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?
Hello everyone,
I would like to provide another update today.
In the meantime, we have had two more initial meetings as well as a second appointment (site visit) with Büdenbender.
Our first contact with Büdenbender significantly raised our expectations compared to the other companies.
At our first meeting with a small carpentry company specializing in timber panel construction for single-family and two-family houses, the managing director initially took us through the assembly hall and explained the wall structure in detail. A good conversational atmosphere quickly developed. Overall, the meeting lasted 5 hours.
In brief:
Positive:
- Small and thus very personal company with a good atmosphere; as a customer, you are not just a number but personally known — this allows for highly individualized support
- Our contact person is the managing director, who also acts as the sales representative, architect, and construction manager. So you are supported by the same person from first contact until moving in, providing a single point of contact for all concerns
- Pricing is handled openly: the carpentry company’s core business is obviously the sale and completion of the timber shell. Of course, you can also get a turnkey single-family home here. The remaining trades are subcontracted by the carpentry to local craftsmen. The carpentry company remains responsible for any defects, so you still have only one contact. For this, the carpentry charges a margin of 5 to 6% on the subcontracted trades
- We set the pace. This is very important to us. There is no pressure, and according to their statement, a holistic house concept is developed through numerous discussions (essentially like with Büdenbender)
Negative:
- Perhaps lack of extensive experience? The managing director, a trained carpenter, has held this all-round position for 10 years. The company builds only 9 to 12 houses per year
- If the managing director were to be unavailable for a longer period during construction, we would have a significant problem
Tomorrow we have the second meeting. It was based on our floor plan, which I have already posted here, and over the past two weeks he has worked on optimizing it (we would like to add a pantry, among other things). He wants to discuss and further develop the optimized floor plan with us tomorrow.
What speaks strongly in favor of the carpentry company from our perspective is that you can actively participate in the design process. There is no limited equipment, as is the case with large prefab house manufacturers.
We are currently seriously considering purchasing only a shell construction and subcontracting much of the interior finishing ourselves. We know many good local craftsmen through family connections, whom we would trust for this (staircase construction, heating and sanitary installation, and tiling). Would this be feasible for a layperson — with the support of a building surveyor acting as project supervisor? Could this actually save a significant amount compared to a turnkey single-family home from a large prefab house manufacturer?
Our second initial contact was with a local planning office that works with Massivhaus Mittelrhein. After some initial difficulties, the conversation improved steadily. During a four-hour needs analysis, all our wishes and ideas were gathered.
Positive:
- They also took a lot of time for us
- With MHM, everything comes from a single source. Subcontracting is not possible; owner participation is possible by arrangement (we want to do only wallpapering, painting, flooring, and landscaping ourselves anyway). Similar to Büdenbender, you get an all-around worry-free service
- We set the pace
Negative:
- From the signing of the construction contract, the planning office is only minimally responsible for us
- Although the pace is supposedly set by us, their procedure is more standardized and therefore less individual than with the other two providers
At a second appointment next Tuesday, they want to present us numbers. We are curious what figure will be quoted. Only afterward will a floor plan likely be developed. We find this approach surprising but are curious to see how it continues.
The second appointment with Büdenbender took place at the building plot. There is actually so much to tell here. Our project manager wanted to see the site before we could start planning. In mid-June, we will have the third appointment, where we will begin working together on the floor plan and equipment planning.
Interim conclusion:
The last three contacts (carpentry, MHM, and Büdenbender) all went as we had imagined: All three took plenty of time for us and applied no pressure. We are allowed to set the pace and the next steps. Everyone knows that under no circumstances will we sign anything before the end of this year or early next year, yet their commitment is very high.
Finding a partner for our building project who communicates with us on equal terms and develops a holistic and individual concept with us is particularly important. For the companies we are talking to, this means a lot of upfront work without real compensation — something we are aware of.
Therefore, we decided to skip a second appointment with Fingerhaus. We cannot say anything negative about Fingerhaus or the sales representative. Fingerhaus certainly builds beautiful houses at good prices, but overall the company philosophy just didn’t fit us. We also felt that we were not the typical Fingerhaus customer. In the end, it was gut feeling that led to the decision.
Over the next two weekends we also have initial meetings with Schwörerhaus, Hanse, and Bien-Zenker. We will attend the meetings but think that the approach of these large prefab house manufacturers does not match what is important to us.
So in the end, it will probably come down to the four local providers (2x timber panel; 2x solid construction), but we are also happy to be surprised by the large manufacturers.
Regarding our updated house concept:
After the first discussions, it became clear to us that we probably do not need 190 m² but could manage well with 160 to 175 m² (depending on the layout).
Furthermore, we will definitely build with 2 full floors.
We are still unsure about the roof type. My wife likes the urban villa style with a hip roof; I prefer an offset shed roof. We have now moved far away from the gable roof.
I would like to provide another update today.
In the meantime, we have had two more initial meetings as well as a second appointment (site visit) with Büdenbender.
Our first contact with Büdenbender significantly raised our expectations compared to the other companies.
At our first meeting with a small carpentry company specializing in timber panel construction for single-family and two-family houses, the managing director initially took us through the assembly hall and explained the wall structure in detail. A good conversational atmosphere quickly developed. Overall, the meeting lasted 5 hours.
