ᐅ Build a Single-Family Home to KfW55 or Efficiency House 70 Standards?
Created on: 27 Dec 2019 20:24
S
Sternchen31
Hello everyone,
we hope you can help us a bit. We have purchased a plot of land, the notarization appointment has already taken place, and now we are waiting for the payment deadline. Meanwhile, we are already in contact with several solid construction companies that we have shortlisted and have received two offers so far; the third meeting was today.
So far, it was clear to us that we would build a KfW 55 single-family house (about 125 m² (1350 sq ft) living space on the ground floor and first floor) with a full basement (30 m² (320 sq ft) basement possibly used as living space with underfloor heating), a photovoltaic system, heat pump, and underfloor heating with individual room control.
Today, for the first time, we were asked why we actually want to build to KfW 55 standards. An efficiency house 70 would be around €20,000 - 30,000 cheaper, plus approximately €15,000 for the photovoltaic system. According to this, it would take about 15–20 years for the additional costs of building to KfW 55 with a photovoltaic system to be recovered through energy savings. The subsidies, except for the €5,000 from KfW, are no longer as favorable as they used to be and may not be cost-effective.
We have already received two offers from construction companies where this question about not building to KfW 70 did not come up at all.
We are now a bit confused and would like to exchange some thoughts on this.
Many thanks in advance.
we hope you can help us a bit. We have purchased a plot of land, the notarization appointment has already taken place, and now we are waiting for the payment deadline. Meanwhile, we are already in contact with several solid construction companies that we have shortlisted and have received two offers so far; the third meeting was today.
So far, it was clear to us that we would build a KfW 55 single-family house (about 125 m² (1350 sq ft) living space on the ground floor and first floor) with a full basement (30 m² (320 sq ft) basement possibly used as living space with underfloor heating), a photovoltaic system, heat pump, and underfloor heating with individual room control.
Today, for the first time, we were asked why we actually want to build to KfW 55 standards. An efficiency house 70 would be around €20,000 - 30,000 cheaper, plus approximately €15,000 for the photovoltaic system. According to this, it would take about 15–20 years for the additional costs of building to KfW 55 with a photovoltaic system to be recovered through energy savings. The subsidies, except for the €5,000 from KfW, are no longer as favorable as they used to be and may not be cost-effective.
We have already received two offers from construction companies where this question about not building to KfW 70 did not come up at all.
We are now a bit confused and would like to exchange some thoughts on this.
Many thanks in advance.
B
boxandroof29 Dec 2019 21:23Sternchen31 schrieb:
This was not an option for us anyway, so we will stick with KfW55, but she criticized KfW55 so heavily and also the air-to-water heat pump that it all seemed strange to us. We had similar experiences. My advice is to build only with someone who genuinely supports your wishes. Otherwise, due to lack of experience or commitment, some things will be done half-heartedly, poorly, or at too high a cost.
Personally, I think aiming for insulation around KfW 55 is a reasonable goal, whether you take advantage of the small subsidy or just miss it narrowly. "KfW 55" is an easy target to communicate as an insulation standard, and many suppliers should have something suitable ready. With an air-to-water heat pump, the technical requirements are already met, so there’s no need to debate that further.
hegi___ schrieb:
So, out of 10 general contractors contacted, all 10 built with Ytong. And the only reason is the cost advantage.
For an architect, this plays a minor role. That might be a regional focus.
Our house (KFW 55) would have cost about €25,000 (approx. $27,000) more to build monolithically. NRW. There are several calcium silicate brick plants in this area.
Don’t underestimate the logistics. A neighbor used Wienerberger Poroton with perlite; his shell construction cost twice as much, even though it was only 20% larger. But that requires several trucks crossing the country. Another factor to consider.
H
hausbauer29 Dec 2019 21:42michert schrieb:
My experience is that ETICS (External Thermal Insulation Composite Systems) with the same insulation standard is generally more cost-effective than a monolithic wall construction. This applies whether it is KfW 55 or 70.In all my quotes, the monolithic option also came with an additional cost.B
boxandroof29 Dec 2019 21:42In our region, houses are typically built with a two-layer masonry system using aerated concrete blocks (Ytong) and mineral wool insulation, without a basement. The additional cost for 2cm (about 1 inch) thicker insulation and possibly insulation beneath the slab is minimal, roughly equivalent to the available subsidies. However, adding more insulation doesn’t significantly improve performance since the construction already exceeds the energy-saving regulations (EnEV) standards by a good margin.
It also depends on which standard you are referring to. Just meeting the EnEV requirements would be insufficient for me, especially in colder regions of Germany. However, you won’t recoup €20,000 (Euros) if that is really the actual cost and not just estimates or defensive offers.
It also depends on which standard you are referring to. Just meeting the EnEV requirements would be insufficient for me, especially in colder regions of Germany. However, you won’t recoup €20,000 (Euros) if that is really the actual cost and not just estimates or defensive offers.
guckuck2 schrieb:
That might be a regional focus.
Our house (KFW 55) would have cost about €25,000 more monolithic. North Rhine-Westphalia. There are several sand-lime brick factories here.
Don’t underestimate the logistics. A neighbor used Poroton Wienerberger with perlite; his shell construction cost twice as much, even though it was only 20% larger. But several trucks had to cross the country. That’s another factor. OK, the regional aspect may be true.
I have a quote for the shell construction and the exterior masonry with Poroton at €16,000 including installation. For a 10 x 10 m (33 x 33 ft), two-story building. That corresponds to KFW 55.
What else is there to save?
I must admit everything is just cheaper for us.
H
hampshire30 Dec 2019 00:0511ant schrieb:
This once again supports the saying that the devil always sh*ts on the biggest pile, because ultimately it means that the subsidy is a nice extra income for those who do not need it – which, in my opinion, calls into question the purpose of a subsidy aimed at private individuals (even those below the social security threshold).It’s a pity you understand me so differently than I intend. Let me put it another way: Don’t buy anything you don’t need or want just because it is subsidized.Similar topics