ᐅ Is it possible to build a new house for €900 per square meter?
Created on: 3 Sep 2024 21:04
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Ottowillswisse
Hello everyone,
After my house purchase unfortunately fell through, I happened to start a conversation with someone from a new development in town.
He told me that the average cost for new builds is usually around €3000 per m² (approximately $280 per ft²), which is quite expensive. But he built his 100 m² (1,076 ft²) flat-roof bungalow with an architect for only €900 per m² (around $85 per ft²). How he managed that: wall construction consists of 17.5 cm (7 inches) calcium silicate bricks + 15 cm (6 inches) insulation with a thermal conductivity of 0.035 W/(mK) + 1.5 cm (0.6 inches) plaster (this is apparently the cheapest possible wall build-up).
Most of the interior work was done by himself, so for example, the kitchen cost €2000 (about $2200) purchased from a DIY store, and the bathrooms were tiled and the fixtures installed by himself. Laminate flooring and tiles were also installed as DIY for a maximum of €15 per m² (about $1.40 per ft²). Interior plaster on ceilings and walls, interior doors, windows, and the front door were also installed by himself.
The design is very simple with small window areas, and the excavated soil was reused in the garden, for example. The house has no photovoltaic or solar system. Hot water is provided by a tankless water heater, and heating is done with an air-to-air heat pump, that is, a split air conditioning system.
What do you think about such a construction cost? It seems somewhat unrealistic to me.
Best regards
After my house purchase unfortunately fell through, I happened to start a conversation with someone from a new development in town.
He told me that the average cost for new builds is usually around €3000 per m² (approximately $280 per ft²), which is quite expensive. But he built his 100 m² (1,076 ft²) flat-roof bungalow with an architect for only €900 per m² (around $85 per ft²). How he managed that: wall construction consists of 17.5 cm (7 inches) calcium silicate bricks + 15 cm (6 inches) insulation with a thermal conductivity of 0.035 W/(mK) + 1.5 cm (0.6 inches) plaster (this is apparently the cheapest possible wall build-up).
Most of the interior work was done by himself, so for example, the kitchen cost €2000 (about $2200) purchased from a DIY store, and the bathrooms were tiled and the fixtures installed by himself. Laminate flooring and tiles were also installed as DIY for a maximum of €15 per m² (about $1.40 per ft²). Interior plaster on ceilings and walls, interior doors, windows, and the front door were also installed by himself.
The design is very simple with small window areas, and the excavated soil was reused in the garden, for example. The house has no photovoltaic or solar system. Hot water is provided by a tankless water heater, and heating is done with an air-to-air heat pump, that is, a split air conditioning system.
What do you think about such a construction cost? It seems somewhat unrealistic to me.
Best regards
O
Ottowillswisse24 Nov 2024 22:36How can, for example, Heinz von Heiden offer a turnkey solution so cheaply? They also need to make a profit. I also described the specifications in the initial post, which are quite economical. I can hardly imagine a house with that kind of specification costing €3,000 per m2 (approximately $350 per ft²).
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nordanney24 Nov 2024 22:45Ottowillswisse schrieb:
How can, for example, Heinz von Heiden be so affordable with their turnkey homes? They want to make money too, after all. As always, these are "starting from" prices. And turnkey does not mean move-in ready. It also doesn’t mean that there aren’t still responsibilities left for the homeowner. These low prices apply only to the absolutely minimalistic houses at the "starting from" price.
A good example of how quickly you end up at the "starting from" price of 2,200€/m² (205 sq ft) if you don’t choose the cheapest option.
You can live in both. You can also get from A to B in a Smart car, but it’s more comfortable in the C-Class, and the S-Class is excellent. All from Mercedes. And all are "starting from" prices in the configuration. But almost 100% of buyers upgrade. The base price does not actually generate profit.
One of my clients is currently planning social housing at 2,900€/m² (270 sq ft)...
