ᐅ House 13 sqm Larger, Additional Cost €30,000

Hello everyone,

I have read a lot in this forum and now I’m making my first post. I’m looking forward to your opinions.

We are almost finished with all our planning, but now we have to decide whether to go with the smaller house or the slightly larger one. The "small" house is a townhouse with 133 sqm (1,433 sq ft). The larger version has the same floor plan but is 13 sqm (140 sq ft) bigger, totaling 146 sqm (1,571 sq ft). The additional cost for the 13 sqm (140 sq ft) is 30,000€.

We’re unsure whether to settle for the smaller house or opt for the larger one. Currently, there are two of us, but we plan to have two children in the future. Some rooms are even less than half a square meter smaller, so we’re wondering if the extra 30,000€ is really justified or necessary for the 13 sqm (140 sq ft) difference.

What are your thoughts?

Thank you in advance.

We were wondering the same thing. We built a bungalow measuring 9x13m (29.5x42.7 ft) and considered making it slightly larger, 10x14m (32.8x45.9 ft), but that would have cost an additional 10,000 euros. Since our children have all moved out, we decided to build smaller. In your case, it’s 30,000 euros because you have more space with two floors. But is it worth it? I think 30,000 euros is a lot of money, and if you can’t afford it, I wouldn’t do it. If money isn’t an issue, then I would go for it.

This is difficult for us to assess because we don’t know the size of your rooms. If the rooms in the smaller floor plan feel spacious enough for you, there is no need to build larger. If some rooms seem a bit too small, it’s a tricky trade-off. However, without a floor plan, it’s not possible to make a reliable judgment.

There are different calculation methods.

The contractor is probably using the method based on the living area.

Therefore: 13 m2 (140 sq ft) * 2307 euros / m2 (sq ft) of living area = 30,000 euros.

The decision whether you need those few extra square meters is something only you can make.

Normally, four people can live comfortably on 133m² (1,433 sq ft). Larger and more comfortable is always possible. However, the smaller version should not be problematic. If it is, the floor plan might be poorly designed.

Both options would be FAR too small for me. But I guess that’s a matter of personal preference. The decision is simple: Do the 30,000 euros offer you any added value?