ᐅ New Single-Family Home Construction Including Carport and Garage – Realistic Cost Estimate?

Hello,

Lilik schrieb:
If you build with your own architect, it will naturally be expensive.

Sorry, but that’s nonsense. Every architect designs according to the client’s wishes; this means the final price always depends on what the client wants. It only “seems” expensive from the outside or to a layperson because the architect determines the final price through a tender process, which becomes concrete only after receiving the individual bids. An initial cost estimate “can” be spot on, but usually it ends up more expensive… not least due to the client’s desires.

Lilik schrieb:

The company also has offers for larger houses, for example, a 155m² (1,668 sq ft) house for 272,000 or 163m² (1,755 sq ft) for 289,900 or 180m² (1,938 sq ft) for 330,000. All offers are KfW 55 energy-efficient houses with pellet heating.

That would mean that a KfW 55 efficiency house requires on average €1,750.00 per square meter (approximately per square yard) of living space, which in my experience is not achievable. The problem with the KfW is not the KfW itself — just filling out paperwork — but complying with the Energy Saving Ordinance and providing proof of compliance!

Regards, Bauexperte

Oops! What do you mean by this sentence:

That would mean that a KfW 55 energy-efficient house requires an average of €1,750.00 per square meter of living space, and in my experience, that is not achievable. The problem with the KfW is not the KfW itself—it’s just filling out paperwork—but complying with the Energy Saving Ordinance and proving this compliance!

We also offer a KfW 55, which (the house alone, excluding additional costs) is well below €1,750. We are roughly at €1,500. However, that is for 145 m² (1,560 sq ft).

Hello,

Gluecklich schrieb:
Oops! What do you mean by this sentence:

That would mean that a KfW 55 efficiency house requires on average €1,750.00/sqm (10.7 sq ft) of living space, and in my experience, that is not achievable. The problem with KfW is not the KfW itself – merely filling out paperwork – but rather complying with the Energy Saving Ordinance and proving it!

I am currently having many more conversations than usual with structural engineers, energy consultants, or staff from major brick suppliers. What is being "worked around" regarding the Energy Saving Ordinance – especially when facing bricks (or veneer bricks) are used – does not make everyone happy and often operates close to the edge of legality. €uro is often laughed at here because he consistently sticks to his position. Every user or reader here should take that to heart, because €uro is absolutely right when he says that a good 95% of all certificates are incorrect. I always wonder who is sitting "on the other side" that allows these certificates to pass anyway....

Gluecklich schrieb:

We also offer a KfW 55, which (just the house without additional costs) is significantly below 1750. We are roughly at 1500, but for 145 sqm (1560 sq ft).

First of all, the question arises: why does it have to be KfW 55 at all? The additional investment – if properly implemented in solid construction according to current technology and regulations – will not pay off. What do you realistically expect to save with KfW 55 compared to KfW 70?

For efficiency houses, the Energy Saving Ordinance is the benchmark; the KfW requirements can easily be met on paper. The key point is the transmission heat loss (heat loss through the building envelope); it must be at least 45% below the maximum value allowed by the Energy Saving Ordinance.

This is usually achieved through airtightness with a central ventilation system and heat recovery of around 80%. Also recommended are a modern heating system with renewable energy sources, good insulation, as well as a south-facing orientation with corresponding design and window layouts. What exactly meets the requirements depends on the individual case and is not always easy to determine or calculate


From the last sentence, you can already see that the usual techniques used by the majority of nationwide providers are not enough. This means that any homebuyer who is sold a KfW 55 efficiency house on paper has to expect additional costs to actually achieve and prove that standard in reality. Reputable sellers point out this circumstance!

What you mentioned above as a price is a figure I consider reasonable for a KfW 70 efficiency house in the Rhineland region. The possible range of measures required to achieve the status of a KfW 55 efficiency house is so diverse that often a premium of around €40,000 (TEUR 40) or more needs to be taken into account. Taking your 145 sqm (1560 sq ft) living area for €217,500 (TEUR 217.5) and adding "only" the possible €40,000 extra cost, I end up at €1,776.00/sqm (165 sq ft) of living space.

I know that the KfW bank’s subsidies only start at KfW 55 and become really interesting there. On the other hand, I also know that quite often a “normal” financing option ends up being significantly cheaper for the borrower. And – honestly – the KfW 70 efficiency house still remains the most economically sensible and comfortable option.

Regards, Bauexperte

Are real euro banknotes really used as insulation in houses?

Seriously though: the internet never forgets, and when I see that in 2009 you could build a 300 m² (3,230 sq ft) villa for €350,000, I wonder how the extremely high prices today are justified. I haven’t seen any mention of a drastic increase in minimum construction wages. However, there are more and more reports about exploited workers from Romania, Bulgaria, and other countries, who were lured by unscrupulous developers and then paid less than €3 (about $3.25) per hour as freelancers.

So where exactly do the tens of thousands of euros in price increases end up? Are they really being used as insulation material? Or is it more likely the new Lamborghini for the construction company boss?

I’m curious when prices will completely disappear from the internet. A few weeks ago, I had a discussion with a real estate agent because a new townhouse development increased its price by over €100,000 (about $108,000) just over Christmas — basically changing the starting price from €400,000 to €500,000 (about $432,000 to $540,000). When I said I would be interested at the old price, the agent replied, “There are plenty of people who accept and can afford the new price — no interest in doing business with me.”

Hello,

Bayern27 schrieb:

In your opinion, should the architect's fee already be included in that amount?

Yes – ask your architect again if there might be a communication issue.

Bayern27 schrieb:

If we now add the estimated costs of about €475,000 plus kitchen, furniture, landscaping, architect’s fee, etc., we would be looking at a total of nearly €600,000.

That seems a bit expensive for a 190 m² (2,045 sq ft) house!!

The costs for kitchen and furniture don’t belong in the pure construction costs; I would even question including landscaping...

Please share your cost breakdown here – of course with any sensitive architect details obscured.

Regards, Bauexperte

That’s hard to say, as it always depends on the construction method. Whether I build with solid construction, what energy efficiency standard (e.g., KfW level) I want to meet, and so on.

We have chosen solid construction with insulation in brick. Indoor climate is very important to me, and so far I have not experienced a passive house with a comfortable indoor climate. I have observed this very clearly in timber frame prefab houses at a housing exhibition—depending on the insulation, there can be a huge difference worldwide.

Additionally, I don’t think it makes sense if the house does not breathe—but that is purely a personal feeling.

For example, we have a slightly sloped plot of land—so a prefabricated garage is not an option. This also makes a prefab house relatively expensive because manufacturers charge significantly for custom adjustments, especially beyond a certain size and level of equipment.

An architect will build exactly what you want, just like some prefab house manufacturers—as Huf has more or less demonstrated.

Regarding construction costs, you have to consider the construction method, the materials used, the number of windows (possibly requiring custom glazing), the heating system (there are huge differences), etc.—there’s a nice book on this topic.

We have a builder in the same building as our company, and he said that approximately 1500 €/m² (about $140 per ft²) is an average figure for solid construction—but I live near Stuttgart, where building is expensive.