years old) no longer want to pay off someone else’s mortgage, so we have decided to invest in our own property. This has always been our wish. Since building a house ourselves seems too complicated, a prefab house appears to be a very good alternative.
As I only finished my studies this year and my partner completed her apprenticeship last year, our equity is understandably very limited. We have a bank appointment next month. We scheduled the meeting to run the numbers with the bank and see what is actually possible. Of course, we will also obtain comparison offers.
At a prefab house exhibition, we got in touch with a consultant, and we arranged an appointment with him for the end of the month. His idea is that we present something to take to the bank for calculations. We also informed the consultant that we do not yet own a plot of land. While the company does not broker properties, they can assist us in the search.
Regarding location, we are very flexible. Everything between Stuttgart and 30km (19 miles) north is an option. A train connection should be available at most one town over. We plan for 140 - 160 square meters (1,500 - 1,700 square feet), ideally with a basement and a small garden. We assume that a 300 square meter (3,230 square feet) plot would be sufficient. Most likely, a carport or garage would be added later. We expect the total budget to be around 500,000 euros (about $540,000 USD). This would need to include the plot and additional construction-related costs.
We know that verbal promises are nice but that everything should be put in writing. What tips can you give us for the consultation with the prefab house provider? What should we definitely pay attention to?
How do you evaluate our plans given the circumstances?
What advice do you have regarding the property? (We hear that it can be difficult to get land through municipalities, so we are hoping the consultant can support us here.)
How did you ensure that good contact with the prefab house company was maintained afterward? (We often read that contact becomes scarce after signing.)
Does the help with finding a plot sound realistic? The consultant said it might even be possible to find one within 2-3 months.
What costs should we keep in mind? (Prefab house, plot, additional construction-related costs, property transfer tax / stamp duty, notary, possibly furniture and kitchen, etc.) Should we also plan a 10% contingency even if it is a fixed price?
I have not mentioned the name of the provider yet, as I am not sure if that would count as advertising.
Best regards
B
BauherrRookie10 Jun 2019 22:03Thanks for the answers.
@ypg I agree with your numbers. However, our expectations were to get a more realistic picture this way and to better understand what lies ahead. Regarding the land price, of course, it depends heavily on the location and can’t be generalized, but in our area, you have to expect 200 to 400 euros per square meter (about 19 to 37 dollars per square foot).
No, we are not mentally tied to the company; we would rather get several comparisons.
@HilfeHilfe Unfortunately, the situation with land is more limited compared to other regions. It’s not just about money; of course, what the market offers is also important. Building a house of that size should still be possible, as someone we know managed it on a similarly sized plot.
@ypg I agree with your numbers. However, our expectations were to get a more realistic picture this way and to better understand what lies ahead. Regarding the land price, of course, it depends heavily on the location and can’t be generalized, but in our area, you have to expect 200 to 400 euros per square meter (about 19 to 37 dollars per square foot).
No, we are not mentally tied to the company; we would rather get several comparisons.
@HilfeHilfe Unfortunately, the situation with land is more limited compared to other regions. It’s not just about money; of course, what the market offers is also important. Building a house of that size should still be possible, as someone we know managed it on a similarly sized plot.
hampshire schrieb:
I think it’s great that you are so ambitious at such (sorry) a young age.The entire planning process, from the very beginning up to moving in, should be viewed as a single project that can be enjoyed over several years if needed. Of course, it gets frustrating at times not being able to find a suitable plot of land. But phase two alone can easily take a year or more. During this time, you gain practical knowledge about prefabricated houses, building with a general contractor or architect, questionable real estate agents, soil surveys, and how to fully explore potential zoning regulations and development plans. Throughout this period, your opinions will change, and you will learn more about yourself as well... This is all a positive experience—I find this process especially valuable, even more so than rushing into homeownership.
B
BauherrRookie10 Jun 2019 22:13@opalau the other way around. Naturally, both options have their pros and cons. However, building a house in the traditional "brick by brick" way doesn’t seem right for us. Here
@hampshire yes, which is why I was surprised by the advisor’s statement that the land search could be completed in 2-3 months. I completely agree with you about trying through contacts!
We will remain non-committal! Thanks for the food for thought and recommendations shared so far.
@hampshire yes, which is why I was surprised by the advisor’s statement that the land search could be completed in 2-3 months. I completely agree with you about trying through contacts!
We will remain non-committal! Thanks for the food for thought and recommendations shared so far.
BauherrRookie schrieb:
However, our expectation was to get a more realistic picture this way and to better understand what to expect. You are dealing with salespeople! They have their tactic to get a signed contract, that is, to sell a house costing about 350,000 without you even having a plot of land.
And the plots of land are neither dug up nor created by a house builder themselves.
BauherrRookie schrieb:
Regarding the price of land, it obviously depends strongly on the location and cannot be generalized. However, in our area, you have to expect 200 to 400 euros per square meter (approx. 19 to 37 USD per square foot). Anyone who can do their calculations as a future homeowner here ...
BauherrRookie schrieb:
Unfortunately, the situation regarding land is leaner than in other regions. It’s not just about money; of course, what the market offers also matters. Building a house of this size should still be possible; it has worked for acquaintances with a similarly sized plot. The market has no land, neither in the desired size nor at a price people want to pay, nor specifically for self-builders. Therefore, look for options starting from 100.
BauherrRookie schrieb:
However, building a house in the traditional way, "brick by brick," does not seem to be the right choice for us. Here Why?
BauherrRookie schrieb:
We (24 and 23) no longer want to pay off other people’s loans, which is why we want to invest in our own property. Paying rent for a few more years can be a good investment—especially if you use that time wisely to gain personal living experience, gather ideas for building, observe both the successful and problematic construction details in other people’s homes, and so on. “The first house is built for an enemy” is very likely at your age. Having children soon can also greatly help to shape realistic housing needs.
Anyone who dismisses this advice outright might be in for some mitigating circumstances. Finding a plot of land near Stuttgart within two to three months requires the connections of Don Häberle and the devil’s grandmother combined—even with a generous budget.
https://www.instagram.com/11antgmxde/
https://www.linkedin.com/company/bauen-jetzt/