Hello everyone,
I’m new here and looking forward to hearing about your experiences.
We are two families planning to build a semi-detached house soon. The plot costs us 75,000 euros per party.
Our plan is to build a solid structure without a basement. The eaves height is 4m (13 feet).
This limits us quite a bit. The idea is to build a semi-detached house measuring 8 by 12m (26 by 39 feet). Dormer windows (shed dormers) will be added both on the street side and the garden side to improve the appearance and create more space.
Ground floor: guest toilet, utility room, cloakroom, open kitchen/living area, and a pantry.
First floor: 2 children’s rooms, 1 master bedroom, bathroom.
Studio, finished, which could later be used as a bedroom for a third child.
A larger garage will also be added since we have little storage space.
Standard fittings.
My questions:
- Will 200,000 euros be enough for the house? Including additional construction costs?
- Is a gas heating system with underfloor heating in the tiled rooms sufficient?
- Should the heating be installed in the utility room or in the studio? Or even in the garage?
- Some providers are quoting around 220,000 euros including additional costs for a 12 by 7m (39 by 23 feet) house. An extra meter width is estimated to cost around 10,000 to 15,000 euros.
- Are windows in white/gray supposed to cost twice as much?
Our goal is to find a partner to build with 200,000 euros + 75,000 euros for the plot without notary and so on + a “contingency” since construction always costs more than planned + the exterior landscaping. I don’t want to exceed a total of 300,000 euros.
Is this realistic?
Thanks to all,
Alex
I’m new here and looking forward to hearing about your experiences.
We are two families planning to build a semi-detached house soon. The plot costs us 75,000 euros per party.
Our plan is to build a solid structure without a basement. The eaves height is 4m (13 feet).
This limits us quite a bit. The idea is to build a semi-detached house measuring 8 by 12m (26 by 39 feet). Dormer windows (shed dormers) will be added both on the street side and the garden side to improve the appearance and create more space.
Ground floor: guest toilet, utility room, cloakroom, open kitchen/living area, and a pantry.
First floor: 2 children’s rooms, 1 master bedroom, bathroom.
Studio, finished, which could later be used as a bedroom for a third child.
A larger garage will also be added since we have little storage space.
Standard fittings.
My questions:
- Will 200,000 euros be enough for the house? Including additional construction costs?
- Is a gas heating system with underfloor heating in the tiled rooms sufficient?
- Should the heating be installed in the utility room or in the studio? Or even in the garage?
- Some providers are quoting around 220,000 euros including additional costs for a 12 by 7m (39 by 23 feet) house. An extra meter width is estimated to cost around 10,000 to 15,000 euros.
- Are windows in white/gray supposed to cost twice as much?
Our goal is to find a partner to build with 200,000 euros + 75,000 euros for the plot without notary and so on + a “contingency” since construction always costs more than planned + the exterior landscaping. I don’t want to exceed a total of 300,000 euros.
Is this realistic?
Thanks to all,
Alex
X
Xtreme100030 Apr 2013 14:51Hey Alex,
I haven’t quite understood your message yet. Is your half supposed to be 8 x 12 meters (26 x 39 feet)?
Is the plot price of 75,000 euros already for your half of the plot, or for the entire plot?
One thing you should keep in mind is that a semi-detached house isn’t necessarily cheaper than a detached single-family home. You only save on the plot because you need just half of it.
There are many users here who are more familiar with the prices. But right now, a price of around 1,500 euros per square meter (140 dollars per square foot) of living space for the house alone is becoming common.
You also didn’t mention any equity or similar financing details.
If we start with 275,000 euros (house + plot):
- 75,000 for the plot
- 35,000 additional building costs
- 15,000 garage
- 10,000 extras
- 10,000 flooring/painting
- 10,000 landscaping
- 15,000 kitchen/furniture etc.
That leaves 105,000 euros for the house itself.
With your requirements, that budget won’t be sufficient. Maybe you can save a bit through connections or doing some work yourself, but you’re still far from your wishes. Sorry.
I haven’t quite understood your message yet. Is your half supposed to be 8 x 12 meters (26 x 39 feet)?
Is the plot price of 75,000 euros already for your half of the plot, or for the entire plot?
One thing you should keep in mind is that a semi-detached house isn’t necessarily cheaper than a detached single-family home. You only save on the plot because you need just half of it.
