Hello everyone,
First of all: I’m not sure if there is already a thread like this, but nevertheless, I would find it very interesting to gather opinions, ideas, tips, tricks, etc., shortly before or during the construction phase, in order to avoid possible “sources of errors” that some homeowners made out of lack of knowledge.
These should mostly be “small details” that can be relatively easily changed or adjusted and don’t disrupt the entire plan.
We are not talking about:
--> I wouldn’t build a basement anymore
--> I would definitely get a garage in the future
But rather things like:
--> Make sure to install a conduit for the photovoltaic system
--> Wire your front door electrically to allow for technical upgrades later on
--> Install enough power outlets at certain spots to...
--> Have a water connection installed for an additional shower to create more options later
They can really be small things that bothered you afterward, that you would have done differently, but no longer have the chance to change, or that caused additional costs later on.
Topics related to kitchen, bathroom, or similar are also welcome.
We want to think of as many things as possible (which is of course nearly impossible and always depends on individual circumstances) — but surely some tips could still be helpful.
Looking forward to your input 🙂
First of all: I’m not sure if there is already a thread like this, but nevertheless, I would find it very interesting to gather opinions, ideas, tips, tricks, etc., shortly before or during the construction phase, in order to avoid possible “sources of errors” that some homeowners made out of lack of knowledge.
These should mostly be “small details” that can be relatively easily changed or adjusted and don’t disrupt the entire plan.
We are not talking about:
--> I wouldn’t build a basement anymore
--> I would definitely get a garage in the future
But rather things like:
--> Make sure to install a conduit for the photovoltaic system
--> Wire your front door electrically to allow for technical upgrades later on
--> Install enough power outlets at certain spots to...
--> Have a water connection installed for an additional shower to create more options later
They can really be small things that bothered you afterward, that you would have done differently, but no longer have the chance to change, or that caused additional costs later on.
Topics related to kitchen, bathroom, or similar are also welcome.
We want to think of as many things as possible (which is of course nearly impossible and always depends on individual circumstances) — but surely some tips could still be helpful.
Looking forward to your input 🙂
P
pagoni202019 Mar 2021 15:34@exto1791 That is understandable and there is nothing wrong with having that kind of attitude. However, many—if not most—people approach this with similar expectations or at least some wishes. Life changes even without a divorce and elsewhere, so I have my own perspective on not thinking too much about the future; too much!
When children come into the picture, the chances/risks of necessary or desired change multiply.
Building a new house doesn’t automatically turn your life upside down; often it would actually turn upside down if you stayed in the “old” house.
I think you might be mistaken there; for everyone, building their own house is probably a kind of “life’s work.”
You’re not supposed to change—it just happens. To you, me, your wife, and everyone else; and usually that changes the way you see things, which then leads to changes. I can no longer imagine why I used to do some things differently in the past. Same person—completely different.
I would often see that more as restlessness or feeling driven—something different. Change can also happen quietly. I find it reassuring to know that I can still change something if it no longer fits into my/our life, for whatever reason.
Basically, I understand what you mean.
“Nothing is as constant as change,” as the ancient Greek philosopher Heraclitus said—and you can tell by his name that he probably came from the construction sector and knew what he was talking about.
@face26 For someone from southern Swabia, the innate urge for land ownership adds an additional challenge. My relatives come from the deepest Swabian jungle.
When children come into the picture, the chances/risks of necessary or desired change multiply.
exto1791 schrieb:
I strongly doubt that we will ever build a house again in our lives (unless we get divorced and completely turn our lives upside down).
Building a new house doesn’t automatically turn your life upside down; often it would actually turn upside down if you stayed in the “old” house.
exto1791 schrieb:
we might approach things differently or more intensively than some other builders.
I think you might be mistaken there; for everyone, building their own house is probably a kind of “life’s work.”
exto1791 schrieb:
Why should I change? That’s not totally clear to me.
You’re not supposed to change—it just happens. To you, me, your wife, and everyone else; and usually that changes the way you see things, which then leads to changes. I can no longer imagine why I used to do some things differently in the past. Same person—completely different.
exto1791 schrieb:
Nowadays everyone talks about change—not standing still...
I would often see that more as restlessness or feeling driven—something different. Change can also happen quietly. I find it reassuring to know that I can still change something if it no longer fits into my/our life, for whatever reason.
Basically, I understand what you mean.
