ᐅ Building an End-Terrace House as a Self-Managed Project with a General Contractor
Created on: 27 May 2019 10:48
G
goalkeeper
Hello everyone,
some of you might have already followed one of my threads about us having to or being allowed to build our end-terrace house on our own responsibility – depending on how you look at it. This means that we are buying an end-terrace plot (215 sqm (2315 sq ft)) in a new development area in the Rhein-Neckar district and will be building on it ourselves – but in coordination with our two terrace neighbors.
The municipality, which sold the plots through a local resident model, ideally wanted applicants to apply as a complete housing group with several families and then build accordingly with a general contractor, construction manager, or architect. Of course, that didn’t really work out, so now there are only individual applicants and also homeowners.
After we were awarded the plot, the addresses of the other terrace neighbors were shared to discuss certain matters, such as roof style, whether or not to have a basement, etc. It was immediately clear that everyone preferred to do their own thing. However, we were still able to agree that the housing group will have a gable roof with a pitch of 35 to 40 degrees (within this 5-degree range).
As the end house, we will build without a basement, while the middle house and the other end house will have basements. This obviously presents a challenge as we would have to make a deep foundation or simply skip it, and the middle house would have to support us, as we will start construction first. The current agreement with the middle house is that we will build a deeper foundation at his expense, as supporting our house later on would be considerably more expensive for him.
We are currently close to signing with the construction manager, the notarization appointment for the plot is at the end of June, and we hope to start construction in the fall of this year. Meanwhile, several other freely planned housing groups are being built around us, which might get in the way with their cranes.
I will document the progress here from time to time – such a self-planned terraced house doesn’t come along very often.
some of you might have already followed one of my threads about us having to or being allowed to build our end-terrace house on our own responsibility – depending on how you look at it. This means that we are buying an end-terrace plot (215 sqm (2315 sq ft)) in a new development area in the Rhein-Neckar district and will be building on it ourselves – but in coordination with our two terrace neighbors.
The municipality, which sold the plots through a local resident model, ideally wanted applicants to apply as a complete housing group with several families and then build accordingly with a general contractor, construction manager, or architect. Of course, that didn’t really work out, so now there are only individual applicants and also homeowners.
After we were awarded the plot, the addresses of the other terrace neighbors were shared to discuss certain matters, such as roof style, whether or not to have a basement, etc. It was immediately clear that everyone preferred to do their own thing. However, we were still able to agree that the housing group will have a gable roof with a pitch of 35 to 40 degrees (within this 5-degree range).
As the end house, we will build without a basement, while the middle house and the other end house will have basements. This obviously presents a challenge as we would have to make a deep foundation or simply skip it, and the middle house would have to support us, as we will start construction first. The current agreement with the middle house is that we will build a deeper foundation at his expense, as supporting our house later on would be considerably more expensive for him.
We are currently close to signing with the construction manager, the notarization appointment for the plot is at the end of June, and we hope to start construction in the fall of this year. Meanwhile, several other freely planned housing groups are being built around us, which might get in the way with their cranes.
I will document the progress here from time to time – such a self-planned terraced house doesn’t come along very often.
Congratulations on moving in!
Is the floor basically installed directly on the screed? The vapor barrier (what is it actually for?) doesn’t really play a role for the floor.
Usually, at least an impact sound insulation layer is used. Sure, without a basement that might seem pointless at first, but it also stabilizes the floor and should help to even out minor unevenness.
Are the baseboards already installed and glued, I assume?
If it’s already bothering you now, I would still redo it room by room.
Either just with impact sound insulation or with an additional leveling compound applied beforehand. That dries fairly quickly.
Now is a good time to quickly move the furniture out again.
Is the floor basically installed directly on the screed? The vapor barrier (what is it actually for?) doesn’t really play a role for the floor.
Usually, at least an impact sound insulation layer is used. Sure, without a basement that might seem pointless at first, but it also stabilizes the floor and should help to even out minor unevenness.
Are the baseboards already installed and glued, I assume?
If it’s already bothering you now, I would still redo it room by room.
Either just with impact sound insulation or with an additional leveling compound applied beforehand. That dries fairly quickly.
Now is a good time to quickly move the furniture out again.
G
goalkeeper15 Jun 2020 07:51The moldings are attached with clips, not glued. However, my wife currently has no interest in me working on it again. She doesn’t mind it at all. We will probably leave everything as it is for now, and then I’ll see in the fall if I feel like doing anything about it.
Friends of ours have exactly the same problem in their new build. When I walked over their floor, I didn’t notice it at all. So it is probably very dependent on the type whether you even perceive it and whether it bothers you.
I’m keeping my fingers crossed that it resolves itself over time!
I’m keeping my fingers crossed that it resolves itself over time!
ypg schrieb:
Congratulations on moving in Oh yes, I was actually going to write that too! All the best with your move-in, @goalkeeper! It has been a really exciting journey following this thread!
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