There are many users here who are more familiar with the prices. But right now, a price of around 1,500 euros per square meter (140 dollars per square foot) of living space for the house alone is becoming common.
You also didn’t mention any equity or similar financing details.
If we start with 275,000 euros (house + plot):
- 75,000 for the plot
- 35,000 additional building costs
- 15,000 garage
- 10,000 extras
- 10,000 flooring/painting
- 10,000 landscaping
- 15,000 kitchen/furniture etc.
That leaves 105,000 euros for the house itself.
With your requirements, that budget won’t be sufficient. Maybe you can save a bit through connections or doing some work yourself, but you’re still far from your wishes. Sorry.
Hello Xtreme,
Thanks first for your reply.
Your half is supposed to be 8x12m (26x39 feet)? – Yes.
Is the land price of 75,000€ already for half the plot, or the entire plot? – The half.
One thing you should be clear about beforehand: a semi-detached house is generally not necessarily cheaper than a detached single-family home. You only save on the land because you only need half of the plot. – Correct. That’s why we are building this way; I was told I would save around 5,000 to 10,000€ on the house itself.
You didn’t mention anything about own equity or similar. – Why is that important? I’m focused on what the house will cost me. Or am I missing something?
If we assume 275,000€ (house + land):
- 75,000€ land
- 35,000€ ancillary building costs
- 15,000€ garage
- 10,000€ extras, what do you mean by that?
- 10,000€ flooring/painting
- 10,000€ landscaping
- 15,000€ kitchen/furniture, etc.
That leaves 105,000€ for the house itself.
And that is not feasible with your expectations. Maybe some savings are possible through connections or self-help, but you’re still far from your wishes. Sorry.
If I understand you correctly, no one will build me a house for 200,000€?
I thought that would be possible. I deliberately set the budget at 200,000€ so that in the end, we would be around 300,000€. If I tell the providers we have 300,000€ available, we will end up at 330,000–350,000€.
Kitchen, etc., are not included in that. I might still be able to build the garage myself timewise.
Still unrealistic? Thanks and best regards,
Alex
Thanks first for your reply.
Your half is supposed to be 8x12m (26x39 feet)? – Yes.
Is the land price of 75,000€ already for half the plot, or the entire plot? – The half.
One thing you should be clear about beforehand: a semi-detached house is generally not necessarily cheaper than a detached single-family home. You only save on the land because you only need half of the plot. – Correct. That’s why we are building this way; I was told I would save around 5,000 to 10,000€ on the house itself.
You didn’t mention anything about own equity or similar. – Why is that important? I’m focused on what the house will cost me. Or am I missing something?
If we assume 275,000€ (house + land):
- 75,000€ land
- 35,000€ ancillary building costs
- 15,000€ garage
- 10,000€ extras, what do you mean by that?
- 10,000€ flooring/painting
- 10,000€ landscaping
- 15,000€ kitchen/furniture, etc.
That leaves 105,000€ for the house itself.
And that is not feasible with your expectations. Maybe some savings are possible through connections or self-help, but you’re still far from your wishes. Sorry.
If I understand you correctly, no one will build me a house for 200,000€?
I thought that would be possible. I deliberately set the budget at 200,000€ so that in the end, we would be around 300,000€. If I tell the providers we have 300,000€ available, we will end up at 330,000–350,000€.
Kitchen, etc., are not included in that. I might still be able to build the garage myself timewise.
Still unrealistic? Thanks and best regards,
Alex
B
Bauexperte1 May 2013 11:18Hello Alex,
Sorry, that’s nonsense—any salesperson with even half a brain knows that potential homeowners can always spend more money than they initially state.
Even if you have zero experience in construction, trust your instincts and find a partner for your building project accordingly; having a fixed budget is the worst possible motivator. And if you’re not honest from the start, why should the seller be? More precisely: why should there even be a predictable final figure? Why do you think so many builders complain about their suppliers? Exactly—because during construction the actual numbers come to light; rarely is it due to gross negligence causing defects.
A plastered semi-detached house with 2 gable dormers is likely to cost about 260,000€ with an attic prepared for finish (stairs will continue into the attic, living room door installed, all wiring cut above the floor). If the heating system is to be placed in the attic floor, add a few hundred euros for pipework and drywall walls as well as the living room door. If you want the attic fully finished, expect an additional roughly 15,000€, excluding painting and flooring.
