Hello! We are in the very early planning stage of our single-family house. Without adding specific connections and electrical planning details yet, we created a floor plan with doors and windows to roughly calculate all the areas. Below, I have listed some cost estimates for which I am quite uncertain and would appreciate some advice.
The plan is to build a single-family house in Brandenburg (near Berlin) with a built-up area of 11.7m * 10.37m (38.4 ft * 34 ft) including a basement with a waterproof concrete shell ("white tank"). The construction style is solid with a high-quality clinker brick facade (with a distinctive color rather than a standard red tone). In terms of energy measures, besides the solid two-shell construction with good insulation (e.g., mineral wool) and correspondingly insulated roof, basement/foundation slab, and windows, only a geothermal heat pump will be installed, which is very well suited for this region (constant year-round ground temperature above 10°C (50°F) from 25m (82 ft) depth). From a cost-benefit perspective, I am not very enthusiastic about photovoltaic or solar thermal systems. Also, we do not want a mechanical ventilation system or similar because we have found them all disturbingly noisy so far (including the one in our current rental apartment), at least I do; my fiancée is a bit less sensitive.
I would now like some feedback on how realistic these estimates are:
Deep drilling approximately 100 meters (328 ft) total = 3,900 EUR
Heat pump, e.g., geoTherm Plus with a seasonal performance factor above 4 = 7,000 EUR
Bamboo parquet approx. 190 m² (2,045 sq ft) = 5,700 EUR
Tiles (approx. 190 m²) including tiled walls and high-quality tiles in the entrance area = 7,600 EUR
Insulating material approx. 250 m² (2,691 sq ft) with 14 cm (5.5 in) thickness = 2,500 EUR
Facing bricks / clinker bricks approx. 250 m² = 7,500 EUR
Poroton perforated bricks + interior plaster approx. 250 m² = 12,500 EUR
Underfloor heating approx. 250 m² (including partial heating of basement rooms) = 12,500 EUR
Basement with waterproof concrete shell approx. 80 m² (861 sq ft) usable area = 60,000 EUR
Windows and doors, roughly 25 pieces = 8,750 EUR
Additional construction costs (utility connections to the street) excluding official fees and construction water/electricity = 15,000 EUR
Altogether, my calculation (which also includes furniture, energy consulting, and similar items) comes to just over 200,000 EUR in material costs. However, as I mentioned, I am still quite uncertain about some of the above estimates.
For labor costs (wages), I have assumed a maximum of 15 skilled workers over a construction period of up to 6 months (with a construction time guarantee) amounting to 180,000 EUR. Is this a realistic assumption? Are significantly more or fewer skilled workers usually involved?
How would you rate the Vaillant appliances?
Thank you in advance for any support!
The plan is to build a single-family house in Brandenburg (near Berlin) with a built-up area of 11.7m * 10.37m (38.4 ft * 34 ft) including a basement with a waterproof concrete shell ("white tank"). The construction style is solid with a high-quality clinker brick facade (with a distinctive color rather than a standard red tone). In terms of energy measures, besides the solid two-shell construction with good insulation (e.g., mineral wool) and correspondingly insulated roof, basement/foundation slab, and windows, only a geothermal heat pump will be installed, which is very well suited for this region (constant year-round ground temperature above 10°C (50°F) from 25m (82 ft) depth). From a cost-benefit perspective, I am not very enthusiastic about photovoltaic or solar thermal systems. Also, we do not want a mechanical ventilation system or similar because we have found them all disturbingly noisy so far (including the one in our current rental apartment), at least I do; my fiancée is a bit less sensitive.
I would now like some feedback on how realistic these estimates are:
Deep drilling approximately 100 meters (328 ft) total = 3,900 EUR
Heat pump, e.g., geoTherm Plus with a seasonal performance factor above 4 = 7,000 EUR
Bamboo parquet approx. 190 m² (2,045 sq ft) = 5,700 EUR
Tiles (approx. 190 m²) including tiled walls and high-quality tiles in the entrance area = 7,600 EUR
Insulating material approx. 250 m² (2,691 sq ft) with 14 cm (5.5 in) thickness = 2,500 EUR
Facing bricks / clinker bricks approx. 250 m² = 7,500 EUR
Poroton perforated bricks + interior plaster approx. 250 m² = 12,500 EUR
Underfloor heating approx. 250 m² (including partial heating of basement rooms) = 12,500 EUR
Basement with waterproof concrete shell approx. 80 m² (861 sq ft) usable area = 60,000 EUR
Windows and doors, roughly 25 pieces = 8,750 EUR
Additional construction costs (utility connections to the street) excluding official fees and construction water/electricity = 15,000 EUR
Altogether, my calculation (which also includes furniture, energy consulting, and similar items) comes to just over 200,000 EUR in material costs. However, as I mentioned, I am still quite uncertain about some of the above estimates.
For labor costs (wages), I have assumed a maximum of 15 skilled workers over a construction period of up to 6 months (with a construction time guarantee) amounting to 180,000 EUR. Is this a realistic assumption? Are significantly more or fewer skilled workers usually involved?
How would you rate the Vaillant appliances?
Thank you in advance for any support!
Thank you first of all for the detailed feedback. Here are a few points regarding my calculations.