In brief:
Positive:
- Small and thus very personal company with a good atmosphere; as a customer, you are not just a number but personally known — this allows for highly individualized support
- Our contact person is the managing director, who also acts as the sales representative, architect, and construction manager. So you are supported by the same person from first contact until moving in, providing a single point of contact for all concerns
- Pricing is handled openly: the carpentry company’s core business is obviously the sale and completion of the timber shell. Of course, you can also get a turnkey single-family home here. The remaining trades are subcontracted by the carpentry to local craftsmen. The carpentry company remains responsible for any defects, so you still have only one contact. For this, the carpentry charges a margin of 5 to 6% on the subcontracted trades
- We set the pace. This is very important to us. There is no pressure, and according to their statement, a holistic house concept is developed through numerous discussions (essentially like with Büdenbender)
Negative:
- Perhaps lack of extensive experience? The managing director, a trained carpenter, has held this all-round position for 10 years. The company builds only 9 to 12 houses per year
- If the managing director were to be unavailable for a longer period during construction, we would have a significant problem
Tomorrow we have the second meeting. It was based on our floor plan, which I have already posted here, and over the past two weeks he has worked on optimizing it (we would like to add a pantry, among other things). He wants to discuss and further develop the optimized floor plan with us tomorrow.
What speaks strongly in favor of the carpentry company from our perspective is that you can actively participate in the design process. There is no limited equipment, as is the case with large prefab house manufacturers.
We are currently seriously considering purchasing only a shell construction and subcontracting much of the interior finishing ourselves. We know many good local craftsmen through family connections, whom we would trust for this (staircase construction, heating and sanitary installation, and tiling). Would this be feasible for a layperson — with the support of a building surveyor acting as project supervisor? Could this actually save a significant amount compared to a turnkey single-family home from a large prefab house manufacturer?
Our second initial contact was with a local planning office that works with Massivhaus Mittelrhein. After some initial difficulties, the conversation improved steadily. During a four-hour needs analysis, all our wishes and ideas were gathered.
Positive:
- They also took a lot of time for us
- With MHM, everything comes from a single source. Subcontracting is not possible; owner participation is possible by arrangement (we want to do only wallpapering, painting, flooring, and landscaping ourselves anyway). Similar to Büdenbender, you get an all-around worry-free service
- We set the pace
Negative:
- From the signing of the construction contract, the planning office is only minimally responsible for us
- Although the pace is supposedly set by us, their procedure is more standardized and therefore less individual than with the other two providers
At a second appointment next Tuesday, they want to present us numbers. We are curious what figure will be quoted. Only afterward will a floor plan likely be developed. We find this approach surprising but are curious to see how it continues.
The second appointment with Büdenbender took place at the building plot. There is actually so much to tell here. Our project manager wanted to see the site before we could start planning. In mid-June, we will have the third appointment, where we will begin working together on the floor plan and equipment planning.
Interim conclusion:
The last three contacts (carpentry, MHM, and Büdenbender) all went as we had imagined: All three took plenty of time for us and applied no pressure. We are allowed to set the pace and the next steps. Everyone knows that under no circumstances will we sign anything before the end of this year or early next year, yet their commitment is very high.
Finding a partner for our building project who communicates with us on equal terms and develops a holistic and individual concept with us is particularly important. For the companies we are talking to, this means a lot of upfront work without real compensation — something we are aware of.
Therefore, we decided to skip a second appointment with Fingerhaus. We cannot say anything negative about Fingerhaus or the sales representative. Fingerhaus certainly builds beautiful houses at good prices, but overall the company philosophy just didn’t fit us. We also felt that we were not the typical Fingerhaus customer. In the end, it was gut feeling that led to the decision.
Over the next two weekends we also have initial meetings with Schwörerhaus, Hanse, and Bien-Zenker. We will attend the meetings but think that the approach of these large prefab house manufacturers does not match what is important to us.
So in the end, it will probably come down to the four local providers (2x timber panel; 2x solid construction), but we are also happy to be surprised by the large manufacturers.
Regarding our updated house concept:
After the first discussions, it became clear to us that we probably do not need 190 m² but could manage well with 160 to 175 m² (depending on the layout).
Furthermore, we will definitely build with 2 full floors.
We are still unsure about the roof type. My wife likes the urban villa style with a hip roof; I prefer an offset shed roof. We have now moved far away from the gable roof.
DaSch17 schrieb:
I find a staggered shed roof more appealing. We’ve pretty much moved away from the gable roof by now.Apart from the hip roof tilt caused by one-sided parallel displacement (and the resulting doubling of the ridge beam), isn’t that essentially the same thing?https://www.instagram.com/11antgmxde/
https://www.linkedin.com/company/bauen-jetzt/
11ant schrieb:
Apart from the hip misalignment caused by unilateral parallel displacement (and the resulting duplication of the ridge beam), it’s basically the same thing with a different color (?)Basically, the style is certainly the same. From my perspective – and of course, that’s subjective – a staggered shed roof looks more impressive than a traditional gable roof. Besides, I think it’s a good stylistic tool to break up the wide facade a bit.
kaho674 schrieb:
Do you already own the land? How certain is that?95% – The local authority is now starting to develop a new zoning plan for the expansion. According to the municipality, we are registered as the buyer and can sign the purchase agreement by the end of the year.
DaSch17 schrieb:
95% - The municipality is now starting to prepare a new zoning plan for the expansion. According to the municipality, we as buyers are registered and can sign the purchase agreement by the end of the year.So, we are talking about a plot of land within a designated development area, but not a specific, fixed plot?https://www.instagram.com/11antgmxde/
https://www.linkedin.com/company/bauen-jetzt/
11ant schrieb:
So, we are talking about a plot of land in a specific development area, but not about a fixed, clearly defined plot? No. The size and location of the plot have already been agreed upon with the local authority and will be taken into account during the development of the zoning plan. The neighboring plot (without direct access) is also family-owned.
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