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since we are building, it should be energy efficient and we don’t want to use concepts that might soon be politically outdated or unsupported.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?
P
pagoni202028 Dec 2020 17:35Schimi1791 schrieb:
Additional uses:
- Temporary habitat for carp before a feast
- Cleaning spot for large grilling racks
- Foot (nail) care
- ... ...and in case you happen to hit a giraffe on the way home and then need to prepare it for the grill. You can really explain anything with anything else... you can always find a use for everything.
Schimi1791 schrieb:
So, fitting a child into about 12 square meters (130 square feet) is, I would say, daring. Nonsense... 12 square meters (130 square feet) is absolutely fine, of course it depends on the furniture/layout AND whether the space is fully occupied... which brings us back to the topic 🤨
Schimi1791 schrieb:
a child grows ...but usually more in height!
WilderSueden schrieb:
If the balcony is removed, that leaves a room of almost 20 square meters (215 square feet). That should be enough. ...compared to an open-plan room on the ground floor with 37 square meters (400 square feet)? Hm...
@WilderSueden
I myself have never found a model home that I would have built exactly as it was. So I would consistently look for a local supplier where I might be able to have the utility room extension about 4 square meters (43 square feet) larger or something similar, without costs exploding just because I want a wall a bit further left or right. Here in the forum, a few have built their homes with Scandinavians, whose houses I liked... the houses.
Schimi179128 Dec 2020 17:45Hausbau0815 schrieb:
Yes, it does. They call it the living room there. And since it’s a semi-detached house, we actually have two of them, one on the right and one on the left.
No matter what you think about them, we’re not going to remove them. We like those rooms. WilderSueden schrieb:
It’s not really a high priority for us at the moment. Great! I’m not alone 🙂 (Bathtub and bay window). Depending on the view (bay window), floor-to-ceiling windows might be nice(r). But that ship has sailed 🙂
pagoni2020 schrieb:
...and in case you ever hit a giraffe on the way home and then have to get it ready for the grill. You can always explain everything with everything... You can always find a use for anything. Ever heard of “irony”? 🙂
pagoni2020 schrieb:
Nonsense... 12sqm (130sqft) is absolutely fine, of course it also depends on the furniture/layout AND ... I still think 12sqm (130sqft) is too small for a child. At the latest during the teenage years—when a partner might stay over—the desire will come for a 120cm or 140cm (47in or 55in) wide bed, a dressing table (or an equivalent for boys), and a seating area for friends to hang out.
pagoni2020 schrieb:
...
...usually more in height!
... For most kids, yes 🙂 But with “height” their needs also grow... see above! It doesn’t have to be like “living” under the stairs like Harry Potter 🙂 The available space was already addressed and expanded by the original poster.
Hausbau081528 Dec 2020 17:50Schimi1791 schrieb:
Great! I'm not the only one 🙂 Depending on the view, floor-to-ceiling windows might be nicer.No, the Christmas light arches will go in there next year anyway. (I’m sure this will trigger some harsh comments.) The floor-to-ceiling windows = patio doors are facing the garden.
Schimi1791 schrieb:
Does this mean that nowadays almost only houses built by people who simply want to "fit in" are constructed without basements? Not entirely. Houses (in general) are still mostly built today by people who could have afforded to build with different financing options — but especially the target group that is only able to build due to the current low interest rates is strongly overrepresented, even dominant, in discussions where "basement costs and architect fees are just stumbling blocks on the way to homeownership." This group also makes up the majority of buyers in the alternative villa market segment. So your perception of reality is somewhat "distorted by development," and my explanation was aimed at this specific perception. Those who could have built even in "normal financial market conditions" still have essentially the same position on the basement question, showing a clear north-south pattern: usually no basement near the coast, but with basements more common in southern regions. Within this group, the disappearance of the oil tank and the trend toward using tumble dryers instead of drying laundry on lines have led to large portions of "traditional" basement space being taken off the table, as mentioned before.
Schimi1791 schrieb:
So, putting a child in a room of about 12 sqm (130 sq ft) seems — let’s say — ambitious to me. Please don’t forget: children grow up. On the contrary — please don’t forget that today’s younger generations tend not to move out from the parental home quickly. I’d call it ambitious to hope that kids will voluntarily move out when they grow up if they are given 21 sqm (225 sq ft).
Nida35a schrieb:
If you want to make adjustments and custom requests now, the general contractor is your man. The equipment offered by the general contractor is often better, Here, we have two comparison candidates in play with Weberhaus and Town & Country: one follows an approach as an employee house builder, in which standard upgrades are a welcome source of revenue, while the other, building more affordable houses, tends to follow the concept of "baking affordable basic cakes and leaving the impressive fancy cakes to the specialists." So in my opinion, Weberhaus basically caters to the "premium cake segment," and the only overlap I see is in the target group of young families — meaning they only compete there, but their different approaches should not be overlooked.
https://www.instagram.com/11antgmxde/
https://www.linkedin.com/company/bauen-jetzt/
Schimi179128 Dec 2020 17:53Hausbau0815 schrieb:
No, the Christmas light arches will go in there next Christmas. ...I totally support you!11ant schrieb:
...
On the contrary – don’t forget that today’s younger generations are less inclined to leave the family home early – I’d say it’s optimistic to expect kids to move out voluntarily just because they get 21cm (8 inches) of space.
...So maybe it’s better to have a spot under the stairs like Harry Potter?The floor plans are very compact. Take all the floor plans and draw in the existing or desired furniture to scale. Often dollhouse furniture is shown to make the space appear larger.
I consider it risky to go without a bathtub. You don’t know the preferences of roommate number 3. Most likely, bathing will be preferred.
Laundry in the bathroom can work as a last resort for two people, but not for three.
I like number 3 the best.
I consider it risky to go without a bathtub. You don’t know the preferences of roommate number 3. Most likely, bathing will be preferred.
Laundry in the bathroom can work as a last resort for two people, but not for three.
I like number 3 the best.
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