Colored windows—with standard equipment—don’t cost a fortune; around 2,500€. A prefabricated garage approximately 3 x 9 meters (10 x 30 ft) including electrics and sectional door will be about 12,000€.
This means for you:
Plot share: 75,000€
House as described: 262,500€ (with only attic prepared for finish)
Prefabricated garage: 12,000€
Ancillary construction costs: 35,000–40,000€
Painting/flooring inside: 10,000€
Landscaping: 10,000€
Kitchen: 10,000€
Reserve for extras: 10,000€
All in an estimated total investment of approximately 429,500€ if built as you described. And the soil report better not cause any issues—then you can safely increase the ancillary costs by “X.”
Regards, Bauexperte
Alex80 schrieb:
I deliberately estimated 200,000€ to end up around 300,000€. If I tell the suppliers we have 300k available, we’ll probably end up at 330-350k, plus kitchen and so on, which isn’t included. I might still manage to build the garage myself time-wise.
Sorry, that’s nonsense—any salesperson with even half a brain knows that potential homeowners can always spend more money than they initially state.
Even if you have zero experience in construction, trust your instincts and find a partner for your building project accordingly; having a fixed budget is the worst possible motivator. And if you’re not honest from the start, why should the seller be? More precisely: why should there even be a predictable final figure? Why do you think so many builders complain about their suppliers? Exactly—because during construction the actual numbers come to light; rarely is it due to gross negligence causing defects.
Alex80 schrieb:
We are 2 families and will soon build a semi-detached house. The plot costs us 75,000€ per party.
Our idea is solid construction without a basement. The eaves height is 4m (13 ft).
That limits us quite a bit. The plan is to build a semi-detached house measuring 8 by 12 meters (26 by 39 feet). Gable dormers (catslide dormers) both on the street side and the garden side to enhance the look and create more space.
Ground floor: guest toilet, utility room, cloakroom, open kitchen/living area, and a pantry.
First floor: 2 children’s rooms, 1 master bedroom, bathroom.
Studio, finished out, possibly to be used later as a bedroom for a third child.
Garage (larger version) will be added because we don’t have enough storage space.
Standard finishes.
My questions:
- Can we manage with 200,000€ for the house? Including ancillary construction costs?
- Gas heating with underfloor heating in the tiled rooms, sufficient?
- Should the heating system be installed in the utility room, in the studio, or even in the garage?
- Some suppliers quote around 220,000€ including additional costs for 12x7m (39x23 ft). An extra meter is estimated at around 10–15,000€.
- Are windows in white/gray supposed to cost twice as much?
Our goal is to find a partner with 200,000€ plus 75,000€ for the plot without notary fees, plus a “buffer” since building always costs more than planned, plus landscaping. I don’t want to exceed 300,000€.
Is this realistic?
A plastered semi-detached house with 2 gable dormers is likely to cost about 260,000€ with an attic prepared for finish (stairs will continue into the attic, living room door installed, all wiring cut above the floor). If the heating system is to be placed in the attic floor, add a few hundred euros for pipework and drywall walls as well as the living room door. If you want the attic fully finished, expect an additional roughly 15,000€, excluding painting and flooring.
Colored windows—with standard equipment—don’t cost a fortune; around 2,500€. A prefabricated garage approximately 3 x 9 meters (10 x 30 ft) including electrics and sectional door will be about 12,000€.
This means for you:
Plot share: 75,000€
House as described: 262,500€ (with only attic prepared for finish)
Prefabricated garage: 12,000€
Ancillary construction costs: 35,000–40,000€
Painting/flooring inside: 10,000€
Landscaping: 10,000€
Kitchen: 10,000€
Reserve for extras: 10,000€
All in an estimated total investment of approximately 429,500€ if built as you described. And the soil report better not cause any issues—then you can safely increase the ancillary costs by “X.”
Regards, Bauexperte
Thank you, construction expert.
Sorry, that’s nonsense – any even moderately intelligent salesperson knows that potential homebuyers can always spend more money than they initially state.
