ᐅ Single-family house plot C630 Heinz von Heiden at the location in Saxony
Created on: 22 Apr 2022 14:54
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Oberhäslich
I have browsed through several posts here in the forum and contributed occasionally. Today, I would like to take the opportunity to post a kind of diary about our project, ultimately to look back on the whole thing in the future and see what could have gone better – for my own learning experience.
We will be building in Saxony, near Dippoldiswalde (22 minutes and 19 km (12 miles) from Dresden). We currently live in a rental apartment in Dresden. Our workplaces will remain in Dresden; working from home is planned about 1-2 days a week. It is also worth mentioning that our child lives with us, and my two older children from a previous relationship occasionally stay overnight.
We found the plot at the end of 2021; the listing had been online for a few months at over €165,000. No one really wanted it because the 3,100 m² (33,365 sq ft) plot includes a protected biotope (an old meadow orchard) in the back, which cannot be built on. Additionally, there is a separate owner to the left, right, and in the center. We have what is basically a servient plot with easements (water, electricity, etc.). Since I tend to be optimistic and see this as an opportunity, we just had to have it. In the end, after negotiations, we bought it for €130,000, which personally I consider a bargain. The owner of the neighboring property (one house on the left, one plot with a bungalow on the right) is already 86 years old and in assisted living. We have already discussed a possible exchange or purchase with their successors at some point in the future.
Our general mindset is simple. Everything can be standard, functional, and serve its purpose. We do not like to spend extra money on things that only look good (like paint). I also buy and collect many items for the house and plot via local classified ads, especially for garden design right now—there are many giveaways 🙂
I really enjoy managing and planning the project and handle about 99% of the arrangements. My girlfriend fully trusts me in this. It is definitely an advantage and very relaxing not to have to discuss every single tile choice. Also, I make decisions quickly. We are building with Heinz von Heiden because I believe the price-performance ratio is good here. What the end result will be remains to be seen, but considering that they have built 50,000 houses, there is trust.
No official zoning plan. Building according to the surrounding development since it is a village. Mixed-use area, open development according to Section 34, Paragraph 1.
Plot size: 3,152 m²
Slope: 5%
Number of floors: 2 full stories
Roof type: gable roof, 25 degrees
Style: country house
Orientation: terrace facing northwest
Additional requirements: From the sewage operator: cistern (an old but good 3-chamber septic tank already exists and will be used)
Client Requirements
Basement, floors: no basement, 2 full stories
Number of people, ages: 3 (M: 36, F: 36, Child: 3)
Space requirement on ground and upper floors: 80 m² (860 sq ft) each
Office: family use or home office?: yes, an office/hobby room upstairs
Guests per year: occasionally, hence a guest room and shower bathroom on the ground floor (also in case one cannot go upstairs with age)
Open or closed architecture: ground floor rather open, upper floor closed
Conservative or modern style: mixed
Open kitchen, kitchen island: open kitchen, no kitchen island
Number of dining seats: 12 (the table is already owned, so no kitchen island)
Fireplace: planned, but the builder wants €6,000 for a masonry fireplace in the center of the house, which I find expensive. I want to install a stainless steel fireplace on the exterior wall myself.
Music/stereo wall: less important
Balcony, roof terrace: no, poor cost-benefit ratio given the large plot
Garage, carport: steel garage 6 x 8 m (20 x 26 ft) with gable roof, 3.30 m (10.8 ft) high and with electric door for the man of the house :p
Useful garden, greenhouse: not important for now
Other wishes/peculiarities/daily routine, including reasons why something should or should not be done: my major wish is definitely a fireplace, but it must be room-air-independent because the house has KfW55 energy standard. I am hoping to get some advice here in the forum on retrofitting a stainless steel chimney.
House Design
Who planned the design:
- Planner from a construction company: Heinz von Heiden prefab house C630 (The Immutable)
- Architect: Heinz von Heiden
- Do-it-yourself: painting and flooring, tiling, excavation, landscaping, and utility earthworks
What do you particularly like? Why?
We especially like the open area comprising entrance, living room, and kitchen with a glazed front facing the garden. The floor plan convinced us immediately. And of course, the space with 160 m² (1,722 sq ft). We currently have 91 m² (979 sq ft).
What do you dislike? Why?
It is rightly called "The Immutable," as walls cannot be changed. But it was €30,000 to €40,000 cheaper because of that.
