ᐅ Choosing a House: It Shouldn’t Be That Difficult...

Hi ypg,
no, my wife and I are part of the "morning law and afternoon free" group, although according to my wife, I’m actually neither free nor entitled to any rights in the afternoon 😉.
Cheers, Jake

ViciousJake schrieb:
... or not?
Hello everyone,
My wife and I are looking for a stylish single-family home that can meet our space requirements in a design with one full floor. Unfortunately, this is proving to be much more difficult than expected.
Our requirements:
In addition to the main rooms—kitchen, living/dining, bedroom, bathroom—we would like:
2 children’s rooms
2 workrooms
1 guest room
1 additional shower toilet for the children in the attic
1 guest toilet
1 utility room

We are fully aware that this number of rooms is not very common. However, we need the workrooms for professional reasons, and since our closest relatives live about 140m (460 feet) away, a guest room is also necessary.
We currently have a plot reserved (1052m² (11330 sq ft)). The budget is €400,000 (excluding the land), with €40,000 for the land, leaving €350,000 for the house and garden. We would like to keep €10,000 as a reserve.

Because of the expected high space demand, we favor a basement, where storage, technical equipment, and my workroom could be located. A prefabricated house company (solid construction) quoted us about €63,000 for a basement (+€4,000 for two additional rooms on the floor plan).
We knew basements no longer cost "just" €30,000 since they now have to be built to KfW-55 standard (in our case), but we were not prepared for the price to be more than double that amount.

Overall, we are quite shocked. We are currently waiting for the full offer but can already estimate that the figure will start with a 4, so this is far beyond our budget.
Included besides the basement are luxury features such as a walk-in shower (including a shower screen costing €1,500 + costs for waterproofing under the tiles), a sauna connection (sauna itself not included in the price), and two additional Velux windows in the attic.

We are probably too naive about the pricing, but it can’t be true that you cannot find a suitable house for €350,000. We have already studied about 100 floor plans but without a basement and/or major changes, we never got anywhere—and from what we know, these major changes quickly get very expensive even with prefabricated houses.

Do you have any ideas, nice floor plans we might have missed, or useful suggestions? At the moment, we have a first general inquiry with a prefabricated house provider but hardly any hope...
Regards, Jake

We are currently planning something similar (only one workroom, but a large one, and only one bathroom in the attic) and I’m surprised that it wouldn’t be possible with a budget of €400,000 given the land price. The prices for the basement seem reasonable if it is a living basement. It’s important not to forget in the calculations that a concrete slab can easily cost between €15,000 and €20,000.

To justify the extra cost of the basement, it should also be used accordingly—so relocating the office and/or guest room to the basement is a good idea. Our plan comes in at about €300,000 without landscaping but including additional building costs (turnkey, with a chimney flue and a small solar collector already included). We have a really well-insulated house this way. We opted for a very simple building shape (no balcony, no bay window, no loggia, no gable, etc.) which saves a lot of money. And the fact that the attic is not a full floor can be achieved if necessary by reducing the knee wall height.

Our floor plan is similar to a house called Stockholm from a supplier in the far north. Maybe that is something for you.

Hello Jake,

first of all – the saying "my wife and I belong to the group ‘right in the morning, free in the afternoon,’ although according to my wife I’m actually neither free nor right in the afternoon" feels very human; I like that 😉

ViciousJake schrieb:

Of course we thought about that. Unfortunately, legally it’s not possible for us to use the home office also as a guest room.

Do both of you work mainly from home?

ViciousJake schrieb:

I don’t quite understand: We have calculated roughly 30,000 euros (about $33,000) in additional construction costs and 15,000 euros (about $16,000) for landscaping, because we can get some things a bit cheaper there. So around 300,000 euros (about $330,000) for the house. The 40,000 euros (about $44,000) for the plot include additional costs.

You wrote in your first post about a total budget of 400,000 euros (about $440,000). I calculate as follows: plot at 40,000 euros (about $44,000), typical additional construction costs at 35,000–40,000 euros (about $39,000–$44,000), painting and flooring by the builder estimated at around 10,000 euros (about $11,000), landscaping by the builder around 10,000 euros (about $11,000), prefabricated garage 3 x 9,000 euros (about $10,000) = 12,000 euros (about $13,000), and reserve for extras another 10,000 euros (about $11,000). That leaves about 278,000 euros (about $305,000) for the house itself. Since you now say the 40,000 euros (about $44,000) for the plot include additional costs, you might indeed manage with about 30,000 euros (about $33,000) in additional construction costs. Calculated that way, you would have about 288,000 euros (about $316,000) left for the house :-)

ViciousJake schrieb:

If the building window is the buildable area (according to Wikipedia), then it’s 0.3 of 1052m² (about 11,330 sq ft), so about 350m² (about 3,770 sq ft).

No, what you describe is the floor area ratio (FAR) – the floor space index.

