ᐅ Single-Family Home – New Construction Project from Day One – And the Planning Begins
Created on: 7 Feb 2020 22:54
D
DaSch17
Hello dear community,
For the past few weeks, I have been following this forum and have already gathered some valuable tips for our own planning.
I would like to use this thread to keep you updated from the very first day of planning until moving in. I hope to receive some valuable advice from the community and that this thread can also serve as a guide for other first-time homebuilders.
Now, a bit about our building project:
As mentioned, we are still quite early in the process...
It all started, as it probably does for most, with requesting a catalog from a prefabricated house company. In our case, it was FingerHaus around mid-December.
This was followed by a phone call with a sales representative from the mentioned company and arranging a first consultation. This appointment is scheduled for Sunday, 09.02.2020.
Since then, we have been intensively working on budget planning, possible floor plans and building plots, as well as ideal typical living space layouts.
So far, we have not purchased a plot yet. However, we are in contact with a municipality that is currently planning an expansion of a new residential area. Fortunately, this allowed us to help decide the size, location, and shape of our future plot. Our desired plot is reserved for us.
Key details of our planned single-family home:
– Location: Southwestphalia, Siegen-Wittgenstein district
– Living area: 179 sqm (1,925 sq ft)
– Concrete slab foundation
– Gable roof
– 1.5 stories with gable roof
– Single garage with extended length for tools/storage room
Our budget:
– Plot including property transfer tax: 70,000 EUR
– Construction costs: 470,000 EUR
– Additional construction costs including earthworks: 70,000 EUR
Our schedule:
– By May 2021: Selection of the construction company
– By July 2021: Contract signing, building permit / planning permission application
– By July 2023: Completion of construction work
– By October 2023: Completion of owner-performed work (painting and flooring) and move-in
We understand that the start of construction depends on the delivery time of the prefab house company, which can vary between 6 and 24 months.
We have now selected 8 different companies with whom we want to conduct initial meetings:
– FingerHaus
– Hanse Haus
– SchwörerHaus
– Bien-Zenker
– Schäfer Haus (contact via family)
– Büdenbender Haus
– WeberHaus
– a local developer
After these initial talks, we want to proceed with more detailed discussions with 4 of these providers.
–––––––––––––––––––
What should we pay attention to during the initial meetings? What is particularly important? Should we disclose our budget to the sales representatives?
For the past few weeks, I have been following this forum and have already gathered some valuable tips for our own planning.
I would like to use this thread to keep you updated from the very first day of planning until moving in. I hope to receive some valuable advice from the community and that this thread can also serve as a guide for other first-time homebuilders.
Now, a bit about our building project:
As mentioned, we are still quite early in the process...
It all started, as it probably does for most, with requesting a catalog from a prefabricated house company. In our case, it was FingerHaus around mid-December.
This was followed by a phone call with a sales representative from the mentioned company and arranging a first consultation. This appointment is scheduled for Sunday, 09.02.2020.
Since then, we have been intensively working on budget planning, possible floor plans and building plots, as well as ideal typical living space layouts.
So far, we have not purchased a plot yet. However, we are in contact with a municipality that is currently planning an expansion of a new residential area. Fortunately, this allowed us to help decide the size, location, and shape of our future plot. Our desired plot is reserved for us.
Key details of our planned single-family home:
– Location: Southwestphalia, Siegen-Wittgenstein district
– Living area: 179 sqm (1,925 sq ft)
– Concrete slab foundation
– Gable roof
– 1.5 stories with gable roof
– Single garage with extended length for tools/storage room
Our budget:
– Plot including property transfer tax: 70,000 EUR
– Construction costs: 470,000 EUR
– Additional construction costs including earthworks: 70,000 EUR
Our schedule:
– By May 2021: Selection of the construction company
– By July 2021: Contract signing, building permit / planning permission application
– By July 2023: Completion of construction work
– By October 2023: Completion of owner-performed work (painting and flooring) and move-in
We understand that the start of construction depends on the delivery time of the prefab house company, which can vary between 6 and 24 months.