For the drilling, I used the highest price per meter I found with a simple Google search. Purchasing the plot assumes that you won’t encounter any "extreme" soil layers. According to a real estate agent who sells many plots in the area, a soil report can be done at your own expense before the purchase.
For the €7000 (around $7,700) allocated to the heat pump, I chose an example model with high capacity including all materials.
The roof and stairs are not yet detailed enough, as I only made a very rough estimate here. I will probably need to reconsider these. A chimney on the roof is not planned, as only the heat pump will be used and no tiled stove for heating and domestic hot water. Or have I overlooked something that might require a chimney?
The front door seems expensive; I found examples on one side that already looked costly. I might need to adjust this upward if necessary.
Earthworks are included in the miscellaneous construction costs and assume soil class 3. We will do the driveway ourselves only if absolutely necessary.
What I really forgot was the cost for cable ducts/conduits inside the house.
Thanks again for the valuable tips and pointers on where I might be completely off. If I now get a concrete offer, I already have a better idea of what to expect.
For the drilling, I used the highest price per meter I found with a simple Google search. Purchasing the plot assumes that you won’t encounter any "extreme" soil layers. According to a real estate agent who sells many plots in the area, a soil report can be done at your own expense before the purchase.
For the €7000 (around $7,700) allocated to the heat pump, I chose an example model with high capacity including all materials.
The roof and stairs are not yet detailed enough, as I only made a very rough estimate here. I will probably need to reconsider these. A chimney on the roof is not planned, as only the heat pump will be used and no tiled stove for heating and domestic hot water. Or have I overlooked something that might require a chimney?
The front door seems expensive; I found examples on one side that already looked costly. I might need to adjust this upward if necessary.
Earthworks are included in the miscellaneous construction costs and assume soil class 3. We will do the driveway ourselves only if absolutely necessary.
What I really forgot was the cost for cable ducts/conduits inside the house.
Thanks again for the valuable tips and pointers on where I might be completely off. If I now get a concrete offer, I already have a better idea of what to expect.
P
perlenmann18 Jul 2012 07:59Sorry to interrupt here.
I find your approach quite questionable.
May I ask what your profession is? Do you really think I could provide you with all the typical costs in your field just by doing a simple internet search?
You should consult a professional (general contractor/architect). What you are doing is a waste of time. What good is it to know your costs now if in the end no one will build or supply at those prices?
I haven’t even looked at your prices in detail (I have no expertise there), but one thing caught my attention: where are the disposal costs for your excavation soil?
I find your approach quite questionable.
May I ask what your profession is? Do you really think I could provide you with all the typical costs in your field just by doing a simple internet search?
You should consult a professional (general contractor/architect). What you are doing is a waste of time. What good is it to know your costs now if in the end no one will build or supply at those prices?
I haven’t even looked at your prices in detail (I have no expertise there), but one thing caught my attention: where are the disposal costs for your excavation soil?
Do you think that with a [...] internet search, I could provide you with [...] costs that are common in your professional field?Clearly, yes.
What good is it to have your costs now if, in the end, no one builds or supplies at those prices?Quite simply, then it won’t be possible to build on the scale we want. However, in many areas, I can estimate how realistic the prices are.
Where are the disposal costs for your excavated soil?I have read the construction and service descriptions from several providers. They always mentioned something along the lines of “excavated soil is stored on the property.” Only if the property is too small will the soil be transported away at additional cost. I called the local building authority to ask if this is even allowed. It’s not a problem. What is still uncertain regarding additional costs is whether groundwater needs to be lowered for the excavation pit. This is an item that cannot be calculated accurately without a soil survey.
I definitely think it makes sense to research online before blindly signing a contract in full trust with a sales consultant or an architect you don’t know. Just as an example: When I read various building diaries reporting that a small team installs 200 m² (2,150 sq ft) of insulation in one day without defects, and then I find prices for insulation materials (quality products) around 10 EUR per m² (approximately $10 per sq yd) for the thickness offered, I expect costs around 3,500 EUR (about $3,850). If the price is significantly lower, I would ask what exactly is being installed. Are the workers legally employed? If the price is significantly higher, I would wonder what profit margin is actually being calculated. If I hadn’t informed myself beforehand, I would have no idea what such insulation actually costs or how much effort it takes to install it.
Just a question for other homeowners who are building with a general contractor (GC):
Were all individual prices for the trades listed in your contracts?
In my offers, there is always only the price for the house according to the scope of work, followed by the adjustment for extras or deductions.
Were all individual prices for the trades listed in your contracts?
In my offers, there is always only the price for the house according to the scope of work, followed by the adjustment for extras or deductions.
Musketier schrieb:
Just a question to other homeowners if you are working with a general contractor (GC):
Were all the individual prices for the trades listed separately for you?
In my quotes, there is only a total price for the house according to the scope of work, followed by adjustments for changes. Exactly like that... I’m not really interested in the prices for individual trades. I researched the approximate cost of a house beforehand and then compared different providers. In the end, what matters to me is the final price at the bottom right; how the construction company organizes it is irrelevant. If I want to know the details, I’d have to work with an architect. For the interior finishing, I did ask for individual prices because I could have contracted those myself. But honestly, it rarely made much difference—except for the flooring, which is definitely cheaper that way. I could also save some money on the interior doors, but it’s too stressful to look for another supplier just for a few hundred dollars.
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