ᐅ Semi-detached house, upscale fittings: Are the additional costs accurate?

Created on: 6 Dec 2014 11:35
3
305er
Hello,

Yesterday, we met with an architect who showed us a plot of land for a semi-detached house. The other half is already built.
The house has 140 sqm (1507 sqft) of living space, although a large part of this already includes the basement, as it is usable living space (with a window).

The house will be finished to a high standard (I will copy the real estate listing at the end here).

The architect will act as the general contractor and work with local craftsmen.
For additional work such as extra electrical outlets, different bathroom fixtures, etc., I will need to contact his respective craftsmen, who will then provide me with the costs.

Now to the main questions:

The house comes only with a gas heating system and radiators in the rooms.
He said if I want underfloor heating, it will be operated by an air-source heat pump.
The extra cost for this system plus underfloor heating is about €15,000 (about $16,200).
This sounded reasonable to me as I didn’t have any idea before. On this forum, some people were shocked when someone had to pay €8,000 (about $8,600) more.
What do you think about my price?
Also, he kept saying that this air-source heat pump is a form of solar technology, because it extracts heat from the air.

Furthermore:
There are additional costs of about €18,000 (about $19,400) for earthworks, sewer connections, and utility connections.
Is this reasonable?
He said this includes excavation and laying the connections from the street to the house (electricity, water, etc.).

Another extra:
We could install a heat recovery ventilation system with air filters for about €15,000 (about $16,200), similar to what you find in passive prefab houses.
He estimates this could improve the energy efficiency rating from KfW 70 (the usual) to 55.
Is it worth the extra cost, also considering the health benefits?
I am allergic to pollen and suffer from extreme eye itching/burning, throat itching, etc.

These were my main questions so far.

Additional points:
I forgot to ask about the cost for electric shutters. What would you estimate?
And approximately how much would a garage cost?

Is a bedroom with a walk-in closet sized at 15 sqm (160 sqft) big enough? It seems a bit small to me.

Finally:
The plot is on a slight slope. This means roughly half of the basement is below ground level, or put differently, from the terrace there are a few steps down to the garden.
On the left side is the other semi-detached house, on the right side there is a stream, and behind the garden, directly adjacent without any gap, the forest slope goes up.
There is occasional wildlife visiting (according to the neighbor: mice, two rats, a marten’s nest somewhere nearby, a young deer, wild boar).
How would you assess this kind of plot? We are basically city people.

That’s all from me for now. Thanks for your help.

Here is the listing:

+++ NO COMMISSION +++ “BAUHAUS STYLE” IDYLL BY A STREAM – with Basement

Purchase Price:
289,820.00 EUR

Rooms:
5.0

Living Area Approx.:
140.91 sqm (1,517 sqft)

Plot Size Approx.:
420.00 sqm (4,500 sqft)

Main Features
House type:
Semi-detached house
Usable area approx.:
16 sqm (172 sqft)
Number of floors:
3
Bedrooms:
4
Bathrooms:
1
Guest toilet:
Basement:
TV / Internet / Telephone:
Electricity consumption: from 2,500 kWh*

Costs
Purchase price:
289,820.00 EUR
Buyer’s commission:
None

Building Quality
Construction phase:
House in planning (designed)
Standard of finishes:
High-quality
Heating type:
Central heating
Energy certificate:
Not yet available

Property Description
Idyllically situated by a stream, secluded at the edge of the forest, a planned, attractive detached family home with a basement will be built here, turnkey and solidly constructed. This spacious and modern energy-efficient house can be customized with the architect to meet your personal needs, including changes to the floor plan and finishes for your “dream home.” - the open living/dining area is spacious and bright with lots of glazing overlooking the garden and terrace - room layout changes possible - master bedroom with walk-in closet and two children’s rooms - daylight-filled comfort bathroom - generous living/work room in the garden-level basement

Features
“Masterful craftsmanship by local specialized tradesmen” - finished basement - energy-saving, breathable natural brickwork with additional external insulation for energy-conscious comfort - heating system with efficient gas condensing technology, optionally with solar collectors and underfloor heating - family-friendly daylight bathroom with tub and shower - ceramic sanitary fixtures by “Villeroy & Boch” - bathroom and guest toilet tiled in granite - smoke detectors in all bedrooms - partially glass interior doors with decorative balcony railings on the upper floor - interior window sills in “Carrara Bianco” marble - solid wood veneer interior doors with stainless steel handles - electrical switches by “Gira” “Everything is possible, nothing is mandatory... let your wishes run free.”