“Nothing is as constant as change,” as the ancient Greek philosopher Heraclitus said—and you can tell by his name that he probably came from the construction sector and knew what he was talking about.
@face26 For someone from southern Swabia, the innate urge for land ownership adds an additional challenge. My relatives come from the deepest Swabian jungle.
bauenmk202019 Mar 2021 16:2211ant schrieb:
What do you mean by the "GU group"?We have finished the construction now, but I still check in regularly, and many questions come up about what the best options are to include in the contract or similar matters. Back then, I relied entirely on Googling and absorbed everything available online about housebuilding. But some people get their knowledge from such channels – and sometimes their results are not worse at all.
W
WilderSueden21 Mar 2021 10:29saralina87 schrieb:
There are also things that happen in life which you can’t control.
For example, planning to have children. Or illnesses. Or winning the lottery, who knows. At least planning to have children can be influenced to some extent. We’re not 15-year-old students here, but adults 😉
And if I were to win the lottery, buying a new house wouldn’t be my first priority right now. Even as a millionaire (which most home builders will probably become in the next 20 years anyway 😉) you can live in a regular single-family house and drive a Skoda. Of course, if you’re cramped into a mid-terrace house, it might feel different.
As for illnesses, I think that issue is often overestimated. A stairlift can already solve a lot.
I find the more important question here is what happens to the house if the relationship breaks up. With divorce rates over 40% (and likely similar unreported numbers for unmarried couples), that is a much more pressing risk than the house suddenly no longer fitting your needs and you not being able to adjust it reasonably.
S
saralina8721 Mar 2021 11:03WilderSueden schrieb:
At least family planning can be influenced to some extent in one direction. After all, we’re not 15-year-old secondary school students here, but adults 😉However, there are cases where houses are designed to be huge with three large children’s bedrooms, and things just don’t work out the other way around. Relationships often fail over exactly this issue, by the way. It is naive to think that everything can be planned and/or predicted in advance.
P
pagoni202021 Mar 2021 11:37WilderSueden schrieb:
I think a much more important question in this case is what will happen to the house if the relationship breaks down. From experience, this is influenced by various, often irrational factors, which is why it is unfortunately just as hard to predict. If children are involved, the rules, options, and needs change dramatically.
saralina87 schrieb:
It’s naive to think you can plan or foresee everything. I agree; maybe you should anticipate what you’d regret the most if you hadn’t prepared for it. I often feel that way when I read about stairlifts being presented as a kind of cure-all solution. Of course, they exist and that’s a good thing, but I don’t personally know anyone who has one or who could continue living their old life with it. In most cases, completely different needs arise that cannot be solved by construction measures alone.
As long as house prices remain as high as they are now, you simply have to be able to let go of the old in order to create something more suitable. Not always easy, but certainly a practical option.
exto1791 schrieb:
I mean: if everything is working well in the marriage, with the children, the building site, and the family around us, why should I change? That’s not entirely clear to me... Nowadays, everyone talks about change – don’t stand still... Because of this, we see more and more divorces, no real direction in life, a drifting lifestyle, constantly changing jobs, and growing dissatisfaction since people still haven’t found their place in life... exto1791 schrieb:
Actually, our only problem is that we really want to get started – which is probably why we’re looking for something to do. Hehe... that already implies a desire for change 😉
pagoni2020 schrieb:
I would often see that more as restlessness or being driven, so something different. Change can happen calmly as well. You put that nicely! <3
exto1791 schrieb:
Nevertheless, I want to plan my house as well as possible for the LONG TERM and not have to say: “We planned everything properly – but it could definitely have been done better if we had dealt more thoroughly with this and that.” That’s really what it’s about for me 🙂 In other words: getting the best out of it that is possible, You can always do things better. However, planning also depends on financial resources. Or on the plot of land. How often do you stand in front of a house and wonder why they built it so poorly? If you look more closely, it was probably due to the zoning plan or building envelope that it was built that way and not differently.
@pagoni2020 said it so well: Changes can happen calmly. What if you, as a happy couple, come up with the idea of learning tango again? Would you be upset that you didn’t build a dance floor in the house where you could practice?
Or in our case, a caravan moved onto the property and into the family, which was never planned before: should I now be upset about having to prepare the plot a bit? Somehow there is a plan B solution without having considered it in plan A.
Hobbies are flexible and secondary in the home – but you can’t plan everything. And not everything has to be implemented perfectly.
If only, if only... just stay calm 🙂