ᐅ New single-family house with basement (on a sloped site)
Created on: 6 Jul 2025 21:36
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dragonheart100
As a family with a child, we want to build a single-family house south of Stuttgart. We have a plot in sight. We looked at the Flair 113 model from Town & Country since the plot is on a slope and includes a basement.
Does anyone have experience with this?
What budget should generally be expected? Is around 400,000 euros (house + additional costs) realistic?
The following work is planned to be done by ourselves: drywall, electrical installations, interior doors, plumbing/tiling, interior plastering, painting, and flooring.
The financing is planned, among other things, through the L-Bank with the Z15 loan.
Which other construction companies should we consider, especially taking into account the planned owner participation?
We look forward to your feedback!
Does anyone have experience with this?
What budget should generally be expected? Is around 400,000 euros (house + additional costs) realistic?
The following work is planned to be done by ourselves: drywall, electrical installations, interior doors, plumbing/tiling, interior plastering, painting, and flooring.
The financing is planned, among other things, through the L-Bank with the Z15 loan.
Which other construction companies should we consider, especially taking into account the planned owner participation?
We look forward to your feedback!
Regarding your other questions
You can estimate about 3000€/sqm (square meter) of living space for a standard house (simple and practical, without bay windows or extras). Building on a slope is more expensive due to terrain modification, while Town & Country houses are cheaper because they are more basic and therefore somewhat “below standard.” This is not meant negatively.
For a shell house, which usually involves a bit more work, the company Massa Haus comes to mind. However, as far as I know, they are not very flexible when it comes to basements. Regional companies that build simply but well are a good option. They tend to be more open to discussions if you want to omit certain trades.
Owner-built work typically includes flooring and painting with most general contractors. That alone can take up a whole year off work, especially if one person is unavailable due to childcare responsibilities. So be cautious with owner-built work that might delay your move-in. You will also need to manage the double burden of rent and mortgage payments during this time.
I would advise against a sloped plot unless you have at least an extra 50,000€ or more in available capital. A slope can be complicated, offers little enjoyment if you cannot develop it, and is often unpredictable. In addition to the house price mentioned above, you will have additional building-related costs, plus landscaping and kitchen/lighting expenses.
Converting a utility basement into living space is not the same as having a basement included within the living area nowadays. Utility basements are usually not considered living rooms (just utility areas). Living rooms have clear requirements (ventilation options, natural daylight, a second escape route, ceiling height, heating). Utility basements lack some or all of these, even if made cozy with wallpaper and carpeting. These extra rooms will also come at a high cost. A children’s bedroom cannot be made out of such a space.
A flat plot will usually be more expensive but is easier to calculate. A basic standard house with a pitched roof often (though not always, depending on structural considerations) allows the possibility to convert the attic later. Keep searching or look at young pre-owned homes, possibly a townhouse. They tend to be more affordable after all.
dragonheart100 schrieb:
What budget should you generally plan for? Is around 400k (house + additional costs) realistic?
You can estimate about 3000€/sqm (square meter) of living space for a standard house (simple and practical, without bay windows or extras). Building on a slope is more expensive due to terrain modification, while Town & Country houses are cheaper because they are more basic and therefore somewhat “below standard.” This is not meant negatively.
dragonheart100 schrieb:
Which other construction companies should we consider, also regarding owner-built work?
For a shell house, which usually involves a bit more work, the company Massa Haus comes to mind. However, as far as I know, they are not very flexible when it comes to basements. Regional companies that build simply but well are a good option. They tend to be more open to discussions if you want to omit certain trades.
Owner-built work typically includes flooring and painting with most general contractors. That alone can take up a whole year off work, especially if one person is unavailable due to childcare responsibilities. So be cautious with owner-built work that might delay your move-in. You will also need to manage the double burden of rent and mortgage payments during this time.
dragonheart100 schrieb:
because the plot is on a slope
I would advise against a sloped plot unless you have at least an extra 50,000€ or more in available capital. A slope can be complicated, offers little enjoyment if you cannot develop it, and is often unpredictable. In addition to the house price mentioned above, you will have additional building-related costs, plus landscaping and kitchen/lighting expenses.
Converting a utility basement into living space is not the same as having a basement included within the living area nowadays. Utility basements are usually not considered living rooms (just utility areas). Living rooms have clear requirements (ventilation options, natural daylight, a second escape route, ceiling height, heating). Utility basements lack some or all of these, even if made cozy with wallpaper and carpeting. These extra rooms will also come at a high cost. A children’s bedroom cannot be made out of such a space.
A flat plot will usually be more expensive but is easier to calculate. A basic standard house with a pitched roof often (though not always, depending on structural considerations) allows the possibility to convert the attic later. Keep searching or look at young pre-owned homes, possibly a townhouse. They tend to be more affordable after all.
The prefabricated house units were not structurally designed to suit the slope. The reliable local builder may have made some adjustments based on experience.
In our case, an additional $20,000 was needed for extra reinforcement, more concrete, and a thicker slab.
For some acquaintances, removing the excavation material unexpectedly cost an extra $20,000. So much for just leveling the site.
On top of that, there are all the retaining walls, topsoil, and so on.
With good planning, you can build a house on a slope with no more square meters than you would plan for a slab-on-grade house. That doesn’t seem to be the case for you.
In our case, an additional $20,000 was needed for extra reinforcement, more concrete, and a thicker slab.
For some acquaintances, removing the excavation material unexpectedly cost an extra $20,000. So much for just leveling the site.
On top of that, there are all the retaining walls, topsoil, and so on.