Additional
Availability: approx. 16 weeks construction time after start
Floor plans and elevations may include optional features at extra cost.
Turnkey means in this offer:
- including plot
- including finished basement without plot-related costs such as earthworks, sewer and utility connections
Floor coverings and painting/wallpapering work done by buyer

Modern two-story white villa with flat roof, balconies, garden with shrubs and stairs on the right.

Modern white house front with entrance, walkway and trees; people walking toward entrance.

Floor plan of a house: balcony, living/dining area, kitchen, hallway, WC, garden
schubert7918 Dec 2014 17:39
Basements built as waterproof concrete shells ("white tubs") for under 29,000 Euros net? That's rather cheap. I've never seen it that low before.
M
milkie
18 Dec 2014 19:01
3 power outlets in the children's room and 6 in the living/dining room? That is more of a bare minimum rather than a high-end setup. You should check the current standards for electrical installations (which are quite relevant here). Even the standard requirements are well above what is included in this offer.
I haven't read the rest, but we are currently also looking for tiles, and we haven’t found a single one we like for €18 per square meter (about $19 per square yard) yet—not even at the hardware store.
I don’t mean to discourage you, but this is really just minimum equipment. You should budget for higher-quality tiles and at least twice as many power outlets.
305er18 Dec 2014 19:52
milkie schrieb:
3 power outlets in the kids’ room and 6 in the living/dining area? That’s more like a basic minimum level, unfortunately nothing upscale. You should check the current standards for electrical installations (which we are looking into right now). Even the standard is well above what this offer includes.
I haven’t read the rest, but we are also currently searching for tiles, and we haven’t found a single one we like for €18 per square meter yet. Not even at the home improvement store.
I don’t want to discourage you, but that really is just a minimal setup. Get quotes for more expensive tiles and at least twice as many power outlets.

I can imagine that nowadays this might not be standard anymore, but if I think about it, I had only 3 outlets in my kids’ room my whole life and managed just fine. It’s crazy how times have changed.
But power outlets probably don’t add that much to the cost, right? If not, you could even install some yourself quickly.
Regarding the rest, I agree with you, of course.
B
Bauexperte
19 Dec 2014 00:48
Good evening,
305er schrieb:

.... but when I think about it, I only ever had three power outlets in my childhood bedroom and managed fine without any issues.
And you want to tell me you’re not resistant to learning? The number at the bottom right must be very tempting...

Best regards, Bauexperte
305er19 Dec 2014 08:35
Tut
Bauexperte schrieb:
Good evening,

And you want to tell me that you are not resistant to learning? The number at the bottom right must be very tempting...

Regards, Bauexperte

Sorry, I’m neither a son nor a daughter by profession, and I don’t receive any subsidies or anything like that from anyone! Since I have to work hard for my money, I also have to watch the costs! And I simply can’t afford more, is that a problem?!
Besides, I just mentioned that I didn’t need more in the past either and still had a TV, computer, etc., so I don’t see why you absolutely need more, at least in a child’s room!
P
Panama17
19 Dec 2014 09:14
Oh, I can think of quite a few already. Reading lamp by the bed, desk lamp, computer, possibly a printer, charging cables for phone/iPad/laptop, CD player, TV, game console, nightlight, string lights for Christmas, radiant heater during infancy, vacuum cleaner...
But of course, if the budget is limited, you have to make compromises. We used to manage with extra triple outlets as well (and I won’t say how many of those I currently have in use in our rental apartment). But at least in the living room and kitchen, I wouldn’t want to do without plenty of power outlets. And who knows what developments and great new devices will come in the next few years.