We have now selected 8 different companies with whom we want to conduct initial meetings:
– FingerHaus
– Hanse Haus
– SchwörerHaus
– Bien-Zenker
– Schäfer Haus (contact via family)
– Büdenbender Haus
– WeberHaus
– a local developer
After these initial talks, we want to proceed with more detailed discussions with 4 of these providers.
–––––––––––––––––––
What should we pay attention to during the initial meetings? What is particularly important? Should we disclose our budget to the sales representatives?
H
hampshire9 Feb 2020 01:08I also like the design in many parts. It’s great that the well-positioned home office has access to the terrace. I also really appreciate the spaciousness of the children’s rooms.
I would redesign the entire master area, including enlarging the children’s bathroom. The walk-in closet should be bigger. In the bedroom, quite a bit of space is taken up by “empty” areas—if a retreat space is important here, that’s fine, but if the room has no special function, I think this generous use of space is misplaced.
For the kitchen/dining area, I would spend some extra time on kitchen planning in advance; for example, the island seems quite small for both the stove and sink.
For proportional reasons, I think widening the dining room bay window would positively affect the overall sense of space. This would also allow the table to be rotated by 90 degrees and open up options for a different kitchen layout.
One more “out-of-the-box” idea: Build the staircase as a walk-in closet in one unit.
I would redesign the entire master area, including enlarging the children’s bathroom. The walk-in closet should be bigger. In the bedroom, quite a bit of space is taken up by “empty” areas—if a retreat space is important here, that’s fine, but if the room has no special function, I think this generous use of space is misplaced.
For the kitchen/dining area, I would spend some extra time on kitchen planning in advance; for example, the island seems quite small for both the stove and sink.
For proportional reasons, I think widening the dining room bay window would positively affect the overall sense of space. This would also allow the table to be rotated by 90 degrees and open up options for a different kitchen layout.
One more “out-of-the-box” idea: Build the staircase as a walk-in closet in one unit.
hausnrplus259 Feb 2020 15:02DaSch17 schrieb:
The floor plans are from a two-story house with a gable roof (knee wall height 247cm (8 ft 1 in), roof pitch 21°). Our house will probably look the same or quite similar. I don’t think we can avoid it.Pinky0301 schrieb:
I asked about the 2m (6 ft 7 in) line because in post #1 there was talk of a 1.5-story house. But the floor plan doesn’t work with that. It surprises me a bit, considering all the thought that’s already gone into it...A knee wall of that height certainly no longer counts as 1.5 stories! The sloped ceilings are then irrelevant, but this also means your attic won’t be much of a storage space anymore. So consider whether you will have access for decorations, suitcases, children’s clothes, and so on.
Best regards
hampshire schrieb:
I also like much of the design. It’s nice that the well-located home office also has access to the terrace. I also really appreciate the spaciousness of the children’s rooms.
I would redesign the entire master area, including enlarging the children’s bathroom. Make the walk-in closet bigger. The bedroom currently uses quite a bit of space for “nothing” – if a retreat area is important there, that makes sense, but if the room has no special function, I find that space is generously planned in the wrong place.
In the kitchen/dining area, I would spend some time planning the kitchen itself before moving forward; for example, the island seems somewhat small for both the stove and the sink.
For proportional reasons, I think widening the dining room bay window would greatly improve the sense of space. This would also make it possible to rotate the table 90 degrees and create room for a different kitchen layout.
One more “crazy” idea: build the staircase as a walk-in closet within one unit. Thank you for your tips. We have implemented most of them today. See my next post for details.
haydee schrieb:
The master area is usually planned like this:
Get up – walk-in closet – bathroom – walk-in closet – hallway
So the person getting up doesn’t disturb the sleeper. Ah, understood. My wife and I have very similar morning routines and go to bed at about the same time. So far, this has worked well for us (wardrobe in the bedroom).
