ᐅ Construction method: prefabricated house, solid (or masonry) house, construction manager, architectural design
Created on: 5 Aug 2014 15:59
V
Voki1
Hello dear forum members,
I have now joined this forum and hope to get some useful ideas and suggestions.
We have found and purchased our dream plot of land. It is 1600 square meters (17,200 square feet) with plenty of space for children’s play areas around it.
Now the question is what we can do with the “remaining” budget of about EUR 270,000 to a maximum of EUR 300,000. Realistically, I can hardly do much myself. Well, I can still manage wallpapering and laying carpets, parquet, and laminate flooring. But beyond that, I have neither the talent nor the time.
We live in Northern Germany, more precisely in the Ammerland region.
We are struggling with three fundamental considerations and are not making much progress. The first question is how to actually build. Basically, we are considering three options: a) prefabricated house, b) solid / masonry house with a construction manager, and c) architect-designed home.
a) Prefabricated house
We have found some interesting ideas here, and we like the building method quite a lot. In particular, Schwörerhaus matches our ideas best. However, prefabricated houses apparently have the downside that they are not cheaper to build and tend to sell only at significant price reductions (if resale happens at all).
We are initially assuming that a sale will not be necessary. Are there other disadvantages that I might not be aware of? Regarding acoustic insulation, I understand that many technical improvements have been made. Are there suppliers here who can be recommended with confidence?
b) Construction manager
I have already had two semi-detached houses built turnkey using a construction manager. Both were solid masonry buildings, and the completion went quite well. Of course, there were problems — actually quite a few — but they were solved satisfactorily each time. When that many trades and people come together... mistakes happen and sometimes people are just careless. But as I said, everything worked out well in the end.
I expect (slightly) lower total costs with a construction manager because you are basically buying “off the shelf” rather than commissioning a completely new design. This way, planning costs are spread over many clients, and the overall calculation may look more favorable. And that is exactly my question: can this really be the case? The construction manager acts as general contractor and is liable for all damages and complaints. I would initially hire only a company that has been active and successful in the local market for a long time and has good creditworthiness. But wouldn’t such a company also reflect the general contractor risk in a surcharge on the prices they pay to subcontractors? Will you really end up paying less? How is this usually handled? Am I completely wrong here?
c) Architect-designed home
This is actually my preferred option. On the other hand, I do not know a single architect. I have zero experience and am a little worried about ending up with one you really should not hire. Also, the costs seem quite high in comparison. Of course, that may be only subjective because prefabricated house manufacturers and construction managers do not usually disclose their calculations, so these costs are not transparent to me.
It’s all quite frustrating.
I only know a little so far. The living area should be about 140 to 150 square meters (1500 to 1600 square feet). KfW-70 standard, nothing fancy, no basement, standard fittings. Am I way off with about 1500 euros per square meter here? As I said, I do not want to exceed my total budget because I want to pay it off someday. I am aiming for a loan term of about 17 years (because of retirement), which limits the loan amount.
Thank you very much for your comments — even from those who cannot really answer the questions but want to point that out.
Volker
I have now joined this forum and hope to get some useful ideas and suggestions.
We have found and purchased our dream plot of land. It is 1600 square meters (17,200 square feet) with plenty of space for children’s play areas around it.
Now the question is what we can do with the “remaining” budget of about EUR 270,000 to a maximum of EUR 300,000. Realistically, I can hardly do much myself. Well, I can still manage wallpapering and laying carpets, parquet, and laminate flooring. But beyond that, I have neither the talent nor the time.
We live in Northern Germany, more precisely in the Ammerland region.
We are struggling with three fundamental considerations and are not making much progress. The first question is how to actually build. Basically, we are considering three options: a) prefabricated house, b) solid / masonry house with a construction manager, and c) architect-designed home.
a) Prefabricated house
We have found some interesting ideas here, and we like the building method quite a lot. In particular, Schwörerhaus matches our ideas best. However, prefabricated houses apparently have the downside that they are not cheaper to build and tend to sell only at significant price reductions (if resale happens at all).
We are initially assuming that a sale will not be necessary. Are there other disadvantages that I might not be aware of? Regarding acoustic insulation, I understand that many technical improvements have been made. Are there suppliers here who can be recommended with confidence?
b) Construction manager
I have already had two semi-detached houses built turnkey using a construction manager. Both were solid masonry buildings, and the completion went quite well. Of course, there were problems — actually quite a few — but they were solved satisfactorily each time. When that many trades and people come together... mistakes happen and sometimes people are just careless. But as I said, everything worked out well in the end.