With good planning, you can build a house on a slope with no more square meters than you would plan for a slab-on-grade house. That doesn’t seem to be the case for you.
dragonheart100 schrieb:
Maybe I should try to provide a few more details about the plot / house.
The overall building area has a height difference of about 1.5 m (5 feet). The plot size is approximately 420 sqm (4,520 sqft). Keep in mind that this is a plot we are not yet familiar with.
dragonheart100 schrieb:
We also looked at the Flair 113 as a model home with a utility basement, which was developed as a living basement. However, the house was not built on a slope. From our perspective, the layout made sense and would basically fit well with the plot. A basement not required by the plot is hardly practical. And what exactly do you mean: utility basement OR living basement – do you mean a basement with living-height ceilings instead of 250 cm (8 ft 2 in) or more, with light wells for windows below ground level?
dragonheart100 schrieb:
Opinions seem to agree that Town & Country is not optimal for this case. Is that mainly because of in-house work (self-performed trades) or to better handle the slope? This provider calculates offers for full service scope, but you actually need a shell construction general contractor (GC). Both from a process standpoint, this is more appropriate, and when trades are "opted out," the profit margins are never deducted, which cancels out any potential cost advantages of using an alternative craftsman or self-performing work.
dragonheart100 schrieb:
We have also been in contact with a local GC, but the initial price offer was somewhat discouraging. We had slightly different plans though (granny flat, living-basement height in the cellar, etc.). We have reestablished contact, though. A granny flat is always economically questionable.
dragonheart100 schrieb:
An architect sounds much more expensive than a GC or similar, or am I mistaken? I am specifically referring to an independent architect for Module A. You can also hire a GC with your own architect (and you should never proceed without advice). It only costs more when you go with what "@Gerddieter warns" architects (= floor plan drawers phases 1 to 4 without practical site supervision or billing experience). Read my “House-Building Roadmap, also for you: the HOAI phase model!” (My signature has been helping to find the right path for a few weeks now).
dragonheart100 schrieb:
So, you would recommend a bungalow style (like Aura 125), where the attic is the basement? That means one floor above ground would be completely omitted, correct? And the attic would serve as storage? Correct: (assuming a sloped site with access from the uphill side) the ground floor as a “bungalow” level, the upper floor relocated into the basement. Above the ground floor, hardly any additional storage space is needed, provided the extra 12 sqm (130 sqft) of the Aura compared to the Flair on the uphill side of the basement still offer some storage capacity.
ypg schrieb:
The construction scope description from Town & Country is seen by many as quite basic and "cheap." This is also currently discussed in this forum. No, it is comprehensive for those who shop at Kaufland rather than Käfer. Here someone is merely venting frustration about the provider instead of their own poor decision, trying to elevate themselves by claiming this provider does not interpret "premium quality" through the Gucci lens.
11ant schrieb:
Town & Country builds single-family homes for statutory health insurance clients, and I think they do it properly. “High-quality features” here simply means first-class professional retail—including DIY store—products. This definitely does not imply market-leading or benchmark-setting quality. This is no secret, so you would have to be quite disconnected from reality to complain about that. Town & Country is Aldi in the sense of Choceur, not in the sense of Moser Roth. .
ypg schrieb:
If you choose an architect, they sensibly design a house specifically for the plot to fit optimally, without unnecessary basement rooms that you don’t need. The result is a house optimized to budget and site. All of this through consultation. In the end, it costs about the same or even less! The key difference is completing Module A with an independent architect who conceives the house tailored to the plot. In this case, I do not recommend the classic full scope “phases 1 to 8” in four steps (Module A - resting phase with decisions - Module B - Module C), but rather “Module A - resting phase with decisions - phase 3, then with the construction advisor or architect to owner-managed regional shell construction GC.” If interested, please get in touch soon as vacation season is approaching and the schedule for 2025 is almost fully booked!
https://www.instagram.com/11antgmxde/
https://www.linkedin.com/company/bauen-jetzt/
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Marvinius201611 Jul 2025 21:17nordanney schrieb:
That might be more expensive per square meter of living space, but if you end up managing with 140 sq m (1,507 sq ft) instead of 170 sq m (1,830 sq ft), you will probably be much better off in the long run. Be careful: if the price is the same, go for the 170 sq m (1,830 sq ft). Needs change, and what seems well planned and adequate today can become "not enough" tomorrow. To paraphrase a well-known saying: living space can’t be replaced by anything except even more living space.
Marvinius2016 schrieb:
Be careful: If the price is the same, choose the 170m2 (1830 sq ft). Needs change, and what is well planned and suitable today might not fit tomorrow.I always do it that way. If I heat too much water, I freeze the rest; you can always use it later. Marvinius2016 schrieb:
A variation of a well-known saying: Living space cannot be replaced by anything but even more living space.Exactly, houses with larger engine capacities run at lower speeds and are therefore quieter, at least it feels that way.https://www.instagram.com/11antgmxde/
https://www.linkedin.com/company/bauen-jetzt/
Enclosed volume must be paid for and maintained.
With the budget and the slope involved, every cent, every excavation bucket, and every cubic meter of enclosed volume needs to be carefully considered.
There is no money available to add an extra space later for a hobby, a third child, or anything else.
The house, budget, and requirements do not allow for an additional basement space.
With the budget and the slope involved, every cent, every excavation bucket, and every cubic meter of enclosed volume needs to be carefully considered.
There is no money available to add an extra space later for a hobby, a third child, or anything else.
The house, budget, and requirements do not allow for an additional basement space.