ᐅ Building with Prefabricated House Companies in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania
Created on: 20 Jan 2021 23:45
W
Wismar1989
Hello everyone,
I (male, 31) and my husband (33) are currently looking for a home to buy. We rent in Wismar and would like to stay within the city’s catchment area (ideally in the city itself, but given the steep prices here of up to 150€/m² (14 USD/ft²), that’s hardly affordable).
We are just at the beginning of the whole process and are trying to get an overview first. We quickly agreed that we will most likely build a house, single-story, as I have knee problems and going up and down stairs regularly would be difficult for me. We want to build a bungalow of about 100m² (1,100 ft²) with four rooms. Since we neither have children nor pets – and do not plan to – we don’t need more than 600–800m² (6,460–8,610 ft²) of land.
We both work in the public sector and have about €3,800 net monthly income (€4,000 net starting in April due to step increases, plus an annual bonus). Our family will support us with equity. We expect to have around €30,000 in savings and would like to spend no more than €320,000–350,000 for the land, house, and additional costs.
We prefer prefabricated house construction, since we have no experience with building and can’t contribute physically. Now the question is – how trustworthy are companies like Town & Country (which seems to have something of a monopoly in this region), MassaHaus, Platinhaus, etc.? Online reviews are very good – almost too good – so I wanted to seek advice first before contacting any of these companies.
Thanks in advance!
I (male, 31) and my husband (33) are currently looking for a home to buy. We rent in Wismar and would like to stay within the city’s catchment area (ideally in the city itself, but given the steep prices here of up to 150€/m² (14 USD/ft²), that’s hardly affordable).
We are just at the beginning of the whole process and are trying to get an overview first. We quickly agreed that we will most likely build a house, single-story, as I have knee problems and going up and down stairs regularly would be difficult for me. We want to build a bungalow of about 100m² (1,100 ft²) with four rooms. Since we neither have children nor pets – and do not plan to – we don’t need more than 600–800m² (6,460–8,610 ft²) of land.
We both work in the public sector and have about €3,800 net monthly income (€4,000 net starting in April due to step increases, plus an annual bonus). Our family will support us with equity. We expect to have around €30,000 in savings and would like to spend no more than €320,000–350,000 for the land, house, and additional costs.
We prefer prefabricated house construction, since we have no experience with building and can’t contribute physically. Now the question is – how trustworthy are companies like Town & Country (which seems to have something of a monopoly in this region), MassaHaus, Platinhaus, etc.? Online reviews are very good – almost too good – so I wanted to seek advice first before contacting any of these companies.
Thanks in advance!
P
Pinkiponk21 Jan 2021 17:3611ant schrieb:
Who do you consider the market leader?It has already been mentioned; I didn’t know that was allowed. Scanhaus Marlow.I want to put Yvonne’s comment into concrete terms. Electrical work: 40 outlets were included in our price. That was 20 too few for our modest needs. But each additional one only cost 19 euros. Tiles were a bit tight but only slightly. Heating was standard for us. There were no network outlets included as standard. We didn’t install any either and instead use Devolo adapters, which work well. All painting work is not included in the base price, nor are any flooring options besides tiles. That adds another 12,000 to 15,000 euros extra, depending on the extent of your own work. If you do everything yourself like we did, it’s obviously cheaper—then it’s just the cost of materials. Expect about 3,000 to 4,000 euros in that case. For the exterior, budget at least 15,000 euros. You’ll need splash protection, a terrace path, driveway, and lawn seeding. Lawn seeding can also be done yourself if you know how and can get a tiller cheaply—either to rent—and a roller as well.
Make sure the plot isn’t very hilly, as that easily saves five figures on earthworks. Keep in mind that you’ll need to buy a fitted kitchen and some bathroom furniture. In Lübeck there’s IKEA, and overall you’ll hardly find anything cheaper, though it will probably still be around 5,000 euros. Standard does not include any lighting fixtures, so add about 2,000 euros on top. Perhaps also a garden shed? For storing gardening tools? Biohort Europa costs 800 euros plus a foundation. The foundation material costs 100 euros, or 500 euros with labor.
That’s it for now.
Make sure the plot isn’t very hilly, as that easily saves five figures on earthworks. Keep in mind that you’ll need to buy a fitted kitchen and some bathroom furniture. In Lübeck there’s IKEA, and overall you’ll hardly find anything cheaper, though it will probably still be around 5,000 euros. Standard does not include any lighting fixtures, so add about 2,000 euros on top. Perhaps also a garden shed? For storing gardening tools? Biohort Europa costs 800 euros plus a foundation. The foundation material costs 100 euros, or 500 euros with labor.
That’s it for now.
W
Wismar198921 Jan 2021 20:56Thanks again. I’ll try to answer everything in one post:
The plots we found online are in Warin. It’s 12-13 minutes to the A14/A20, 25 minutes to HWI, and 35 minutes to Schwerin. They should cost €35 per square meter (about $37 per square yard). So, we would get an affordable plot. The catch: Town & Country sells these, and their contract clearly states that you must build with them. That would rule out Scanhaus Marlow Marlow. The question is, of course, whether Scanhaus Marlow Marlow is so much cheaper that it would be worth buying a more expensive plot just to build with them.
Klütz is actually too far for us. We would prefer a location between SN, HWI, and HRO (possibly HL) because of future career opportunities. Also, because of its proximity to SH, Klütz is almost more expensive than HWI.
