ᐅ New Single-Family Home Construction in Southern Germany
Created on: 18 Nov 2020 00:43
W
WilderSueden
Hello everyone,
after jumping straight into the basement discussion thread, I want to use this one as an introduction and idea-sharing thread. Some things might seem a bit chaotic at first, but that will surely clear up.
We are expecting our first child in February. Since two rooms are obviously too few for the long term, we need something larger. The housing market here in Konstanz is notoriously difficult, so we didn’t spend much time searching here. Thanks to Corona home office, we focused on areas a bit further away right from the start. Initially, we looked mostly at existing properties, but due to the poor condition of what’s on offer, we unexpectedly ended up deciding to build. We were actually lucky to get a plot in a new development area around Stockach-Pfullendorf. The site started being developed this week and will probably be buildable from summer onward.
Here are some key details:
- He/I am 33, work in the software industry, based in Konstanz, from a rural area
- She is 41, a teacher in the Hegau region, from a city that basically doesn’t exist
- One child on the way, no further children planned and unlikely due to her age
- Currently living in about 65sqm (700 sq ft) with 2.5 rooms in a lovely apartment building…
- Basically, we don’t want anything too fancy—no extensive smart home automation, no luxury mansion with marble and so on. Just something solid and nice. We are not building to fulfill a lifelong dream but to avoid renovating an old house worth half a million euros. Plain wallpaper texture and laminate flooring would be fine for us if the quality is good.
- Accordingly, we don’t mind using a “standard” floor plan from a prefabricated house builder or a typical model home.
- That said, since we are building, it should be energy efficient and we don’t want to use concepts that might soon be politically outdated or unsupported.
- Do-it-yourself work only to a limited extent, as we are neither professionals nor do we have relevant contacts. Also, the new house is a bit further away, so working on it in the evening is unlikely. A weekend of painting before moving in is no problem, and after moving in, doing the carport, terrace, and garden ourselves is also fine.
- The construction partner must be reliable.
Plot and financials:
- Plot roughly 700sqm (7,535 sq ft) at 98€ per sqm → 70,000€, fairly rectangular
- 120,000€ equity (with some reserve left)
- Financing and ownership entirely in my name (unmarried and no joint assets intended)
- Planned overall budget about 500,000€
- Target monthly payment 1,500€
- Accordingly, loan to be repaid in 25 years with that rate, with some extra repayments planned mid-term aiming for about 20 years total
Budget breakdown:
- Plot 70,000€
- Ancillary plot costs 5,000€
- Other construction-related fees 60,000€
- Basement 50,000€
- Kitchen 10,000€
- Driveway, carport, terrace as DIY 15,000€
-----
210,000€
Leaves about 290,000€ in the budget for the house itself, which is probably quite tight for what we have planned. The budget still needs to be adjusted with a buffer.
So far, our wishlist looks roughly like this:
- Not excessively large, more like 120–130sqm (1,290–1,400 sq ft)
- Efficient, modern house
- Photovoltaic system (possibly with battery storage)
- Underfloor heating with heat pump
- Home office for me on the ground floor (makes sense since I mostly work from home)
- Bedroom upstairs, one office for her that also serves as a guest room and reserve nursery
- Large open-plan kitchen/living area
- Basement
- Cistern
- Carport for two cars and one trailer
Our first contact about building was through an ad from the local Town & Country partner. The consultant was friendly, and the show house in Geisingen looked quite nice, but somehow it all felt a bit too conservative. Built according to the Energy Saving Ordinance 2016, standard gas heating. Sure, upgrades are possible, but I’m not sure if a heat pump makes sense under that regulation anymore. The fact that the show house had cracks in the plaster here and there isn’t exactly reassuring either. But the base price is lower. Current status: two meetings, visited the show house, haven’t requested the scope of services yet.
