ᐅ Weekend home up to €150,000 in Brandenburg

Personally, I don’t like the floor plan. There are too many corridors.
KfW funding is not available for declared holiday homes. If you build the house as a primary residence, then funding is possible.

Regarding house versus caravan: why not try a test and rent a camper to park on a field?

Patrick. schrieb:

but you would probably build just one unit and use it both for renting out and for your own use.

Honestly, renting it out doesn’t make much sense.
Your own living unit? From Saturday to Saturday? Then you’re only there to clean and don’t really benefit from it. Especially: strangers in your own living space? What more could you want 😉
A second living unit: that also means costs for two units. Basically, you only want to spend 150,000.
To me, that sounds like a crazy idea or a barroom thought... take it as you want.
Ideas about hiring a general contractor for a small additional unit don’t make it any clearer either.

11ant schrieb:

I suspect there’s a misunderstanding between you and the building authority. No requirement to match neighboring buildings forces you to make your house as large as theirs. Build your masonry garden house according to the energy saving regulations: a utility room (HAR) with all connections and an integrated guest bathroom with shower, plus a main room with an exclusive kitchenette about 12 sqm (130 sq ft) in size (to my knowledge, no regional prison law requires a larger single cell). Then, I see no reason to deny your building permit. Whether you park a bicycle or a motorhome next to your house is purely a private matter. Once registered and insured, a motorhome is a motor vehicle, even if it is not driven between inspections like the roadworthiness test (TÜV) and gas system checks. Even supporting it on blocks to prevent tire flat spots does not change that. Place one or two motorhomes next to your house if you want. Just don’t call the house a “tiny house,” because that term alone doubles the square meter price from the general contractor and confuses the building permit officer.

No, you encounter those first that are so small they only dare to enter the market under the wings of a franchisor. The big names often exist mostly as shell general contractors if you don’t count their legal and marketing departments. The really large general contractors or construction companies are usually known only regionally.

I was referring to the fact that I am not allowed to simply place the motorhome on the still empty plot and stay overnight there. For that, you probably need

1. a designated parking space on the property
2. overnight stays would not be permitted

I will speak with a local general contractor (Makron-Bau) on Monday and, together with an architect, explore what small house can be freely planned and built with local tradespeople.

GeradeSchräg schrieb:

Well, I’d say this: You always save money by doing your own labor (DIY), the question is just how much. For painting work, materials make up a small part of the total cost, so there is obviously significant potential to save.

Of course, companies like to point out that you don’t save much on heating systems because material costs are the bigger share. But, in my opinion, that depends on the supplier’s pricing. Usually, the homeowner pays the manufacturer’s retail price (MSRP) for the heating system. But you can often source the equipment about 30% cheaper through your own network, so there is saving potential here as well. However, it should be clear that the manufacturer provides a warranty on the installed system, which you lose if you buy parts individually from various sources at the lowest price.

Another consideration is the time required. Interior finishing should only be undertaken by those with the necessary skills and with the willingness to spend many days, weeks, or months on site.

I only know the three companies mentioned above. The holiday home segment is beyond my budget =D
Furthermore, I could mention Haas, though I don’t know much about the company. I have only seen that they offer relatively small bungalows in modular construction.

Thanks for the advice. I agree about the effort and time for finishing. With two small children, there isn’t much time to do everything yourself. The real question is whether you can commission the work more cost-effectively yourself.

Rumbi441 schrieb:

Personally, I don’t like the floor plan. Too much hallway.
KfW funding is not available for declared holiday homes. If you build the house as a primary residence, then funding is possible.

Regarding house versus caravan: try a test—rent a camper and stay on a field.

It probably has to be classified as a residential house anyway, so that fits. The mentioned house also doesn’t appeal to me relative to the price. I will have to start over on that.

ypg schrieb:

Honestly: renting it out is nonsense.
Your own living unit? From Saturday to Saturday? Then you only come by to clean and don’t really benefit. Especially: strangers in your own living space? What more could you want 😉
A second living unit: that also costs the equivalent of two living units. Basically, you want to spend only about 150,000.
To me, that’s a nonsense or barroom idea... take it as you want.
Ideas about a general contractor for a small living unit won’t make it any wiser.

Having other people there doesn’t bother me. I think it’s a matter of personality. I know many people who manage their holiday apartments on the Baltic Sea exactly like that, even if the management is usually handled by an agency.
Why is this a bad idea for you? Do you think it’s impossible to create a small living space within that budget? I don’t have much hope that construction costs will drop significantly again.

It wouldn’t be my choice.
It wouldn’t be readily flexible.
My coffee machine doesn’t get descaled.
No, seriously: be clear about what you want — for yourself or for others. Because those are differences. Significant ones!

I’m afraid you’ll keep going around in circles for quite some time.

I keep reading about renting out holiday apartments. As someone who has actually done it, I want to tell you that it works—you can rent vacation homes successfully and make good income from it.

B-U-T many holiday apartment owners dream:

Paying holiday guests rightfully expect a certain level of service and quality. What might not bother you can be a problem for guests, and rightly so, because they book expecting hotel-level standards. If you want good income, you need consistently excellent reviews; otherwise, you’ll face low occupancy AND a corresponding type of clientele.

Guests expect standards they often don’t have at home, which you can provide through special architecture, a unique location, high-quality furnishings, or exceptional services. All of this costs money, time, and patience. You also need someone on-site to welcome guests, reset TV channels, explain the espresso machine, place flowers before their arrival, air out the apartment, and so on.

You first need to find that person—and pay them well—because your holiday rental’s success depends entirely on them.

You might be okay with using a tablecloth or bedsheet with a stain or hole, or chipped mugs or a wall stain. A stylish holiday apartment cannot have those—or else… reviews will drop… buzzzz.

As I said, it can work—but definitely not as a side job like some might think. It’s a job, and you provide a service! Plus, there’s always the constantly mowed lawn, nice front garden, grill, patio furniture, ongoing investments… the guest has to be happy!

For me, I realized it was a strange feeling sometimes when I saw tenants making themselves at home in my house or doing things I personally wouldn’t have done.

If you offer something high-end, you will attract guests willing to pay your price. If your service slips, or you underperform, the ratings will drop.

Most people with this idea don’t really want to fully face these responsibilities and tend to overlook them. I suggest you look at this very carefully beforehand… By the way—a so-called low-budget cookie-cutter house without flair and charm will not rent out well; a stylish one will, but that also comes at a different price.

pagoni2020 schrieb:

Holiday guests expect a standard that they usually don’t have at their own home. You can achieve this through special architecture, a unique location, excellent amenities, or exceptional services. However, all of this costs money, time, and effort. You also need someone on site to welcome guests, reset the TV channels if they’re changed, explain how the espresso machine works, place fresh flowers before arrival, air out the property, and so on...
You should first find that person and then pay them well, because your entire holiday rental concept depends on them.

Thank you very much for the experience report; valuable input. I am familiar with this "problem" because of holiday rentals on the Baltic Sea. That was also the reason why the idea of a tiny house or a hybrid house like K-Maeleon keeps coming to my mind. It really stands out. The location of the plot is good, 100m (330 feet) from the lake, marina, etc. It needs careful consideration and ultimately must be balanced so that you can manage without rental income and still be satisfied with your own use.