Hi!
As far as I understand, for a new build (detached house) I need either an insulated ground slab or a basement.
With the basement, there are utility basements and living basements.
Question:
What are the price differences between:
- ground slab
- utility basement
- living basement
plus earthworks?
Can someone explain this to me?
Regards
phobos
As far as I understand, for a new build (detached house) I need either an insulated ground slab or a basement.
With the basement, there are utility basements and living basements.
Question:
What are the price differences between:
- ground slab
- utility basement
- living basement
plus earthworks?
Can someone explain this to me?
Regards
phobos
This is a very complex topic, which is why you won’t find clear information about it online.
The costs are generally divided into three categories: concrete slab foundation, utility basement, and finished basement.
With a finished basement, you usually don't have to dig as deep into the ground, so excavation costs tend to be lower. HOWEVER, this advantage is often offset by more expensive windows, heating systems, and insulation. If you’re planning to use a KfW loan, additional requirements for a finished basement must be met, which can be costly.
No one can give you a precise figure for excavation costs until you have a soil report. That’s the only way to know the type of ground you will be building on or founding your structure in. Excavation costs are one of the most uncertain factors in the entire house-building process.
We are building on a concrete slab. Our lot is relatively flat, and initially, we estimated excavation costs at just under €5,000. Well, now we hope it doesn’t exceed €15,000. We have to add up to 1 meter (3 feet) of gravel in some areas. To the naked eye and without much expertise, the 0.7% slope on the property is barely noticeable. I thought a little gravel would be enough to fix it.
A basement can cost anywhere from €30,000 to €70,000 depending on the soil and whether you need a "white tank" waterproof structure or other measures to prevent water problems. If your ground is hard rock, it will be more expensive; if it doesn’t bear well, that also increases the cost.
If you’re unsure, I strongly recommend getting a soil report and then requesting several offers from basement construction companies for a house of approximately 10 by 10 meters (33 by 33 feet) on your property. That way, you can get a better idea of the potential costs.
We deliberately chose not to have a basement because it’s really not necessary anymore. Heating and building services technology is compact enough to fit into a 4 to 8 square meter (43 to 86 square feet) space on the ground floor. Instead, we invested in more living space and a larger garage.
I hope this helps you a little.
The costs are generally divided into three categories: concrete slab foundation, utility basement, and finished basement.
With a finished basement, you usually don't have to dig as deep into the ground, so excavation costs tend to be lower. HOWEVER, this advantage is often offset by more expensive windows, heating systems, and insulation. If you’re planning to use a KfW loan, additional requirements for a finished basement must be met, which can be costly.
No one can give you a precise figure for excavation costs until you have a soil report. That’s the only way to know the type of ground you will be building on or founding your structure in. Excavation costs are one of the most uncertain factors in the entire house-building process.
We are building on a concrete slab. Our lot is relatively flat, and initially, we estimated excavation costs at just under €5,000. Well, now we hope it doesn’t exceed €15,000. We have to add up to 1 meter (3 feet) of gravel in some areas. To the naked eye and without much expertise, the 0.7% slope on the property is barely noticeable. I thought a little gravel would be enough to fix it.
A basement can cost anywhere from €30,000 to €70,000 depending on the soil and whether you need a "white tank" waterproof structure or other measures to prevent water problems. If your ground is hard rock, it will be more expensive; if it doesn’t bear well, that also increases the cost.
If you’re unsure, I strongly recommend getting a soil report and then requesting several offers from basement construction companies for a house of approximately 10 by 10 meters (33 by 33 feet) on your property. That way, you can get a better idea of the potential costs.
We deliberately chose not to have a basement because it’s really not necessary anymore. Heating and building services technology is compact enough to fit into a 4 to 8 square meter (43 to 86 square feet) space on the ground floor. Instead, we invested in more living space and a larger garage.
I hope this helps you a little.
P
perlenmann31 May 2012 07:49Hello,
derDa is right, without a soil survey there are no figures.
You always need a foundation slab, either under the basement or directly under the house!
With a living basement, there is the added factor that installations embedded in the walls, like emergency escape routes, also need to be considered (if I’m not mistaken).
And a basement is still useful today! I think it’s great to go down there with the temperatures! My food storage benefits from it too!
I have my building services above ground because I have no space, and I’m not allowed to build larger than what my building permit / planning permission allows...
derDa is right, without a soil survey there are no figures.
You always need a foundation slab, either under the basement or directly under the house!
With a living basement, there is the added factor that installations embedded in the walls, like emergency escape routes, also need to be considered (if I’m not mistaken).
And a basement is still useful today! I think it’s great to go down there with the temperatures! My food storage benefits from it too!
I have my building services above ground because I have no space, and I’m not allowed to build larger than what my building permit / planning permission allows...
Hi Der Da,
were you able to help me further? I find your explanations extremely insightful! I haven’t found anything similar on the web.
Thank you very much for that.
So the total price depends on the soil conditions. Okay.
Who can provide such a soil survey, and what does it approximately cost?
You mentioned that a basement can cost between €30,000 and €70,000, but you didn’t explain the price difference between a slab foundation, utility basement, and a living basement.
That’s what my question referred to.
Of course, no exact figure can be given, but an estimate of the additional costs in percentage terms would already help me.
For example, assuming a slab foundation including earthworks costs €15,000; a utility basement costs twice as much, and a living basement three times as much.
A breakdown like this would already be very helpful.
Best regards,
phobos
were you able to help me further? I find your explanations extremely insightful! I haven’t found anything similar on the web.
Thank you very much for that.
So the total price depends on the soil conditions. Okay.
Who can provide such a soil survey, and what does it approximately cost?
You mentioned that a basement can cost between €30,000 and €70,000, but you didn’t explain the price difference between a slab foundation, utility basement, and a living basement.
That’s what my question referred to.
Of course, no exact figure can be given, but an estimate of the additional costs in percentage terms would already help me.
For example, assuming a slab foundation including earthworks costs €15,000; a utility basement costs twice as much, and a living basement three times as much.
A breakdown like this would already be very helpful.
Best regards,
phobos
Hello,
As mentioned above, such an estimate is not possible (topic: soil conditions). It is quite possible that a shallow foundation is very complex due to unfavorable soil properties. When constructing a basement, which is about 2.5 meters (8 feet) deeper, you may find much more stable load-bearing soil. Except for deeper ground disturbances that generally make construction very expensive, the soil tends to become better (more load-bearing) the deeper you go.
Best regards
Bratac
As mentioned above, such an estimate is not possible (topic: soil conditions). It is quite possible that a shallow foundation is very complex due to unfavorable soil properties. When constructing a basement, which is about 2.5 meters (8 feet) deeper, you may find much more stable load-bearing soil. Except for deeper ground disturbances that generally make construction very expensive, the soil tends to become better (more load-bearing) the deeper you go.
Best regards
Bratac
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