ᐅ House Construction Planning: Solid Brick and Mortar House or Prefabricated House? With or Without a Basement?

Hello everyone,
We have been researching house building for a year now and have been feeling quite uncertain throughout the process.

Basically, we need to be mindful of the budget when building.
However, we would prefer a traditional masonry house, preferably with a basement.

We honestly don’t know where to really start to find a clear direction for ourselves.
For a year now, we have been struggling with different bits of information and still don’t know which way to go.

The house should be a smart home with all related features (definitely no wireless).
It should also be possible to retrofit if, for example, a power outlet or something similar is forgotten during construction.
We basically want a basement to keep the technology, heating system, and storage space separate from the living areas.
We won’t need an attic then.
We also want a modern open-plan living, dining, and kitchen area on the ground floor, along with a guest room.
The upper floor should have the bedroom, a walk-in closet, a large bathroom, and two offices (we will not have children).
The garage should be accessible from inside the house (either through the basement or an extension).

The house will be built in the Saxony-Anhalt region.
The total usable floor area, including bathrooms and basement, should be between 200 and 300 square meters (2,150 - 3,230 square feet).

We have many wishes, but we really don’t know where to start and currently have more questions than answers.
We are looking for an online community where we can exchange ideas and experiences with others.
Is this the right place for that?
If not, does anyone know where we might be better off?

Best regards, Maxi and Romano.

I can only say where we started: with the money. After that, quite a few of our wishes were off the table :-D
Then we looked at a lot of things—areas, plots of land, model homes, existing properties... gradually everything became clearer, and eventually we made an offer—admittedly also because we were fed up with searching and with our apartment.

Do you already have a plot of land?

The range between 200-300 m² (2,150-3,230 sq ft) is quite broad. Maybe you could be a bit more specific. I would estimate that 100 m² (1,075 sq ft) of living and usable space would cost about 200,000 more. If the budget allows, you can of course continue with planning; otherwise, I would recommend first clarifying what you really need and want. Ideally, look at houses with 120 m² (1,290 sq ft), 140 m² (1,510 sq ft), or 160 m² (1,720 sq ft) of living space to get a better sense. Even 120 m² (1,290 sq ft), if well designed, can offer a lot.

RomanoD. schrieb:

…Basically, we have to watch the budget when building…

There are clients who basically build with no budget. But that impression doesn’t come across with the above opening sentence. It’s in complete contrast to the rest (wishes). Set your budget and state it clearly, describe your family situation, and explain room requirements by function (e.g., home office). Also provide additional information. That way, advice will be more effective 😉

RomanoD. schrieb:

Basically, we need to be careful with the budget when building.
But ideally, we want a solid masonry house, preferably with a basement.
However, we honestly have no idea where to really start in order to find a clear path for ourselves.
We’ve been struggling with various pieces of information for a year now and still don’t really know where this is headed.

First of all, congratulations on having this particular kind of financial concern—worrying that the house might end up costing too little. You might be able to ease some of that worry by simply continuing to fumble around for a few more years; inflation will do the rest. From my extensive experience in forums like this, I can tell you it’s not easy to build 300 sqm (3,230 sq ft) of living and usable space so poorly that it feels like only 200 sqm (2,150 sq ft). For a 130 sqm (1,400 sq ft) house, creating the impression it’s just 100 sqm (1,080 sq ft) would be easier—and there are plenty of worst practices to refer to: a square floor plan, a straight staircase, and symmetry alone would be enough ingredients for this feat. But with 300 sqm (3,230 sq ft), even with a lot of experience, this is hard work. Maybe you should kindly reconsider having no children after all. Gucci baby clothes, plus a polyphonic rocking horse with five rodeo programs, Segways instead of simple scooters—that way, you’ll easily spend the money. If that’s still not enough to shrink the budget to fit a Flair 113, just hide some Fabergé eggs at Easter. With a bit of effort, you’ll manage—keep your spirits up!

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A good place to start is with the plot of land:
If it is sloped, then the decision for a basement or walk-out basement can often be ruled out. The house should also suit the plot, not only because of the floor area ratio but also to ensure there is enough space around the house.
I recommend checking out the house building experts on YouTube. Once you have more specific ideas and a budget, just fill out the questionnaire here again.