Price estimate according to architect/planner: fixed-price contract signed in February with 15 months price guarantee:
~€260,000 including special features (standard: ~€235,000)
Included: air-to-air heat pump with storage, large controlled ventilation system, electric shutters on ground and upper floors, underfloor heating on both floors, all materials except tiles, floors, and walls
Preferred heating technology: air-to-air heat pump – not changeable
If you have to give up any details or extras:
- You can forego: upper full floor, large controlled ventilation system, electric shutters, photovoltaic (preparation only)
- You cannot forego: fireplace, 6 rooms
Why is the design as it is?
Standard design from the planner?
Yes
Which wishes were implemented by the architect?
Changes to windows and access to the master bathroom through the bedroom
What makes it particularly good or bad in your opinion?
Open design, large and sufficient rooms
Financing
Through our local savings bank. The plot is still variable at 1.8% interest, and the house loan for 15 years also at 1.8%. Equity is about 17%. Monthly payments should be around €1,380.
Construction costs per m² without additional building costs: €260,000/160 m²: ~€1,625/m²
Construction costs per m² including additional building costs: €322,000/160 m²: ~€2,012/m²
Plot cost without additional costs: €130,000/3,152 m²: €41.24/m²
Plot cost including additional costs: €147,000/3,152 m²: ~€47/m²
As mentioned, I am writing this primarily for myself as a "diary" to document everything in writing. Maybe it will also be included in the construction folder that I keep very meticulously – accountant mode 🙄 😀 I am always grateful for suggestions, opinions, tips, but also critical feedback as food for thought. Questions will certainly arise over time. You find a lot on the internet and other posts.
I am open to questions about the house, costs, builder, etc. anytime.
We will be building in Saxony, near Dippoldiswalde (22 minutes and 19 km (12 miles) from Dresden). We currently live in a rental apartment in Dresden. Our workplaces will remain in Dresden; working from home is planned about 1-2 days a week. It is also worth mentioning that our child lives with us, and my two older children from a previous relationship occasionally stay overnight.
We found the plot at the end of 2021; the listing had been online for a few months at over €165,000. No one really wanted it because the 3,100 m² (33,365 sq ft) plot includes a protected biotope (an old meadow orchard) in the back, which cannot be built on. Additionally, there is a separate owner to the left, right, and in the center. We have what is basically a servient plot with easements (water, electricity, etc.). Since I tend to be optimistic and see this as an opportunity, we just had to have it. In the end, after negotiations, we bought it for €130,000, which personally I consider a bargain. The owner of the neighboring property (one house on the left, one plot with a bungalow on the right) is already 86 years old and in assisted living. We have already discussed a possible exchange or purchase with their successors at some point in the future.
Our general mindset is simple. Everything can be standard, functional, and serve its purpose. We do not like to spend extra money on things that only look good (like paint). I also buy and collect many items for the house and plot via local classified ads, especially for garden design right now—there are many giveaways 🙂
I really enjoy managing and planning the project and handle about 99% of the arrangements. My girlfriend fully trusts me in this. It is definitely an advantage and very relaxing not to have to discuss every single tile choice. Also, I make decisions quickly. We are building with Heinz von Heiden because I believe the price-performance ratio is good here. What the end result will be remains to be seen, but considering that they have built 50,000 houses, there is trust.
No official zoning plan. Building according to the surrounding development since it is a village. Mixed-use area, open development according to Section 34, Paragraph 1.
Plot size: 3,152 m²
Slope: 5%
Number of floors: 2 full stories
Roof type: gable roof, 25 degrees
Style: country house
Orientation: terrace facing northwest
Additional requirements: From the sewage operator: cistern (an old but good 3-chamber septic tank already exists and will be used)
Client Requirements
Basement, floors: no basement, 2 full stories
Number of people, ages: 3 (M: 36, F: 36, Child: 3)
Space requirement on ground and upper floors: 80 m² (860 sq ft) each
Office: family use or home office?: yes, an office/hobby room upstairs
Guests per year: occasionally, hence a guest room and shower bathroom on the ground floor (also in case one cannot go upstairs with age)
Open or closed architecture: ground floor rather open, upper floor closed
Conservative or modern style: mixed
Open kitchen, kitchen island: open kitchen, no kitchen island
Number of dining seats: 12 (the table is already owned, so no kitchen island)
Fireplace: planned, but the builder wants €6,000 for a masonry fireplace in the center of the house, which I find expensive. I want to install a stainless steel fireplace on the exterior wall myself.