Therefore, we would prefer to keep it that way…
Pinky0301 schrieb:
I asked about the 2-meter (6.5 feet) line because in #1 a one-and-a-half-story house was mentioned. But the floor plan doesn’t work with that. I’m a bit surprised considering how long this has been discussed... One and a half stories was actually our initial wish because it’s cheaper. But today’s meeting proved otherwise. You’re absolutely right! The floor plan only works with two full stories.
I think this is a classic beginner’s mistake. But since we’re still at the very beginning, we’re open to suggestions and improvements.
hausnrplus25 schrieb:
Such a knee wall surely no longer counts as 1.5 stories! The roof slopes then don’t matter, but your attic will no longer be much storage space. Also consider if there will be access for decorations, suitcases, children’s clothing, and so on.
Best regards We hadn’t thought about that yet. However, I believe that with the revised floor plan (see next post), some storage space in the attic will still be created.
February 9, 2020 – Experience Report of Initial Meeting with FingerHaus:
Today, we had our very first in-person contact with a home builder.
The really friendly staff member from FingerHaus met us punctually as agreed at the main entrance of the company headquarters. She then patiently guided us through the three model homes (a two-story urban villa, a 1.5-story single-family house, and a two-story single-family house with a knee wall height of 215cm (85 inches)). After getting a first impression of FingerHaus, we moved on to one of the design offices.
Beforehand, we had sent her the floor plan already published in this thread. During the first 90 minutes, at her initiative, we tried together to integrate this floor plan into a standard house model from FingerHaus, as this would be more affordable for us than a custom design. In the end, we all had to admit that this was not possible without creating some awkward or badly planned corners.
Then we moved on to custom planning. The result after a total of 4 hours (appointment from 12 to 4 pm):
1.) Our floor plan only works with a knee wall height of at least 215cm (85 inches) and two full stories
2.) The master area was redesigned
and the children’s bathroom was enlarged – as has been suggested multiple times here before
3.) Instead of a built-in closet, a walk-in storage room will be created under the stairs
4.) We need a double wall between the utility room and the living room to prevent noise from the washing machine and dryer from reaching the living area
5.) We removed several floor-to-ceiling windows in the living/dining/kitchen area
6.) Overall, we will be aiming closer to 190 sqm (2,045 sq ft)
7.) The pitch of the gable roof will be 25 degrees
The following special features were agreed upon:
- Central ventilation system with heat recovery
- Electric external blinds for the south/west sides
- Hardwood flooring in all rooms (except wet rooms)
- Underfloor heating with cooling function
- Panorama fireplace as a room divider between living room and hallway/kitchen
- Solid oak staircase
- Sliding door to the main terrace
- Aluminum-wood windows (aluminum on the outside, wood on the inside)
- Geothermal heating
- Kitchen included
- Three 11m (36 ft) single garages with extended length (for bicycle cellar etc.)
No extra features such as smart home systems.
Built on a slab foundation – no basement.
In 3 to 4 weeks, she plans to send us a revised floor plan and a 3D visualization of the house. Our follow-up appointment is scheduled for May 17, during which we expect to receive an offer.
What was good:
- Pleasant, open, and constructive discussion atmosphere
- Plenty of time was taken for us (appointment lasted 4 hours)
- Individual wishes were taken into account
- At no time did we feel pressured to accept or buy anything unnecessary
- An active offer was made to visit the factory to understand the company culture better
- Free floor plan offered
What was not so good:
- The model homes appeared, in our subjective view, to be equipped at a basic level
- Overall low standard quality; in our opinion, there is a high risk of extra costs during the selection process (example: standard flooring is laminate instead of hardwood, only simple tiles included as standard)
- Towards the end of the meeting, unnecessary pressure was applied (understandably, they want to sell a house), although we made it clear at the beginning that we are not ready to sign anything until summer 2021 and will not sign earlier. Statements like “Who knows what will happen with the subsidies then…” or “Consider the current annual price increases of around 4% per year…” were made. While possibly justified, it felt somewhat out of place.
