Hello, a small family from Bavaria dreaming of their own home... A few years ago, I wanted to renovate a house from the 1970s, completely gut it and update it to modern standards (trained HVAC technician)... Nowadays, I believe (due to house prices) building new almost comes out the same price and you get something brand new... We are considering building a solid (masonry) house fully finished (Turnkey), (Town & Country, etc.)
The land is quite secure...
The question is turnkey or shell house (more money vs. more time invested)
Doing work yourself is definitely a must for me, every tradesperson understands that... (either way, the question is to what extent)
Plumbing, heating, electrical would be no problem... I can also do tiling, drywall, have a screeding contractor, master electrician, and plasterer available...
I also think that with self-building you can avoid poor workmanship by observing drying times, selecting materials carefully, etc.
My question is, who has already extensively completed a shell house themselves...
Is there a comparison to a turnkey offer? (savings)
Does anyone have a list of all the tasks for self-performed work in a shell house? (for budgeting)
Would anyone later prefer to build turnkey with some self-performed work?
You don’t read much here about shell houses... but maybe there is a tradesperson here who has wrestled with the same considerations...
...
We don’t really have any time pressure as we currently live rent-free, but we want something of our own, and if that’s the case, we would spend every free minute working on it. Of course, no one can replace the time you then don’t get to spend with your family...
I’m looking forward to your answers!
The land is quite secure...
The question is turnkey or shell house (more money vs. more time invested)
Doing work yourself is definitely a must for me, every tradesperson understands that... (either way, the question is to what extent)
Plumbing, heating, electrical would be no problem... I can also do tiling, drywall, have a screeding contractor, master electrician, and plasterer available...
I also think that with self-building you can avoid poor workmanship by observing drying times, selecting materials carefully, etc.
My question is, who has already extensively completed a shell house themselves...
Is there a comparison to a turnkey offer? (savings)
Does anyone have a list of all the tasks for self-performed work in a shell house? (for budgeting)
Would anyone later prefer to build turnkey with some self-performed work?
You don’t read much here about shell houses... but maybe there is a tradesperson here who has wrestled with the same considerations...
...
We don’t really have any time pressure as we currently live rent-free, but we want something of our own, and if that’s the case, we would spend every free minute working on it. Of course, no one can replace the time you then don’t get to spend with your family...
I’m looking forward to your answers!
In that case, I would really recommend approaching small companies rather than large ones. You need flexibility. A carpentry or masonry company that, apart from extensions and garages, builds about three houses a year can offer this better. Taking out individual trades and then putting them back in doesn’t fit into the workflow of large construction firms.
Yvonne, you are looking at this too negatively. Most people in this forum approach things logically, and in the new residential areas of Schleswig-Holstein, there are plenty of self-builders.
With your knowledge and contacts, I would recommend this approach: Talk to a master bricklayer who can design and cost the shell structure and build it for you, ideally including the roof and windows. Then you take over and handle the rest yourself. Local banks and savings banks will finance this based on invoices and photos of the construction progress if you have a good relationship with them. Warranty? Forget about it. Your firefighter friend won’t cut corners for you, and even if he did, in your circle you wouldn’t need paperwork to get him to fix it—it’s a matter of honor.
This is how my neighbor just across the street built a proud house for 150,000 and only took 7 to 8 months. How else should a carpenter’s assistant get into homeownership? It’s this way or not at all. K.
With your knowledge and contacts, I would recommend this approach: Talk to a master bricklayer who can design and cost the shell structure and build it for you, ideally including the roof and windows. Then you take over and handle the rest yourself. Local banks and savings banks will finance this based on invoices and photos of the construction progress if you have a good relationship with them. Warranty? Forget about it. Your firefighter friend won’t cut corners for you, and even if he did, in your circle you wouldn’t need paperwork to get him to fix it—it’s a matter of honor.
This is how my neighbor just across the street built a proud house for 150,000 and only took 7 to 8 months. How else should a carpenter’s assistant get into homeownership? It’s this way or not at all. K.
Nordlys schrieb:
Yvonne, you are seeing this too negatively. That came across the wrong way.
ypg schrieb:
That might be because, I was only explaining why there is so little discussion about shell-and-core houses here.
Unfortunately, since the last update, my phone also cuts off lines while typing... so I wanted to write here:
ypg schrieb:
Others do doors or attic conversions in addition to the now standard electrical installations of the floor coverings and painting work. ...but they don’t call it a shell-and-core house.
The conditions are good, so I recommend a custom architect-designed house, not a general contractor (GC) package.
Because a GC package is only beneficial if you appreciate its advantages.
And I do not see those advantages in a self-build project.
hanse987 schrieb:
As Nordlys describes, this is still often the case in our rural area of Bavaria. It is becoming increasingly rare, but it is not yet unusual.
P
pffreestyler10 Dec 2019 14:22In our new development area, every second house is built this way. However, for about 90% of these people, the word "forum" is rather unfamiliar. That’s why you rarely read about such a project here.
Typical approach: The master mason is authorized to use templates and works with an engineer for structural calculations and energy-saving regulations. The building permit/planning permission is basically guaranteed. For the rest, he recommends companies he knows from previous collaborations. If needed, you can get multiple quotes or do it yourself. You have to be aware that these are mostly standard houses, without any extraordinary features or innovative aspects. However, the craftsmen usually know each other, communicate across trades, and are accessible.
And believe me, living in such houses is actually quite comfortable. Everyone so far has been more than satisfied, and some here even get emotional about the price per square meter.
Typical approach: The master mason is authorized to use templates and works with an engineer for structural calculations and energy-saving regulations. The building permit/planning permission is basically guaranteed. For the rest, he recommends companies he knows from previous collaborations. If needed, you can get multiple quotes or do it yourself. You have to be aware that these are mostly standard houses, without any extraordinary features or innovative aspects. However, the craftsmen usually know each other, communicate across trades, and are accessible.
And believe me, living in such houses is actually quite comfortable. Everyone so far has been more than satisfied, and some here even get emotional about the price per square meter.