I expect (slightly) lower total costs with a construction manager because you are basically buying “off the shelf” rather than commissioning a completely new design. This way, planning costs are spread over many clients, and the overall calculation may look more favorable. And that is exactly my question: can this really be the case? The construction manager acts as general contractor and is liable for all damages and complaints. I would initially hire only a company that has been active and successful in the local market for a long time and has good creditworthiness. But wouldn’t such a company also reflect the general contractor risk in a surcharge on the prices they pay to subcontractors? Will you really end up paying less? How is this usually handled? Am I completely wrong here?
c) Architect-designed home
This is actually my preferred option. On the other hand, I do not know a single architect. I have zero experience and am a little worried about ending up with one you really should not hire. Also, the costs seem quite high in comparison. Of course, that may be only subjective because prefabricated house manufacturers and construction managers do not usually disclose their calculations, so these costs are not transparent to me.
It’s all quite frustrating.
I only know a little so far. The living area should be about 140 to 150 square meters (1500 to 1600 square feet). KfW-70 standard, nothing fancy, no basement, standard fittings. Am I way off with about 1500 euros per square meter here? As I said, I do not want to exceed my total budget because I want to pay it off someday. I am aiming for a loan term of about 17 years (because of retirement), which limits the loan amount.
Thank you very much for your comments — even from those who cannot really answer the questions but want to point that out.
Volker
D
Doc.Schnaggls11 Aug 2014 16:30Hello Building Expert,
That’s fine, I didn’t understand it that way either.
I think choosing the type of construction is purely a gut decision – the important thing is to be 100% convinced by the construction method.
The moisture and black mold in the basement you mentioned are certainly a tough pill to swallow, but I also wonder if there was poor workmanship on the basement, possibly a faulty or missing soil survey report, or if a major water damage event was the cause.
On our way to building our own house, we also viewed a few existing properties, which every time reinforced our decision to build ourselves.
The “worst” property was a combination of a solid masonry house (main structural body) with a two-story timber frame bay window.
The entire joint between the bay window and the “main house” had cracks up to 1 cm (0.4 inch) wide – these cracks also extended along the full transition from knee wall to roof.
The house was only 8 years old at the time of viewing…
The contractors named were a reputable construction company and a well-known local carpentry firm.
Regards,
Dirk
That’s fine, I didn’t understand it that way either.
I think choosing the type of construction is purely a gut decision – the important thing is to be 100% convinced by the construction method.
The moisture and black mold in the basement you mentioned are certainly a tough pill to swallow, but I also wonder if there was poor workmanship on the basement, possibly a faulty or missing soil survey report, or if a major water damage event was the cause.
On our way to building our own house, we also viewed a few existing properties, which every time reinforced our decision to build ourselves.
The “worst” property was a combination of a solid masonry house (main structural body) with a two-story timber frame bay window.
The entire joint between the bay window and the “main house” had cracks up to 1 cm (0.4 inch) wide – these cracks also extended along the full transition from knee wall to roof.
The house was only 8 years old at the time of viewing…
The contractors named were a reputable construction company and a well-known local carpentry firm.
Regards,
Dirk
Bauexperte schrieb:
That’s an interesting approach Yes, that sounds odd, but all the obvious reasons for choosing a construction partner apply to both providers, so we aren’t really making progress here.
One thing comes to mind (and if this topic gets too broad, I’m happy to start a separate thread about it): we want to build a house with a flat roof, leaning towards a Bauhaus style. All the solid construction companies we’ve spoken with over the months have advised against a detached house with a flat roof—basically saying that sooner or later the flat roof will leak, and wood and moisture don’t mix well.
Now, I’m just assuming that a professionally installed and well-maintained flat roof stays watertight—but are there still reasons to avoid combining a flat roof with a timber frame construction?
Thanks & best regards,
Sandra
A flat roof with a bitumen covering has a lifespan of 20 to 30 years, according to various home building experts I have consulted. A metal roof lasts about 10 years longer. A "professionally installed and well-maintained flat roof," as you mentioned, remains watertight. A poorly constructed pitched roof with tiles can start rotting within just 5 years — along with the wooden studs underneath.
Tip: A shed roof with a low slope (minimum 3°) is cost-effective, does not retain standing water, and from an external appearance, closely resembles the Bauhaus architectural style.
Tip: A shed roof with a low slope (minimum 3°) is cost-effective, does not retain standing water, and from an external appearance, closely resembles the Bauhaus architectural style.