Then we looked a bit into prefab houses. Most offer KfW55 standard, which is closer to what we want and would be a good base for going to KfW40+ since a photovoltaic system is already planned (probably just with battery preparation though). Visited the park in Villingen-Schwenningen. Had a long chat with Schwabenhaus; the consultant seemed to want to downplay costs and was very keen to sell a ground-source heat pump with boreholes. The upgrade options for the promotional houses looked likely to increase costs significantly. Visited Heldhaus, liked it quite a lot but their cost outline overshoots the budget by roughly 100,000€.
Today we had an appointment with Schwörerhaus. The floor plan of one of their promotional houses fits pretty well. Basement plus KfW40+ seems somewhat challenging in combination. Otherwise, a generally good impression; the briefly reviewed scope of services doesn’t give the impression the house would be unpleasant to live in. Let’s see what the first offer will look like. I don’t get the feeling there’s much that could go wrong there.
Next week we have an appointment with Weberhaus. We found a floor plan we really like. The price is initially the highest, but their examples include KfW40+ standard and smart home automation upfront.
Our goal is to narrow down the number of companies we continue with to a maximum of two by Christmas and then decide on a construction partner early next year. In spring, the baby will take priority, not just house planning.
I’ve already posted some thoughts about the basement and possible basement substitutes. The insulation costs for the basement seem to fully consume the additional subsidies, so the photovoltaic battery would have to be paid out of pocket again. One idea on the drive back from the appointment was whether it makes sense to build the house initially to KfW55 standard without extra insulation. The difference in heating costs is relatively small. Then install just the conduit pipes for photovoltaics with battery preparation. A few years later, add a battery once prices drop. That would also likely bring the house closer to the planned budget than going for KfW40+.
These are my thoughts so far. Have I missed anything important?
after jumping straight into the basement discussion thread, I want to use this one as an introduction and idea-sharing thread. Some things might seem a bit chaotic at first, but that will surely clear up.
We are expecting our first child in February. Since two rooms are obviously too few for the long term, we need something larger. The housing market here in Konstanz is notoriously difficult, so we didn’t spend much time searching here. Thanks to Corona home office, we focused on areas a bit further away right from the start. Initially, we looked mostly at existing properties, but due to the poor condition of what’s on offer, we unexpectedly ended up deciding to build. We were actually lucky to get a plot in a new development area around Stockach-Pfullendorf. The site started being developed this week and will probably be buildable from summer onward.
Here are some key details:
- He/I am 33, work in the software industry, based in Konstanz, from a rural area
- She is 41, a teacher in the Hegau region, from a city that basically doesn’t exist
- One child on the way, no further children planned and unlikely due to her age
- Currently living in about 65sqm (700 sq ft) with 2.5 rooms in a lovely apartment building…
- Basically, we don’t want anything too fancy—no extensive smart home automation, no luxury mansion with marble and so on. Just something solid and nice. We are not building to fulfill a lifelong dream but to avoid renovating an old house worth half a million euros. Plain wallpaper texture and laminate flooring would be fine for us if the quality is good.
- Accordingly, we don’t mind using a “standard” floor plan from a prefabricated house builder or a typical model home.
- That said, since we are building, it should be energy efficient and we don’t want to use concepts that might soon be politically outdated or unsupported.
- Do-it-yourself work only to a limited extent, as we are neither professionals nor do we have relevant contacts. Also, the new house is a bit further away, so working on it in the evening is unlikely. A weekend of painting before moving in is no problem, and after moving in, doing the carport, terrace, and garden ourselves is also fine.
- The construction partner must be reliable.
Plot and financials:
- Plot roughly 700sqm (7,535 sq ft) at 98€ per sqm → 70,000€, fairly rectangular
- 120,000€ equity (with some reserve left)
- Financing and ownership entirely in my name (unmarried and no joint assets intended)
- Planned overall budget about 500,000€
- Target monthly payment 1,500€
- Accordingly, loan to be repaid in 25 years with that rate, with some extra repayments planned mid-term aiming for about 20 years total
Budget breakdown:
- Plot 70,000€
- Ancillary plot costs 5,000€
- Other construction-related fees 60,000€
- Basement 50,000€
- Kitchen 10,000€
- Driveway, carport, terrace as DIY 15,000€
-----
210,000€
Leaves about 290,000€ in the budget for the house itself, which is probably quite tight for what we have planned. The budget still needs to be adjusted with a buffer.