Music/stereo wall: less important
Balcony, roof terrace: no, poor cost-benefit ratio given the large plot
Garage, carport: steel garage 6 x 8 m (20 x 26 ft) with gable roof, 3.30 m (10.8 ft) high and with electric door for the man of the house :p
Useful garden, greenhouse: not important for now
Other wishes/peculiarities/daily routine, including reasons why something should or should not be done: my major wish is definitely a fireplace, but it must be room-air-independent because the house has KfW55 energy standard. I am hoping to get some advice here in the forum on retrofitting a stainless steel chimney.
House Design
Who planned the design:
- Planner from a construction company: Heinz von Heiden prefab house C630 (The Immutable)
- Architect: Heinz von Heiden
- Do-it-yourself: painting and flooring, tiling, excavation, landscaping, and utility earthworks
What do you particularly like? Why?
We especially like the open area comprising entrance, living room, and kitchen with a glazed front facing the garden. The floor plan convinced us immediately. And of course, the space with 160 m² (1,722 sq ft). We currently have 91 m² (979 sq ft).
What do you dislike? Why?
It is rightly called "The Immutable," as walls cannot be changed. But it was €30,000 to €40,000 cheaper because of that.
Price estimate according to architect/planner: fixed-price contract signed in February with 15 months price guarantee:
~€260,000 including special features (standard: ~€235,000)
Included: air-to-air heat pump with storage, large controlled ventilation system, electric shutters on ground and upper floors, underfloor heating on both floors, all materials except tiles, floors, and walls
Preferred heating technology: air-to-air heat pump – not changeable
If you have to give up any details or extras:
- You can forego: upper full floor, large controlled ventilation system, electric shutters, photovoltaic (preparation only)
- You cannot forego: fireplace, 6 rooms
Why is the design as it is?
Standard design from the planner?
Yes
Which wishes were implemented by the architect?
Changes to windows and access to the master bathroom through the bedroom
What makes it particularly good or bad in your opinion?
Open design, large and sufficient rooms
Financing
Through our local savings bank. The plot is still variable at 1.8% interest, and the house loan for 15 years also at 1.8%. Equity is about 17%. Monthly payments should be around €1,380.
Construction costs per m² without additional building costs: €260,000/160 m²: ~€1,625/m²
Construction costs per m² including additional building costs: €322,000/160 m²: ~€2,012/m²
Plot cost without additional costs: €130,000/3,152 m²: €41.24/m²
Plot cost including additional costs: €147,000/3,152 m²: ~€47/m²
As mentioned, I am writing this primarily for myself as a "diary" to document everything in writing. Maybe it will also be included in the construction folder that I keep very meticulously – accountant mode 🙄 😀 I am always grateful for suggestions, opinions, tips, but also critical feedback as food for thought. Questions will certainly arise over time. You find a lot on the internet and other posts.
I am open to questions about the house, costs, builder, etc. anytime.
Congratulations on your affordable villa plot from me as well 🙂
However:
This is a narrow-minded, one-sided view that leads to poor planning: the bedroom becomes a walkthrough room!
Okay, young people might eventually understand that the bathroom on their floor is not meant for them. But young people also have a) needs at night b) can get sick. Unfortunately, from my professional experience (I get to see many apartments and houses), I have to think here and now of growing attic residents without direct bathroom access, who urinate into juice bottles and then, out of shame or laziness, store them in their wardrobes. On top of that, there could be tissue balls with biological traces accumulating in the trash can 😉 So now, let your imagination run wild with that scenario and reconsider the bathroom door! :p
However:
Oberhäslich schrieb:
…. we prefer it over the bedroom. That way, the path is short if you need to get over there naked at night 😉. And two doors take up too much space and give the impression of a bathroom you have to pass through.
This is a narrow-minded, one-sided view that leads to poor planning: the bedroom becomes a walkthrough room!
Okay, young people might eventually understand that the bathroom on their floor is not meant for them. But young people also have a) needs at night b) can get sick. Unfortunately, from my professional experience (I get to see many apartments and houses), I have to think here and now of growing attic residents without direct bathroom access, who urinate into juice bottles and then, out of shame or laziness, store them in their wardrobes. On top of that, there could be tissue balls with biological traces accumulating in the trash can 😉 So now, let your imagination run wild with that scenario and reconsider the bathroom door! :p
C
Costruttrice22 Apr 2022 21:44I find your approach very pragmatic and refreshing!
