Dear Forum,
We are about to purchase a plot of land (500m2 (5,382 sq ft)) and are trying to get an idea of the costs involved in building a house.
Our maximum budget for the house construction is €400,000, but since we want to have a safety margin, we initially set a budget of €350,000.
Our ideal house would have a pitched roof and a basement, with approximately 130m2 (1,400 sq ft) of living space—no frills, no luxury, but still modern.
We are unsure whether to go for a traditional masonry build or a prefabricated house. A well-known local company specializing in masonry construction quoted us costs of around €3,000 per m2 (€3,000 per 10.8 sq ft) as a basis for a “standard house.”
At first, this sounds quite expensive to me.
Since we could imagine contributing some work ourselves (with help from acquaintances and skilled friends), we hope to reduce costs somewhat this way.
Is it necessary to plan for €3,000 per m2 in any case? Even with prefabricated houses? I am also quite skeptical of the attractive offers in catalogues.
I would greatly appreciate your feedback.
We are about to purchase a plot of land (500m2 (5,382 sq ft)) and are trying to get an idea of the costs involved in building a house.
Our maximum budget for the house construction is €400,000, but since we want to have a safety margin, we initially set a budget of €350,000.
Our ideal house would have a pitched roof and a basement, with approximately 130m2 (1,400 sq ft) of living space—no frills, no luxury, but still modern.
We are unsure whether to go for a traditional masonry build or a prefabricated house. A well-known local company specializing in masonry construction quoted us costs of around €3,000 per m2 (€3,000 per 10.8 sq ft) as a basis for a “standard house.”
At first, this sounds quite expensive to me.
Since we could imagine contributing some work ourselves (with help from acquaintances and skilled friends), we hope to reduce costs somewhat this way.
Is it necessary to plan for €3,000 per m2 in any case? Even with prefabricated houses? I am also quite skeptical of the attractive offers in catalogues.
I would greatly appreciate your feedback.
After our initial discussions, we are gradually getting a clearer idea of the actual costs. Due to these expenses, we have decided to abandon the idea of building a basement and instead want to increase the living space "upstairs."
Our current plans are as follows:
Plot of land 243,000€ including incidental purchase costs (already acquired)
Photovoltaic system 20,000€ (mandatory in the new development area)
Additional construction costs 40,000€
Outdoor facilities with garage and garden 40,000€
Kitchen 10,000€
If we want to stay within our planned budget of 700,000€ (recently increased), we would have 350,000€ left for a 160-170m² (1,722-1,830 sq ft) house with a slab foundation.
Whether this will be sufficient will depend on the quotes we receive. Over the next few weeks, we will meet with various companies and remain hopeful.
Our current plans are as follows:
Plot of land 243,000€ including incidental purchase costs (already acquired)
Photovoltaic system 20,000€ (mandatory in the new development area)
Additional construction costs 40,000€
Outdoor facilities with garage and garden 40,000€
Kitchen 10,000€
If we want to stay within our planned budget of 700,000€ (recently increased), we would have 350,000€ left for a 160-170m² (1,722-1,830 sq ft) house with a slab foundation.
Whether this will be sufficient will depend on the quotes we receive. Over the next few weeks, we will meet with various companies and remain hopeful.
Joedreck schrieb:
I think $20,000 for the photovoltaic system is extremely expensive! Or how large is it supposed to be?The photovoltaic system must cover 80% of one side of the roof.
Oh, and we also want to handle the garden and landscaping ourselves, as well as installing the flooring and painting the walls. We hope to manage the garden within around €30,000 (about $32,000), so there might be a bit more flexibility for the house budget.
What do you think about this plan?
Mlt1402 schrieb:
After our initial discussions, we’re starting to get a clearer picture of the actual costs. Due to the expenses, we have decided to abandon the idea of building a basement and instead want to create more living space “upstairs.”
Our current plans are as follows:
Plot of land €243,000 including additional purchase costs (already acquired)
Photovoltaic system €20,000 (required in the new development area)
Additional construction costs €40,000
Outdoor facilities with garage and garden €40,000
Kitchen €10,000
If we want to stay within our planned budget of €700,000 (which was adjusted upwards), we would have €350,000 left for a 160–170m2 (1,720–1,830 sq ft) house with a concrete slab foundation.
Whether that will be sufficient will depend on the quotes we receive. Over the next few weeks, we will meet with various companies and hope for the best.The €20,000 for the photovoltaic system sounds realistic, as do the additional construction costs.
Outdoor facilities with garage and garden for €40,000 — here the question is: will you handle all the landscaping yourselves or will you hire it out? A double garage with foundation costs around €25,000, so this gives you a rough benchmark. Of course, it depends on what you want. That would leave about €15,000 for garden landscaping. For that amount, completing it mostly yourself might just be feasible.
Kitchen €10,000 — quite tight, but possible if it’s a very small kitchen without many extras. Around €15,000 would be a more realistic figure.
At this point, you can realistically only hope to get a 160m2 (1,720 sq ft) house for €350,000, which I unfortunately doubt. I suspect you’ll have to make significant compromises on quality. In our area, there are some house builders in the new development who opt for a “local budget provider” to save around €30,000. The question is always whether it’s worth it… but yes, if your budget won’t allow more, it’s naturally difficult.
I wish you all the best and hope you manage to realize your dream home!
By the way, how did you arrive at the budget? Maybe there’s some flexibility? If you need any help with financing or similar topics, feel free to start a thread.
We have already received a few offers from smaller general contractors, and for €350,000 (excluding additional costs and basement) we get:
- 140 sqm (1,507 sq ft) bungalow + 11 sqm (118 sq ft) covered terrace (KfW 55 standard, 25-degree hipped roof)
- brine-water heat pump
- controlled mechanical ventilation
- ceiling height 3 m (10 ft)
- stylish entrance area
- photovoltaic system with 9.9 kWp
- foil-coated windows
- chimney flue
- rainwater cistern
- aluminum roller shutters operated by radio control.
This is in Brandenburg. I have no idea how prices are where you are. You should be able to get quite a bit for €350,000. However, including a basement will be difficult.
- 140 sqm (1,507 sq ft) bungalow + 11 sqm (118 sq ft) covered terrace (KfW 55 standard, 25-degree hipped roof)
- brine-water heat pump
- controlled mechanical ventilation
- ceiling height 3 m (10 ft)
- stylish entrance area
- photovoltaic system with 9.9 kWp
- foil-coated windows
- chimney flue
- rainwater cistern
- aluminum roller shutters operated by radio control.
This is in Brandenburg. I have no idea how prices are where you are. You should be able to get quite a bit for €350,000. However, including a basement will be difficult.
Similar topics