ᐅ Solid construction or prefab home? Which is more suitable for us?
Created on: 28 Jun 2013 23:48
H
HilfeHilfe
Hello dear forum,
We have also caught the building fever. Since borrowing costs are low and existing properties are expensive, we have decided to build and accept a longer commute.
The plot is reserved, and we are currently discussing with builders. The question is whether our plans are realistic.
The plot is about 500 square meters (5,382 square feet). We want a townhouse, two floors without a basement, floor-to-ceiling windows facing southwest, a chimney connection, living-dining area, 140 square meters (1,507 square feet) / 4 rooms / garage. The budget for the house alone is 200,000 (also including groundwork).
We are very open regarding either solid construction or prefab. We have little to no DIY skills ourselves but have friends and family who can do tiling, flooring, and plumbing (or oversee these). We don’t want a Fiat but not a Porsche either. Simply a reliable VW. We also don’t have time to manage construction extensively; it has to work smoothly. Probably for solid houses, a general contractor is ideal.
Is it realistic to realize such prices and our expectations?
Thank you
We have also caught the building fever. Since borrowing costs are low and existing properties are expensive, we have decided to build and accept a longer commute.
The plot is reserved, and we are currently discussing with builders. The question is whether our plans are realistic.
The plot is about 500 square meters (5,382 square feet). We want a townhouse, two floors without a basement, floor-to-ceiling windows facing southwest, a chimney connection, living-dining area, 140 square meters (1,507 square feet) / 4 rooms / garage. The budget for the house alone is 200,000 (also including groundwork).
We are very open regarding either solid construction or prefab. We have little to no DIY skills ourselves but have friends and family who can do tiling, flooring, and plumbing (or oversee these). We don’t want a Fiat but not a Porsche either. Simply a reliable VW. We also don’t have time to manage construction extensively; it has to work smoothly. Probably for solid houses, a general contractor is ideal.
Is it realistic to realize such prices and our expectations?
Thank you
H
HilfeHilfe29 Jun 2013 10:01Der Da schrieb:
With 200,000 you won’t be able to build. Whether solid construction or prefabricated.pure construction cost for the house 200 ???
the land is additional.
I
italiano8329 Jun 2013 10:28I honestly don’t understand why people build a house without a basement. For us, that was never an option, just like the idea of a prefabricated house.
The only advantage I see with prefabricated houses is that they can be occupied within a few days. In terms of price, prefabricated houses are almost—or often just as—expensive as masonry houses. If you want to make specific changes to a prefabricated house, it often costs about the same as a masonry house.
I don’t want to imagine how many prefabricated houses will have to be demolished after flooding. A masonry house is much more stable in this regard.
When it comes to resale value alone, a prefabricated house was never an option for us.
And again, about the basement… with cheap money, a basement for 40,000 euros (about $44,000) should still be feasible. At 200,000 euros (about $220,000), it becomes really tight. These are usually the families you see on TV who go bankrupt privately because the builder goes bankrupt and the family ends up with only half a house.
With a decision like this, you shouldn’t try to save money!
The only advantage I see with prefabricated houses is that they can be occupied within a few days. In terms of price, prefabricated houses are almost—or often just as—expensive as masonry houses. If you want to make specific changes to a prefabricated house, it often costs about the same as a masonry house.
I don’t want to imagine how many prefabricated houses will have to be demolished after flooding. A masonry house is much more stable in this regard.
When it comes to resale value alone, a prefabricated house was never an option for us.
And again, about the basement… with cheap money, a basement for 40,000 euros (about $44,000) should still be feasible. At 200,000 euros (about $220,000), it becomes really tight. These are usually the families you see on TV who go bankrupt privately because the builder goes bankrupt and the family ends up with only half a house.
With a decision like this, you shouldn’t try to save money!
italiano83 schrieb:
I just can’t understand why people build a house without a basement.Well, you don’t have to. Everyone builds their own house. Most save on the basement because of the cost, some because of the ground conditions, and others simply because they don’t want to climb stairs.
italiano83 schrieb:
For us, that was never an option, just like the idea of a prefabricated house.To each their own… and that’s something you just can’t always relate to 😉
italiano83 schrieb:
The only advantage I see in a prefab house is that it can be ready to move into within a few days.That’s not true! The shell… yes, that can be up in two days, but the trades still take their time.
On the other hand, you order the house, have to choose all the finishes beforehand, and only then is the house manufactured. Sometimes a whole year can pass between ordering and assembly…
italiano83 schrieb:
Regarding prices, prefabricated houses are ALMOST or often just as expensive as solid houses. Prices in this segment (single-family house, around 120cm (50 inches)², lower price category) are actually higher for a prefab house. At least that’s what I noticed; we wanted to build a prefab house but changed plans because the bank might only finance 80% of its value.
italiano83 schrieb:
If you want certain changes in a prefab house, it often costs about as much as a solid house.Modifications to the plans really cost quite a lot. A “low-cost prefab supplier” charges for every little change—window changes, window width, extra door, guest toilet, and so on.
italiano83 schrieb:
And again about the basement… with cheap money, a basement should still be possible for 40,000 euros. For 200,000 euros, it gets tight. Usually, these are families you see on TV who end up privately bankrupt because the developer went bankrupt and the family only has half a house standing.
You must not try to save on this kind of decision!Wow, the original poster is already overwhelmed by a sum of 200,000 and here you come with the basement costs…
Money is never cheap! Money always costs something. Just because interest rates are low doesn’t mean you should build a house, a basement, or anything else.
You build because it fits your overall situation (life circumstances, goals, family planning, equity, income, etc.), just like you choose the house size, features, and technology accordingly—not based on the interest rate 😉
HilfeHilfe schrieb:
pure construction cost for the house 200 ???
the plot of land is additional.200k for the house alone is going to be very tight. But you don’t have all the additional building costs included in the house price, right? Extra costs like surveying, construction water, temporary electricity connection, gas connection, etc. There are thousands of lists detailing these extra expenses. Without a garage, you can easily expect around 40k. That’s what the building expert was trying to explain. You might just manage with 200k for the house itself, but the total investment requires much more than just the land and the house to actually get the building started.
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backbone2329 Jun 2013 15:17The building expert already covered everything in the fourth post of this thread. Whether it’s a solid construction or a prefab house doesn’t really matter, although the prefab house tends to be more expensive.
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