However, the bathroom door solution wouldn’t work for me. I think it’s a bit one-sided. You don’t want your bathroom to have two doors and be a walk-through room, but this way your bedroom becomes a walk-through room. If your child, who is in kindergarten or primary school, has friends over to play, are they supposed to go through your bedroom? Or do you think they’re disciplined enough to go downstairs instead?
Of course, this is a matter of personal taste. For me, having my bedroom as a quiet place would be more important than being able to enter the bathroom directly from there, naked or not. Also, a child sometimes needs to go at night and then either walks past your bed or has to go downstairs half asleep.
However, the bathroom door solution wouldn’t work for me. I think it’s a bit one-sided. You don’t want your bathroom to have two doors and be a walk-through room, but this way your bedroom becomes a walk-through room. If your child, who is in kindergarten or primary school, has friends over to play, are they supposed to go through your bedroom? Or do you think they’re disciplined enough to go downstairs instead?
Of course, this is a matter of personal taste. For me, having my bedroom as a quiet place would be more important than being able to enter the bathroom directly from there, naked or not. Also, a child sometimes needs to go at night and then either walks past your bed or has to go downstairs half asleep.
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Oberhäslich22 Apr 2022 21:46@Klinkerstyle: I originally come from Chemnitz as well. In which neighborhood are you building? 😎 Well, the biotope has only existed since 2017. It used to be an old orchard meadow (apple trees) that spans about 3 lots. Since we border directly on a field with a forest view, the local council probably prevented a farmer from building 5 single-family houses there with this trick. Good for us, as it means we have an unobstructed view.
@ypg: Honestly, we see the large bathroom as "our domain." A kind of private retreat. It’s not meant for anyone to use it just for their needs. If the daughter uses it, fine—generally, we’re pretty relaxed about that. And as I mentioned, I don’t think it’s a problem for a teenager to go downstairs. She’ll probably be happy later to have her own small bathroom with her own stuff; the rest is parenting. I personally gave up having a second shower in the big bathroom and now always have to go downstairs early in the morning to shower 😕:p But from a cost-benefit perspective, having two showers doesn’t really make sense. Our current one in the guest bathroom is only used about once a year. Everyone else (friends, acquaintances, kids) is simply shown to use the guest toilet... Oh, and none of my three kids, including me, need to use the toilet at night. Only mom does, and she’s happy about the short distance 😀
@Andre77: What’s your experience like, and what kind of house did you build? There’s not much discussion about Heinz von Heiden here in the forum...
@ypg: Honestly, we see the large bathroom as "our domain." A kind of private retreat. It’s not meant for anyone to use it just for their needs. If the daughter uses it, fine—generally, we’re pretty relaxed about that. And as I mentioned, I don’t think it’s a problem for a teenager to go downstairs. She’ll probably be happy later to have her own small bathroom with her own stuff; the rest is parenting. I personally gave up having a second shower in the big bathroom and now always have to go downstairs early in the morning to shower 😕:p But from a cost-benefit perspective, having two showers doesn’t really make sense. Our current one in the guest bathroom is only used about once a year. Everyone else (friends, acquaintances, kids) is simply shown to use the guest toilet... Oh, and none of my three kids, including me, need to use the toilet at night. Only mom does, and she’s happy about the short distance 😀
@Andre77: What’s your experience like, and what kind of house did you build? There’s not much discussion about Heinz von Heiden here in the forum...
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Costruttrice22 Apr 2022 22:01Oberhäslich schrieb:
She will surely be happy later to have her own little bathroom with her own things,But she won’t be happy when her parents’ guests want to use her space…Oberhäslich schrieb:
Oh, and none of my three kids, including myself, needs to go to the bathroom at night. This is a defensive response… I’m reminded of the monkey who covers its eyes (“I don’t want to know the facts”) and of looking at a snapshot in time.
Oberhäslich schrieb:
Honestly, I see it as “our domain.” A kind of private retreat. It’s not intended that anyone goes there to take care of their personal needs. “Home” applies to all residents. You should also grant your children intimacy and privacy. But anyone unwilling to understand that will be equally stubborn and unreceptive.
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