ᐅ Is the construction boom still ongoing?

That's correct, because for a single-family house built around 10 years ago, you can expect between 15,000 and 20,000 kWh depending on the winter, with a floor area of 150 m2 (1,615 sq ft).

20,000 kWh is far too much. That was my consumption in the moderately insulated building from 1967 over the past few years.

Single-family house with 170 sqm (1830 sq ft), built in 1995 in Northern Germany, gas boiler about 3 years old: 18,000 kWh

115 sqm (1238 sq ft) prefabricated house (concrete) plus 55 sqm (592 sq ft) extension from 2005 in timber frame construction.

There is still significant potential for reduction (lowering the room temperature).
I think my mother always kept it around 23 degrees Celsius (73°F). That seems a bit high.

QQSTSolar schrieb:

Nowadays, building a house is still quite convenient. The problem lies in unrealistic expectations. It has to be at least a city villa with every extra upgrade offered—not a must-have anymore, just a nice-to-have.

The biggest cost when building with a general contractor (GC) is the value-added tax (VAT). If you think your house costs 500,000 euros, you have to deduct the VAT. That’s how you can save a significant amount by doing some work yourself.

Out of curiosity, I drive through new housing developments, get out, look inside the houses, and assess various quality levels. You meet all kinds of tradespeople and craftsmen. You just have to listen to them. That’s the best way to learn. But who am I kidding? Most homeowners would rather go on vacation than visit other construction sites during the week.

I’m no longer a homeowner but can still advise on what’s currently available, affordable alternatives, or where to get a heat pump. Before building, as I’ve mentioned here before, you need to build a network. You have to be bold and speak the language of the tradespeople. Showing up on site in old work pants is different than arriving in a suit after hours.

There are always inexpensive workers operating off the books—you just have to know them. Nothing has changed. If I can build a house for 200,000 euros, then 3 percent interest doesn’t bother me.

A few weeks ago, I projected maintenance costs of 2,000 euros per year for a house. That can already be a challenge for the middle class. Many will still be surprised by this.

But basically, these are all side issues. The euro is practically crashing and losing value. The German government is becoming increasingly chaotic and unpredictable. The economy is collapsing. Immigration is reaching new record levels every day. Interest rates will rise dramatically. In this context, 3–4 percent is still very affordable.

The biggest problem that worries me most is the expanding war. We are only at the beginning. The conflict will spread to core Europe. In Ukraine, Russia and NATO are directly facing each other. NATO weapons are being delivered, NATO soldiers are in Ukraine, targeting of Russian forces is happening from Germany, etc.

On the other side, Russia has partially mobilized 300,000 soldiers. New conflicts are emerging in the Balkans between Serbia and Kosovo, in Armenia, Syria, Taiwan, and elsewhere.

I firmly expect a NATO war against Russia. Therefore, I would wait now and put everything on hold. Take savings out of the euro and convert them into other investments. Watch the situation closely. Since we are heading into a severe liquidity crisis, prices will collapse. Soon, nobody will have any interest in real estate. That’s how it looks.

What will you do when Chancellor Scholz orders a general mobilization? Then it’s off to the Eastern Front. Early at six in the morning at the train station. So, considering building a house these days is a waste of time.

Summary: Be brave enough to do your own work and make use of off-the-books labor.

xMisterDx schrieb:

The 1,000 EUR was for gas and electricity... Not everyone has a default energy supplier, and not all default suppliers offer the same rates.

Now I am really shocked. No default energy supplier? That’s something new in Germany, that there are areas without a legally mandated default energy provider.

xMisterDx schrieb:

A terraced house, usually a mid-terrace, cannot really be compared in terms of heating demand to a detached single-family home.

But a detached single-family home is not the standard either. I still maintain that a 10-15 year old house should not consume 16,000 kWh of gas if it is built to normal standards (there were already strict energy saving regulations with the 2007 version) and heated normally.

Hutchinson123 schrieb:

Single-family home, 170 sqm (1,830 sqft), built in 1995 in northern Germany, gas boiler about 3 years old: 18,000 kWh

@xMisterx Good example: The house is 27 years old, not 10, heated heavily, and has the consumption you estimated for a much better insulated newer home.

So, a house from the 2000s with approximately 140sqm (1507 sqft) would have an estimated annual energy consumption of around 12,000 kWh at 21°C (70°F) room temperature and with a well-adjusted heating system.