-> Sorry, but I just don’t understand this sentence. On one hand, the construction industry and honesty don’t really fit together here. However, I also don’t want you to feel personally addressed. I’m supposed to be honest. Got it. So, let’s say my budget for the house is 220,000 euros. No more. And the builder thinks, since everyone underreports, I’ll just sell the house for 220,000 euros. But as the builder, I know exactly how to earn a few extra euros. I find no logic in this. Or in what percentage of partnerships do you actually end up with the agreed sum in the end?
This means for you:
Land share: 75,000 euros
House as described: 262,500 euros (with only a basic finished attic)
Garage: 12,000 euros
Additional construction costs: 35,000–40,000 euros
Painting/flooring in the specification: 10,000 euros
Exterior landscaping in the specification: 10,000 euros
Kitchen: 10,000 euros
Reserve for extras: 10,000 euros
All in a total estimated investment of 429,500 euros if construction is done as you described. And if the soil survey doesn’t cause any issues, you can safely increase the additional construction costs by “X” thousand euros.
I’m a bit shocked. I’ve been dealing with this topic for some time now, but until today no one has told me that my little house will cost me 365,000 euros. A semi-detached house measuring 8 x 12 meters (26 x 39 feet)?
We have two offers: one for 220,000 euros and one for 235,000 euros. Plus another for 280,000 euros with a basement. All without land. That’s a whopping 140,000 euros less.
Sorry, that’s nonsense – any even moderately intelligent salesperson knows that potential homebuyers can always spend more money than they initially state.
-> Sorry, but I just don’t understand this sentence. On one hand, the construction industry and honesty don’t really fit together here. However, I also don’t want you to feel personally addressed. I’m supposed to be honest. Got it. So, let’s say my budget for the house is 220,000 euros. No more. And the builder thinks, since everyone underreports, I’ll just sell the house for 220,000 euros. But as the builder, I know exactly how to earn a few extra euros. I find no logic in this. Or in what percentage of partnerships do you actually end up with the agreed sum in the end?
This means for you:
Land share: 75,000 euros
House as described: 262,500 euros (with only a basic finished attic)
Garage: 12,000 euros
Additional construction costs: 35,000–40,000 euros
Painting/flooring in the specification: 10,000 euros
Exterior landscaping in the specification: 10,000 euros
Kitchen: 10,000 euros
Reserve for extras: 10,000 euros
All in a total estimated investment of 429,500 euros if construction is done as you described. And if the soil survey doesn’t cause any issues, you can safely increase the additional construction costs by “X” thousand euros.
I’m a bit shocked. I’ve been dealing with this topic for some time now, but until today no one has told me that my little house will cost me 365,000 euros. A semi-detached house measuring 8 x 12 meters (26 x 39 feet)?
We have two offers: one for 220,000 euros and one for 235,000 euros. Plus another for 280,000 euros with a basement. All without land. That’s a whopping 140,000 euros less.
B
Bauexperte2 May 2013 11:10Hello Alex,
Your answers are a bit confusing – could you please see if you can explain things more clearly?
Oh yes – construction industry and honesty do fit very well! I don’t take it personally – how could I, you don’t even know me 😉
The supposedly “bad” reputation of the industry comes from the fact that the vast majority of prospective homebuyers focus exclusively on the quoted price. There are whole hordes of providers who take advantage of this and secure many contracts because of it. But: after signing, a different caseworker is responsible, and the seller is off the hook. The downside for the buyer: they can no longer get out of the contract and may be faced with a disaster if additional financing is difficult or impossible.
Who is to blame in the end? Of course, the “bad” provider/construction industry and not the naive buyer! That’s how it works these days 😡
I advised you for good reason to trust your gut feeling. If you have found a seller that way, tell him or her clearly what your budget limit is. However, you should also communicate upfront that you are willing to compromise – so your counterpart knows you are cooperating and will offer proposals within your range…provided that is possible.
As a guideline: the estimated colleagues from the “red” competitors always provide offers including a detailed list of additional construction costs and well-calculated prices. Their prices are usually about 5 to 10% higher than comparable providers because these “red” colleagues have to finance a whole range of advertising and housing parks. With them, even a smaller semi-detached house (7.02 x 10.52 meters (23 x 34.5 feet)) on a slab foundation, with only one dormer, and no attic prepared for finishing – costs 200,000 euros (approximately 200,000 USD). So the values I gave you for your wishes are very realistic!