So far, our wishlist looks roughly like this:
- Not excessively large, more like 120–130sqm (1,290–1,400 sq ft)
- Efficient, modern house
- Photovoltaic system (possibly with battery storage)
- Underfloor heating with heat pump
- Home office for me on the ground floor (makes sense since I mostly work from home)
- Bedroom upstairs, one office for her that also serves as a guest room and reserve nursery
- Large open-plan kitchen/living area
- Basement
- Cistern
- Carport for two cars and one trailer
Our first contact about building was through an ad from the local Town & Country partner. The consultant was friendly, and the show house in Geisingen looked quite nice, but somehow it all felt a bit too conservative. Built according to the Energy Saving Ordinance 2016, standard gas heating. Sure, upgrades are possible, but I’m not sure if a heat pump makes sense under that regulation anymore. The fact that the show house had cracks in the plaster here and there isn’t exactly reassuring either. But the base price is lower. Current status: two meetings, visited the show house, haven’t requested the scope of services yet.
Then we looked a bit into prefab houses. Most offer KfW55 standard, which is closer to what we want and would be a good base for going to KfW40+ since a photovoltaic system is already planned (probably just with battery preparation though). Visited the park in Villingen-Schwenningen. Had a long chat with Schwabenhaus; the consultant seemed to want to downplay costs and was very keen to sell a ground-source heat pump with boreholes. The upgrade options for the promotional houses looked likely to increase costs significantly. Visited Heldhaus, liked it quite a lot but their cost outline overshoots the budget by roughly 100,000€.
Today we had an appointment with Schwörerhaus. The floor plan of one of their promotional houses fits pretty well. Basement plus KfW40+ seems somewhat challenging in combination. Otherwise, a generally good impression; the briefly reviewed scope of services doesn’t give the impression the house would be unpleasant to live in. Let’s see what the first offer will look like. I don’t get the feeling there’s much that could go wrong there.
Next week we have an appointment with Weberhaus. We found a floor plan we really like. The price is initially the highest, but their examples include KfW40+ standard and smart home automation upfront.
Our goal is to narrow down the number of companies we continue with to a maximum of two by Christmas and then decide on a construction partner early next year. In spring, the baby will take priority, not just house planning.
I’ve already posted some thoughts about the basement and possible basement substitutes. The insulation costs for the basement seem to fully consume the additional subsidies, so the photovoltaic battery would have to be paid out of pocket again. One idea on the drive back from the appointment was whether it makes sense to build the house initially to KfW55 standard without extra insulation. The difference in heating costs is relatively small. Then install just the conduit pipes for photovoltaics with battery preparation. A few years later, add a battery once prices drop. That would also likely bring the house closer to the planned budget than going for KfW40+.
These are my thoughts so far. Have I missed anything important?
W
WilderSueden28 Dec 2020 16:00To properly address the topic of floor plans, here are the current base models:
Town & Country: Bodensee 129 in the version with the bathroom on the ground floor, mirrored for east entrance.
The mirroring results in plenty of south- and west-facing windows in the open living area. The kitchen is close to the terrace, and the study offers views over the property. Due to the narrow shape of the house, there is still quite a bit of space left for the garden. If you mirror the staircase again (i.e., turning the stairwell inward), you can create a cloakroom under the stairs. On the upper floor, by omitting the bathtub, the shower can be nicely enlarged, and the space behind it could accommodate, for example, the washing machine. A small bonus for the photovoltaic system would be the east-west roof, which supports more balanced self-consumption.
Weberhaus: Balance 100, also mirrored
The study is in the northwest, and the kitchen is on the east side in this case. A pantry under the stairs is created by adding a partition wall. The study is a bit small but should still be adequate. The technical room is also rather small; considering all the house technology, it is questionable whether a full heating and utility room (HAR) will fit in there. However, this might be less of an issue since there is still enough space in the bathroom upstairs if the bathtub is removed.