Overall, this first meeting was very valuable to us. We gained many good ideas, information, and suggestions (a great learning experience).
FingerHaus clearly makes a lot of effort, invests a lot of time, and genuinely responds to customer wishes – whether these will be affordable in the end remains to be seen. We see the low standard as a significant disadvantage. We had the impression that with a construction budget of around 470,000 euros (approximately 523,000 USD), we may not belong to the target customer group.
We are very curious to see if our ideas can be realized within our budget...
Today, we had our very first in-person contact with a home builder.
The really friendly staff member from FingerHaus met us punctually as agreed at the main entrance of the company headquarters. She then patiently guided us through the three model homes (a two-story urban villa, a 1.5-story single-family house, and a two-story single-family house with a knee wall height of 215cm (85 inches)). After getting a first impression of FingerHaus, we moved on to one of the design offices.
Beforehand, we had sent her the floor plan already published in this thread. During the first 90 minutes, at her initiative, we tried together to integrate this floor plan into a standard house model from FingerHaus, as this would be more affordable for us than a custom design. In the end, we all had to admit that this was not possible without creating some awkward or badly planned corners.
Then we moved on to custom planning. The result after a total of 4 hours (appointment from 12 to 4 pm):
1.) Our floor plan only works with a knee wall height of at least 215cm (85 inches) and two full stories
2.) The master area was redesigned
and the children’s bathroom was enlarged – as has been suggested multiple times here before
3.) Instead of a built-in closet, a walk-in storage room will be created under the stairs
4.) We need a double wall between the utility room and the living room to prevent noise from the washing machine and dryer from reaching the living area
5.) We removed several floor-to-ceiling windows in the living/dining/kitchen area
6.) Overall, we will be aiming closer to 190 sqm (2,045 sq ft)
7.) The pitch of the gable roof will be 25 degrees
The following special features were agreed upon:
- Central ventilation system with heat recovery
- Electric external blinds for the south/west sides
- Hardwood flooring in all rooms (except wet rooms)
- Underfloor heating with cooling function
- Panorama fireplace as a room divider between living room and hallway/kitchen
- Solid oak staircase
- Sliding door to the main terrace
- Aluminum-wood windows (aluminum on the outside, wood on the inside)
- Geothermal heating
- Kitchen included
- Three 11m (36 ft) single garages with extended length (for bicycle cellar etc.)
No extra features such as smart home systems.
Built on a slab foundation – no basement.
In 3 to 4 weeks, she plans to send us a revised floor plan and a 3D visualization of the house. Our follow-up appointment is scheduled for May 17, during which we expect to receive an offer.
What was good:
- Pleasant, open, and constructive discussion atmosphere
- Plenty of time was taken for us (appointment lasted 4 hours)
- Individual wishes were taken into account
- At no time did we feel pressured to accept or buy anything unnecessary
- An active offer was made to visit the factory to understand the company culture better
- Free floor plan offered
What was not so good:
- The model homes appeared, in our subjective view, to be equipped at a basic level
- Overall low standard quality; in our opinion, there is a high risk of extra costs during the selection process (example: standard flooring is laminate instead of hardwood, only simple tiles included as standard)
- Towards the end of the meeting, unnecessary pressure was applied (understandably, they want to sell a house), although we made it clear at the beginning that we are not ready to sign anything until summer 2021 and will not sign earlier. Statements like “Who knows what will happen with the subsidies then…” or “Consider the current annual price increases of around 4% per year…” were made. While possibly justified, it felt somewhat out of place.
Overall, this first meeting was very valuable to us. We gained many good ideas, information, and suggestions (a great learning experience).
FingerHaus clearly makes a lot of effort, invests a lot of time, and genuinely responds to customer wishes – whether these will be affordable in the end remains to be seen. We see the low standard as a significant disadvantage. We had the impression that with a construction budget of around 470,000 euros (approximately 523,000 USD), we may not belong to the target customer group.
We are very curious to see if our ideas can be realized within our budget...
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