If you can or want to realistically invest "only" 300,000 euros (approximately 300,000 USD) plus “x,” you should already say goodbye to the two dormers, possibly also one meter (3 feet) of width, and a fully finished attic. That cannot be done seriously within this budget. However, under no circumstances should you skip continuing the staircase into the attic; delaying this until you have the money later is a major inconvenience 😱
Behind your unspoken statement “8 x 12 semi-detached house” hides a good 160 square meters (approximately 1,720 square feet) of living space – without the attic. That is definitely not a small house!
I’m (almost) certain that I know the names behind the supposed providers :-) Take a look at their contracts and then we’ll talk further. Nobody gives anything away, and a solidly built, high-quality single-family home with KfW 70 standard usually costs about 1,500 euros (approximately 1,500 USD) per square meter of living space; that’s a hard fact.
Regards, Bauexperte
Your answers are a bit confusing – could you please see if you can explain things more clearly?
Alex80 schrieb:
-> Sorry, but I just don’t understand this sentence. On the one hand, construction industry and honesty. Somehow that doesn’t fit. But I also want you to please not take this personally. I’m supposed to be honest. Check. So let’s say my budget for the house is 220,000 euros (approximately 220,000 USD). No more. And the builder now thinks, since everyone else quotes less, I’ll sell the house for 220,000. But as the builder, I know exactly how to make a few extra bucks. I don’t see the logic here. Or in what percentage of partnerships do you really end up with the agreed amount?
Oh yes – construction industry and honesty do fit very well! I don’t take it personally – how could I, you don’t even know me 😉
The supposedly “bad” reputation of the industry comes from the fact that the vast majority of prospective homebuyers focus exclusively on the quoted price. There are whole hordes of providers who take advantage of this and secure many contracts because of it. But: after signing, a different caseworker is responsible, and the seller is off the hook. The downside for the buyer: they can no longer get out of the contract and may be faced with a disaster if additional financing is difficult or impossible.
Who is to blame in the end? Of course, the “bad” provider/construction industry and not the naive buyer! That’s how it works these days 😡
I advised you for good reason to trust your gut feeling. If you have found a seller that way, tell him or her clearly what your budget limit is. However, you should also communicate upfront that you are willing to compromise – so your counterpart knows you are cooperating and will offer proposals within your range…provided that is possible.
As a guideline: the estimated colleagues from the “red” competitors always provide offers including a detailed list of additional construction costs and well-calculated prices. Their prices are usually about 5 to 10% higher than comparable providers because these “red” colleagues have to finance a whole range of advertising and housing parks. With them, even a smaller semi-detached house (7.02 x 10.52 meters (23 x 34.5 feet)) on a slab foundation, with only one dormer, and no attic prepared for finishing – costs 200,000 euros (approximately 200,000 USD). So the values I gave you for your wishes are very realistic!
If you can or want to realistically invest "only" 300,000 euros (approximately 300,000 USD) plus “x,” you should already say goodbye to the two dormers, possibly also one meter (3 feet) of width, and a fully finished attic. That cannot be done seriously within this budget. However, under no circumstances should you skip continuing the staircase into the attic; delaying this until you have the money later is a major inconvenience 😱
Alex80 schrieb:
I’m a bit shocked. I have been involved in this topic for a while, but no one has ever told me that my little house will cost me 365,000 euros (approximately 365,000 USD). A semi-detached house with 8 x 12 meters (26 x 39 feet)?
Behind your unspoken statement “8 x 12 semi-detached house” hides a good 160 square meters (approximately 1,720 square feet) of living space – without the attic. That is definitely not a small house!
Alex80 schrieb:
We have two offers: one for 220,000 euros (approximately 220,000 USD) and one for 235,000 euros (approximately 235,000 USD). Plus another offer for 280,000 euros (approximately 280,000 USD) with a basement.
All excluding the plot of land. That’s a whopping 140,000 euros (approximately 140,000 USD) less.
I’m (almost) certain that I know the names behind the supposed providers :-) Take a look at their contracts and then we’ll talk further. Nobody gives anything away, and a solidly built, high-quality single-family home with KfW 70 standard usually costs about 1,500 euros (approximately 1,500 USD) per square meter of living space; that’s a hard fact.
Regards, Bauexperte
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