Local general contractor (see attachment)
The local general contractor works closely with an engineer who handles the building planning, structural calculations, etc. I provided him with a rough requirements profile, and he pulled two preliminary designs from the drawer to provide a basis for cost estimation.
The ground floors of both designs are practically identical (window fronts vary slightly in width, but room layouts are the same). The difference upstairs is that one design plans a half-floor, while the other has a full second floor. I have attached both. Please ignore the balcony in the full-floor design, as we will not build it since we have a garden. The attached carport has also been removed.
Visually, this design is the most impressive due to the large windows in the living rooms and stairwell. The issue of space for the technical room is solved here by an extension, allowing enough room for a bathroom and a storage room on the ground floor. This technical room extension also nicely closes off the entrance area towards the garage. The study is certainly the nicest and most spacious of all, although I might choose to install fewer windows there. The open-plan kitchen and dining area would overall be more compact than in the other designs, which I consider more of an advantage than a disadvantage. This leaves little unused space between the dining and living areas (which I noticed, for example, in the Weberhaus design).
For this house, we would align the rear edge roughly parallel to the property boundary so that the house sits along a WSW-ENE axis. This provides plenty of light in the living room and allows the study to be used in the afternoon without direct sunlight. Due to the large windows facing both directions, it is always possible to darken the side currently getting sun in the study.
A major advantage of this option is that we have full freedom to modify the design without paying for deviations from a standard plan, but only for the actual additional costs. Unfortunately, the building description is still missing, so I cannot assess the general contractor's offer reliably yet (I didn’t want to disturb over the holidays, but I will follow up soon).
Town & Country: Bodensee 129 in the version with the bathroom on the ground floor, mirrored for east entrance.
The mirroring results in plenty of south- and west-facing windows in the open living area. The kitchen is close to the terrace, and the study offers views over the property. Due to the narrow shape of the house, there is still quite a bit of space left for the garden. If you mirror the staircase again (i.e., turning the stairwell inward), you can create a cloakroom under the stairs. On the upper floor, by omitting the bathtub, the shower can be nicely enlarged, and the space behind it could accommodate, for example, the washing machine. A small bonus for the photovoltaic system would be the east-west roof, which supports more balanced self-consumption.
Weberhaus: Balance 100, also mirrored
The study is in the northwest, and the kitchen is on the east side in this case. A pantry under the stairs is created by adding a partition wall. The study is a bit small but should still be adequate. The technical room is also rather small; considering all the house technology, it is questionable whether a full heating and utility room (HAR) will fit in there. However, this might be less of an issue since there is still enough space in the bathroom upstairs if the bathtub is removed.
Local general contractor (see attachment)
The local general contractor works closely with an engineer who handles the building planning, structural calculations, etc. I provided him with a rough requirements profile, and he pulled two preliminary designs from the drawer to provide a basis for cost estimation.
The ground floors of both designs are practically identical (window fronts vary slightly in width, but room layouts are the same). The difference upstairs is that one design plans a half-floor, while the other has a full second floor. I have attached both. Please ignore the balcony in the full-floor design, as we will not build it since we have a garden. The attached carport has also been removed.
Visually, this design is the most impressive due to the large windows in the living rooms and stairwell. The issue of space for the technical room is solved here by an extension, allowing enough room for a bathroom and a storage room on the ground floor. This technical room extension also nicely closes off the entrance area towards the garage. The study is certainly the nicest and most spacious of all, although I might choose to install fewer windows there. The open-plan kitchen and dining area would overall be more compact than in the other designs, which I consider more of an advantage than a disadvantage. This leaves little unused space between the dining and living areas (which I noticed, for example, in the Weberhaus design).
For this house, we would align the rear edge roughly parallel to the property boundary so that the house sits along a WSW-ENE axis. This provides plenty of light in the living room and allows the study to be used in the afternoon without direct sunlight. Due to the large windows facing both directions, it is always possible to darken the side currently getting sun in the study.