We can handle some things ourselves, like the lawn. However, we are not very handy; of course, over time we would do some repairs ourselves, but at the beginning, we would prefer everything to be done “properly” by a professional. We come from TH/BB, moved here from Berlin the year before last, and don’t have many contacts in the region whom we could quickly call on for help.
I have counted all the power outlets in our apartment (68 square meters (730 square feet), 3 rooms/kitchen/bathroom/utility room). I counted 37, of which we don’t use at least 7-8. I think 40 will be enough. 😉
I have to admit, I didn’t know the difference between prefabricated and solid houses. But from everything I have read about the two construction methods, I believe Town & Country mainly builds prefabricated houses. By the way, we live in a new development where the plots were marketed by Town & Country, and the houses literally appeared within about 3-4 days.
I have gone through everything again in my head, and somehow I feel like I’m forgetting something: the plot, the house itself, painting, flooring and underfloor heating, fitted kitchen, lighting, lawn/garden, shed for garden furniture, concrete work for the terrace and driveway, carport, and then the additional costs (notary, land register, property tax; agent commission is not applicable). Are there any costs I’m not thinking of right now?
The plots we found online are in Warin. It’s 12-13 minutes to the A14/A20, 25 minutes to HWI, and 35 minutes to Schwerin. They should cost €35 per square meter (about $37 per square yard). So, we would get an affordable plot. The catch: Town & Country sells these, and their contract clearly states that you must build with them. That would rule out Scanhaus Marlow Marlow. The question is, of course, whether Scanhaus Marlow Marlow is so much cheaper that it would be worth buying a more expensive plot just to build with them.
Klütz is actually too far for us. We would prefer a location between SN, HWI, and HRO (possibly HL) because of future career opportunities. Also, because of its proximity to SH, Klütz is almost more expensive than HWI.
We can handle some things ourselves, like the lawn. However, we are not very handy; of course, over time we would do some repairs ourselves, but at the beginning, we would prefer everything to be done “properly” by a professional. We come from TH/BB, moved here from Berlin the year before last, and don’t have many contacts in the region whom we could quickly call on for help.
I have counted all the power outlets in our apartment (68 square meters (730 square feet), 3 rooms/kitchen/bathroom/utility room). I counted 37, of which we don’t use at least 7-8. I think 40 will be enough. 😉
I have to admit, I didn’t know the difference between prefabricated and solid houses. But from everything I have read about the two construction methods, I believe Town & Country mainly builds prefabricated houses. By the way, we live in a new development where the plots were marketed by Town & Country, and the houses literally appeared within about 3-4 days.
I have gone through everything again in my head, and somehow I feel like I’m forgetting something: the plot, the house itself, painting, flooring and underfloor heating, fitted kitchen, lighting, lawn/garden, shed for garden furniture, concrete work for the terrace and driveway, carport, and then the additional costs (notary, land register, property tax; agent commission is not applicable). Are there any costs I’m not thinking of right now?
W
Wismar198921 Jan 2021 20:58@Nordlys
By bathroom furniture, you mean shelves and cabinets, right? Shower/toilet/bathtub/sink including faucet will probably be included, correct?
By bathroom furniture, you mean shelves and cabinets, right? Shower/toilet/bathtub/sink including faucet will probably be included, correct?
Wismar1989 schrieb:
@Nordlys
By bathroom furniture, you mean shelves and cabinets, right? The shower, toilet, bathtub, and sink including the faucet are probably included as well, correct?Yes, the sanitary fixtures are included. Depending on the company, it might be Villeroy & Boch, Ideal Standard, or you can choose your preferred brand, or...You are forgetting the additional construction costs. These include, for example, earthworks, surveying, permits (building permit / planning permission), connection fees, and so on. These are added on top and amount to around 30,000 euros (about 32,000 US dollars) for flat, dry terrain and are not immediately visible. Also, property transfer tax, but do you mean that by property tax?
I can't find the offer from Town & Country. Town & Country is a solid masonry builder. Masonry construction today is fast, and terraces don’t necessarily have to be concreted.
At 31, you don’t need to commit yet, especially if you are still mobile: anyone who might build a career or see themselves living elsewhere shouldn’t buy real estate. Imagine tying yourself to a house and then, 2 years later, an opportunity in Schleswig-Holstein (SH) comes up...
My advice to you: save some money! If you dream, you have to work for it. None of us here are craftsmen, but we try to keep costs low through self-involvement. With YouTube and a skilled hand, you can also lay flooring and build a carport if money is tight.
With a net income of €3,600 (about $3,800) without children, saving is possible too. Where is your money going?
I don’t see you owning a property—financially or otherwise.
I can't find the offer from Town & Country. Town & Country is a solid masonry builder. Masonry construction today is fast, and terraces don’t necessarily have to be concreted.
At 31, you don’t need to commit yet, especially if you are still mobile: anyone who might build a career or see themselves living elsewhere shouldn’t buy real estate. Imagine tying yourself to a house and then, 2 years later, an opportunity in Schleswig-Holstein (SH) comes up...
My advice to you: save some money! If you dream, you have to work for it. None of us here are craftsmen, but we try to keep costs low through self-involvement. With YouTube and a skilled hand, you can also lay flooring and build a carport if money is tight.
With a net income of €3,600 (about $3,800) without children, saving is possible too. Where is your money going?
I don’t see you owning a property—financially or otherwise.
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