B
Bauexperte12 Aug 2014 00:37Good evening Sandra,
Well, then I definitely wouldn’t buy a masonry garage with a flat roof from the aforementioned solid house providers; its construction is roughly the same as the flat roof of a prefabricated house provider.
That is correct. Generally applies also to masonry garages with flat roofs.
Regards, Bauexperte
Sunnx schrieb:
we want to build a house with a flat roof, in the direction of the Bauhaus style. All the solid house providers we have spoken to over the months have advised us against a flat roof on a detached house – the reasoning being: sooner or later the flat roof will always leak, and wood and moisture are not a good combination.
Well, then I definitely wouldn’t buy a masonry garage with a flat roof from the aforementioned solid house providers; its construction is roughly the same as the flat roof of a prefabricated house provider.
Sunnx schrieb:
Now I just assume that a professionally installed and well-maintained flat roof stays watertight
That is correct. Generally applies also to masonry garages with flat roofs.
Regards, Bauexperte
And still, I have this "preconception" as well. It is probably always a matter of the likelihood of occurrence and the consequences if it does happen.
I believe – completely without professional expertise and biased – that the probability of water infiltration in a flat roof is higher than I would expect for a "normal" pitched roof. Here, I initially assume that both roofs are professionally and well constructed.
IF water should actually enter, the impact on a prefabricated house is reportedly much greater than it would be for a solid construction house.
For "insurance reasons" (I consider every protective measure to be a kind of insurance), I would probably opt for a single-pitch roof with a low slope if it is going to be a flat roof anyway.
By the way: Is a "staggered gable roof" considered a single-pitch roof or a gable roof?
I believe – completely without professional expertise and biased – that the probability of water infiltration in a flat roof is higher than I would expect for a "normal" pitched roof. Here, I initially assume that both roofs are professionally and well constructed.
IF water should actually enter, the impact on a prefabricated house is reportedly much greater than it would be for a solid construction house.
For "insurance reasons" (I consider every protective measure to be a kind of insurance), I would probably opt for a single-pitch roof with a low slope if it is going to be a flat roof anyway.
By the way: Is a "staggered gable roof" considered a single-pitch roof or a gable roof?
B
Bauexperte12 Aug 2014 08:25Good morning,
Aside from the fundamental decision between a prefabricated house (FH) and a solid house (MH), there are several points speaking against an FH, such as those you mentioned in your post no. 12. Additionally, it should be noted that the mortgage lending value is often lower for these types of houses.
My esteemed colleague from a competing company, who builds cavity walls with mineral insulation on the inside, mainly sells brick-faced single-family homes. For the typical eager homeowner, there is no faster way to move into their dream house, so the advertising message "Construction time 3 months – if necessary with a tent (perforated, chargeable, and a brilliant marketing move)" falls on very receptive ears. With the magical number 3, like a little devil on the shoulder, all doubts about this extremely short construction time are thrown overboard. Among other things, this period is met by building the interior and exterior walls simultaneously. Any bold person who publicly states that rain during the shell construction phase can lead to long-term complications will be swiftly put in their place by well-paid lawyers.
Just one example out of many... with solid construction; there is no need to debate flat roofs here.
Best regards, Bauexperte
Aside from the fundamental decision between a prefabricated house (FH) and a solid house (MH), there are several points speaking against an FH, such as those you mentioned in your post no. 12. Additionally, it should be noted that the mortgage lending value is often lower for these types of houses.
Voki1 schrieb:The impact is always greatest when mineral insulation is exposed to the weather.
IF water were to actually enter, the reported impact on a prefabricated house would be much greater than if it happened in a solid house.
My esteemed colleague from a competing company, who builds cavity walls with mineral insulation on the inside, mainly sells brick-faced single-family homes. For the typical eager homeowner, there is no faster way to move into their dream house, so the advertising message "Construction time 3 months – if necessary with a tent (perforated, chargeable, and a brilliant marketing move)" falls on very receptive ears. With the magical number 3, like a little devil on the shoulder, all doubts about this extremely short construction time are thrown overboard. Among other things, this period is met by building the interior and exterior walls simultaneously. Any bold person who publicly states that rain during the shell construction phase can lead to long-term complications will be swiftly put in their place by well-paid lawyers.
Just one example out of many... with solid construction; there is no need to debate flat roofs here.
Voki1 schrieb:Honestly, I don’t know either... for sure. It depends on how the responsible clerk in the planning committee wants to classify this roof type. It might also be considered a "pitched roof."
By the way: Is an offset gable roof actually a shed roof or a gable roof?
Best regards, Bauexperte
Similar topics