A major advantage of this option is that we have full freedom to modify the design without paying for deviations from a standard plan, but only for the actual additional costs. Unfortunately, the building description is still missing, so I cannot assess the general contractor's offer reliably yet (I didn’t want to disturb over the holidays, but I will follow up soon).
Schimi179128 Dec 2020 16:0111ant schrieb:
They see their unexpectedly close social rise to becoming homeowners at risk of falling apart again if they don't limit themselves to the "core"—which, in turn, means leaving out two things: 1. the basement ... Does this then mean that nowadays almost only people who just want to "fit in" build houses, since they give up the basement? 🙂
WilderSueden schrieb:
To me, the topic of bathtubs sounds somewhat dogmatic for some people, just like the idea that the washing machine must never be placed in the bathroom.Of course, you can place the washing machine and dryer in the bathroom. I’m just wondering whether you’d still be able to hear the toothbrush while the washing machine is spinning. And whether you’d rather want to escape the bathroom, even though it’s supposed to be a place to relax...WilderSueden schrieb:
Dedicated rooms for the washing machine and dirty laundry, or even an unused bathtub, take up quite a bit of living space.... Or whether the dirty laundry would then also be collected there, or if hand-washed clothes would be dried on a nice drying rack—which could not be space-savingly mounted over the bathtub because there isn’t one. In my view, such a rack over the bathtub is also a planning mistake...What a large basin with a water connection, aka bathtub, is good for:
soaking heavily soiled clothes overnight (or stains like grass, carrot, blood, etc.)
wool sweaters (higher quality ones) should be rinsed floating in water to remove detergent
wool blankets as well, even handmade ones...
toys like dolls, Lego, or similar are best cleaned in a bathtub
kale... is cleaned there
washing hair when you can’t or don’t want to take a shower... not being allowed to shower has happened multiple times in our household... life always offers new experiences.
body hair: works very well in the bathtub too, for example when sitting on the tub edge
and by the way, kids also get bathed in there, soaked so to speak.
I won’t even start on full-body scrubs or osmotic baths... just asking: is there actually a partner for WilderSueden?
W
WilderSueden28 Dec 2020 16:07Crazy, while I’m writing my floor plan post, you’re already off-topic for 1.5 pages again...
That was my initial idea too. I was quite frustrated when the first Weberhaus offer without a basement ended up being about the same price where I had already reached my limit including the basement. And even the local general contractor wasn’t really cheaper. Although I’m still hoping that’s just because of the high-quality finishes.
She thinks typical women’s stuff is boring, doesn’t wear makeup, no jewelry, and doesn’t do peels either.
pagoni2020 schrieb:
That’s true, although... if you originally had a plan with 130 sqm (1400 sq ft) of living space PLUS a basement, and now you leave out the basement, there might still be some square meters left if the basement costs are eliminated.
That was my initial idea too. I was quite frustrated when the first Weberhaus offer without a basement ended up being about the same price where I had already reached my limit including the basement. And even the local general contractor wasn’t really cheaper. Although I’m still hoping that’s just because of the high-quality finishes.
ypg schrieb:
I don’t need to recommend full-body peels or osmotic baths to you... tell me: is there actually a woman for WilderSueden?
She thinks typical women’s stuff is boring, doesn’t wear makeup, no jewelry, and doesn’t do peels either.
Schimi179128 Dec 2020 16:09ypg schrieb:
...
What a large basin with a water connection, also known as a tub, is useful for:
...Additional uses:- As a temporary holding place for the carp before the festive meal
- As a cleaning station for large grill grates
- Foot (nail) care
- ...
Schimi179128 Dec 2020 16:13WilderSueden schrieb:
Crazy, while I’m writing my floor plan post, you’re already off-topic again for 1.5 pages... So, housing a child in about 12 sqm (130 sq ft) seems – let’s say – ambitious to me. Please don’t forget: a child grows 🙂
WilderSueden schrieb:
...
She finds typical “female” things boring, doesn’t wear makeup, no jewelry, and doesn’t do facial scrubs either 😉 ... sounds like a likeable person. So she probably doesn’t need a hairdryer either?
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