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Ottowillswisse24 Nov 2024 22:53nordanney schrieb:
As always, these are starting prices. And turnkey does not mean move-in ready. Also, it doesn’t mean that there are no remaining tasks for the homeowner. These low prices only apply to the absolute minimalist houses at the “starting” price.
A good example of how you quickly end up at the starting price of 2,200€/m² (205 sq ft) if you don’t choose the cheapest option.
You can live in both. You can get from A to B in a Smart car, but it’s more comfortable in the C-Class, and the S-Class is excellent. All from Mercedes. And all “starting” prices in the configuration. But almost everyone upgrades. With the base price, no profit is actually made. The problem is that I am currently living in an unrenovated attic apartment from 1950 because prices here are just completely insane. However, through connections, I can access affordable serviced building land. That’s why I considered building a new house with basic fittings and doing some of the work myself. For example, if you build a one-and-a-half-story house, you can move in as soon as only the ground floor is finished. Compared to the unrenovated attic apartment, even the cheapest new build is luxury. In my first post, I described my acquaintance’s (basic) house fittings and that he, working as a mason, built it almost entirely by himself for 900€ per m² (84 sq ft), so I assumed I could build a house with similar fittings and self-performed work for 1,700€ per m² (158 sq ft), excluding additional construction costs.
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nordanney24 Nov 2024 23:04Ottowillswisse schrieb:
The problem is that I currently live in an unrenovated attic apartment from 1950 because prices here are simply crazy. However, through connections, I can access affordable serviced building land. So, I had the idea to build a new house with basic finishes and doing much of the work myself. For example, if you build a one-and-a-half-story house, you can move in once the ground floor is finished. Compared to the unrenovated attic apartment, even the cheapest new build is a luxury. In my original post, I described the (basic) finishes of a house built by my acquaintance who works as a bricklayer and completed nearly 100% of the work himself for 900€ per m2 (without additional construction costs). Therefore, I assumed that with similar finishes and self-work, it would be possible to build a house for 1,700€ per m2 (without additional construction costs), only having to pay externally for floor coverings and painting. If you have the money set aside and the time for the construction, good luck. And as I mentioned, you will also need certified professionals willing to put their credentials on the line for you.
And remember, the smaller the house, the higher the price per square meter will be.
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Frauke18725 Nov 2024 07:53nordanney schrieb:
Oh, and you also need certified professionals, as certain trades require licensed specialists – for example, installing external thermal insulation composite systems (ETICS) yourself is not allowed. Also, working on water pipes is prohibited for you. And so on. The statement by @nordanney is incorrect!
Of course, you can insulate your house yourself. If you don’t need a loan and aren’t involved with any government subsidy programs like KfW, you can do everything on your own.
You can also install the water pipes yourself. You prepare everything with copper tubing, and the plumber just presses the fittings together for you.
Alternatively, you can buy a pipe press tool for 500 euros and press the fittings together yourself. There’s no need to solder anymore. Even plumbers often have assistants do that work.
You can buy the materials either online or from specialized suppliers.
The same applies to electrical work. Some electricians are even glad when clients do part of the work themselves, since their expensive specialists don’t have to chase after installing cable ducts or cutting out sockets. You can do that yourself. Of course, you have to look around to find a suitable electrician. But that is definitely possible.
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nordanney25 Nov 2024 08:11Frauke187 schrieb:
@nordanney’s statement is incorrect.No. Installing external thermal insulation composite systems (ETICS) requires either a painter’s or plasterer’s company. Both trades are legally required to have certified master qualification. You may be skilled, but you are not authorized. Frauke187 schrieb:
Or you buy a pipe crimping tool for 500 euros and press the fittings yourself. Then there’s no need to solder anymore.That is also prohibited. Only certified specialist companies are officially allowed to do this. That’s why I say you need a professional who takes responsibility across different trades. This way, they also provide warranty since they officially carry out the work. It can get complicated…
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