Usually, a plot is not just defined by where you can build but also by exact length and width specifications for the building window. For example, 12 x 12 meters (about 39 x 39 feet) or 8 x 11 meters (about 26 x 36 feet) and so on – within this building window, you must also observe the floor area ratio and the floor space index, plus zoning plans with textual regulations.

ViciousJake schrieb:

That could get tight, couldn’t it? Not to mention the summer temperatures.

That depends crucially on the eaves height and the required roof pitch, which are specified in the textual provisions of the plot. The issue of heat in summer remains of course. You can protect yourself against cold, but not really against heat—unless you install air conditioning units.

ViciousJake schrieb:

That’s my concern. But whether that will work with the budget is questionable. Not to mention the extra stress you bring upon yourself for everything... We chose the providers because we can’t just take time off and keep an eye on the construction, so the ‘all-in-one’ approach appealed to us.

I didn’t mean that you should also hire an architect for the construction phase. But in your case, an architect is useful for the floor plan design, because many competing requirements need to be balanced. Once the plan is finalized, you can always approach a provider of your choice and request a turnkey offer 😉

Building in Lower Saxony isn’t quite as expensive as in other parts of Germany. But I also don’t see the basement as feasible in your region with your budget.

ViciousJake schrieb:

As I said, the big problem is that our home offices are necessary, must be lockable, and thus inaccessible to guests. In principle, one room, but bigger, would also be necessary, but then the marriage might end before the first loan is paid off 😉

That would surely lead to interesting arguments 😉

Seriously — think about the architect + floor plan design option.

Best regards, Bauexperte

charly42 schrieb:

To benefit somewhat from the additional costs of the basement, you should make sure to use it accordingly, for example by moving an office and/or guest room to the basement.

Hello Charly42, a study was already planned for the basement anyway. We are currently also looking at floor plans that allow for both a study and guest room downstairs, enabling the upper floors to be smaller and more affordable.

charly42 schrieb:

Our floor plan is similar to that of a house called Stockholm by a provider in the far north. Maybe that could be something for you.

I will definitely take another look at that.

Bauexperte schrieb:
Hello Jake,


Do you both mainly work from home?

Hello Bauexperte,
during quiet periods it’s about 20 hours per week, and during busy times, like currently, it can be 40 hours, and up to 45 hours during holidays on weekdays.

Bauexperte schrieb:

You mentioned a total budget of 400,000 euros. Here’s my calculation: Land at 40,000 euros, typical additional construction costs around 35,000 to 40,000 euros, painting and flooring as an additional service about 10,000 euros, landscaping as an additional service about 10,000 euros, prefabricated garage (3 x 9,000) at 12,000 euros, and a reserve for extras of about 10,000 euros. That leaves around 278,000 euros. Since you now say that the 40,000 euros for the land include ancillary costs, you might indeed get by with about 30,000 euros for additional building costs. Calculated that way, you would have about 288,000 euros left for the house :-)

Regarding the land:
Costs 31,560 euros, sewage connection 4,302.68 euros, land survey 1,450 euros, so we would have to pay the providing bank a total of 37,312.68 euros. Notary and land registry fees will of course be added. The municipality will likely subsidize the purchase with about 2,000 euros, so we are planning for around 40,000 euros.

Bauexperte schrieb:

No, what you are describing is the floor area ratio => floor area ratio.

Usually, each plot not only has a specific building area but also exact length and width dimensions, for example 12 x 12 meters or 8 x 11 meters, etc. — within this building envelope you must also observe the floor area ratio and the floor space index => floor space index, as well as the development plan including textual provisions.

So far, in the textual provisions sent with the brochure, we have not found such specific dimensions. Only setbacks from boundaries, the floor area ratio, the number of full stories, etc. But I will definitely check with the local authority to be sure.

Bauexperte schrieb:

I didn’t mean that you should also put the project out to an architect. But an architect would be helpful in your case for the floor plan design, since it’s about balancing many competing requirements. Once the plan is done, you can always approach a provider of your choice and request a turnkey offer 😉

Maybe we have to get used to that idea, even though it means extra costs (roughly how much are those?).

Bauexperte schrieb:

That would certainly make for interesting arguments 😉

Those are usually rather boring.
“Dear, could you please turn off the radio?”
“Is that necessary?”
*BANG* “There, it’s off now.”
“I could have just turned it off normally …”
*BANG*
*Tomorrow all throwable objects in the study will be removed or secured*

Bauexperte schrieb:

Seriously – please consider the option of an architect plus floor plan design.

Regards, Bauexperte

We will, thanks.
Best regards, Jake

Floor plans can usually be modified 🙂

Hello Jake,

ViciousJake schrieb:

Sewer 4302.68€

Is that the amount for the development contribution – the public sewer will be extended up to the property boundary – or the total price for the sewer, including the house connection?

ViciousJake schrieb:

Maybe we have to come to terms with that. Even though it adds more costs (approximately how much?).

Architects charge according to HOAI; in the case of the design planning phase, based on the estimated construction costs.

Regards, Bauexperte