ᐅ Construction of an approximately 190 sqm urban villa in Hesse (Wetterau district)
Created on: 10 Jul 2022 17:36
D
Dribbdebach
Dear Homebuilding Community,
First of all, thank you very much for the countless tips and suggestions from all of you. I have been visiting this forum for many years and have always greatly benefited from it.
Accordingly, I would like to give something back by sharing our building project here. However, this is not entirely selfless—I welcome advice and recommendations.
For about 10 years, I have been searching for a house and have viewed many existing properties. Building was initially not an option, as plots were either unavailable or far too expensive. So far, I haven’t found the ideal house, but nearly 10 years ago I bought my first condominium and then a second one two years ago. Both apartments are now rented out, currently almost breaking even, and in about a year they will start generating income.
Fortunately, we have now purchased a plot in a new development area and, despite the challenging situation, want to fulfill the dream of owning our own house.
A few details about us:
About the house:
Regarding the budget for the house:
About 570,000 euros remain, we are estimating around 60,000 euros for additional construction-related costs.
Outdoor work will be done gradually by ourselves, a garage could also be postponed.
We therefore need a builder who can construct a house for about 470,000 euros. This is quite ambitious for the desired size. We have had many discussions at model homes, and most providers come in at a minimum of 500,000 euros.
Offer 1:
We have chosen a small regional builder who would construct a shell house in solid construction with Liapor (lightweight concrete). The price is fair for the quality offered and would be sufficient for us. However, we would only have a fixed price for the shell house. The remaining trades would be supervised by this builder but carried out by partner companies, and I believe fixed price guarantees here are unrealistic. Ideally, we would stay within budget, but the buffer would be very tight, and the outdoor areas and garage might initially be at risk or very minimal.
Here is my first question for you: The builder basically suits us, but we are unsure whether it is wise to forgo fixed prices due to war, inflation, and material shortages. While I see some chances for stable or even slightly lower prices due to a slowdown in construction orders, the inflation risk from the energy crisis might still dominate for now. Would you currently take such a risk?
A house potentially costing 1 million euros due to cost increases is really out of budget and, combined with rising interest rates, could become a long-term burden. It wouldn’t ruin us, but we would likely have to sell the (really nice) condominiums then.
Offer 2:
The alternative: A very large provider from a parent company that almost everyone here probably knows. Premium within the group, but overall very much focused on good value for money. Timber frame construction—not our favorite since we prefer solid construction—but based on information from this forum, I would probably be satisfied with this construction method in the end.
We received a good price offer there, close to 400,000 euros. After selecting many extras and special requests, I still ended up at about 450,000 euros. Not all line items are comparable with the first offer, but some things are included here that are not yet priced in the first offer.
With additional construction costs, outdoor work, and a double garage, we are still within the budget and could even spend around 20,000 euros more on selections.
There are positive reviews of this provider but also some very critical comments. Given the large number of houses they build annually, the number of critics may be appropriate in absolute terms, but you could certainly be one of them.
My further questions for you: How do you assess the risk of being let down by such a large provider? Would you choose a builder with a large budget who does not necessarily have a reputation for delivering houses to the highest standard? I do not intend to sell the house again, but future property valuation plays a role in refinancing at follow-up financing. If the house ever needs or should be sold, some buyers might be put off by the construction method or the original general contractor. Has anyone built with this provider or lives in one of their houses?
Floor plan designs are quite advanced and have been optimized multiple times. The development area is ready, and as financing is secured, construction should start soon. The second offer will expire soon, so the main decision now is basically for or against the second offer. With the first offer, it would still be possible to request new comparison offers. If we choose the second provider, we need to decide soon.
Thank you very much for any tips and recommendations. I am happy to provide further information.
First of all, thank you very much for the countless tips and suggestions from all of you. I have been visiting this forum for many years and have always greatly benefited from it.
Accordingly, I would like to give something back by sharing our building project here. However, this is not entirely selfless—I welcome advice and recommendations.
For about 10 years, I have been searching for a house and have viewed many existing properties. Building was initially not an option, as plots were either unavailable or far too expensive. So far, I haven’t found the ideal house, but nearly 10 years ago I bought my first condominium and then a second one two years ago. Both apartments are now rented out, currently almost breaking even, and in about a year they will start generating income.
Fortunately, we have now purchased a plot in a new development area and, despite the challenging situation, want to fulfill the dream of owning our own house.
A few details about us:
- 2 adults (40 years / 38 years), two children (elementary school age)
- Net income including child benefits about 8000 euros
- Rental income of approximately 1800 euros (currently nearly cost-neutral, from next year about 400 euros monthly profit, significantly more in the medium term as loans are gradually paid off)
- Budget 850,000 euros (financing for the house construction is secured)
- Land purchase costs including additional fees about 280,000 euros, already acquired
- The apartments only make sense tax-wise when owned together and are not intended for sale. The budget could probably be increased slightly if necessary.
About the house:
- KfW55 standard is sufficient for us and is also being offered
- Urban villa on a slab foundation with porch, heat pump, photovoltaic system
- Possibly with a small bay window at the front door and on the garden side
- Ground floor with living room, open kitchen, utility room, study, guest toilet/shower
- Upper floor with 2 children’s rooms, master bedroom, 2 bathrooms, guest room
- Ceiling height 2.80 m (9 ft 2 in), electric roller shutters
- Detached double garage
Regarding the budget for the house:
About 570,000 euros remain, we are estimating around 60,000 euros for additional construction-related costs.
Outdoor work will be done gradually by ourselves, a garage could also be postponed.
We therefore need a builder who can construct a house for about 470,000 euros. This is quite ambitious for the desired size. We have had many discussions at model homes, and most providers come in at a minimum of 500,000 euros.
Offer 1:
We have chosen a small regional builder who would construct a shell house in solid construction with Liapor (lightweight concrete). The price is fair for the quality offered and would be sufficient for us. However, we would only have a fixed price for the shell house. The remaining trades would be supervised by this builder but carried out by partner companies, and I believe fixed price guarantees here are unrealistic. Ideally, we would stay within budget, but the buffer would be very tight, and the outdoor areas and garage might initially be at risk or very minimal.
Here is my first question for you: The builder basically suits us, but we are unsure whether it is wise to forgo fixed prices due to war, inflation, and material shortages. While I see some chances for stable or even slightly lower prices due to a slowdown in construction orders, the inflation risk from the energy crisis might still dominate for now. Would you currently take such a risk?
A house potentially costing 1 million euros due to cost increases is really out of budget and, combined with rising interest rates, could become a long-term burden. It wouldn’t ruin us, but we would likely have to sell the (really nice) condominiums then.
Offer 2:
The alternative: A very large provider from a parent company that almost everyone here probably knows. Premium within the group, but overall very much focused on good value for money. Timber frame construction—not our favorite since we prefer solid construction—but based on information from this forum, I would probably be satisfied with this construction method in the end.
We received a good price offer there, close to 400,000 euros. After selecting many extras and special requests, I still ended up at about 450,000 euros. Not all line items are comparable with the first offer, but some things are included here that are not yet priced in the first offer.
With additional construction costs, outdoor work, and a double garage, we are still within the budget and could even spend around 20,000 euros more on selections.
There are positive reviews of this provider but also some very critical comments. Given the large number of houses they build annually, the number of critics may be appropriate in absolute terms, but you could certainly be one of them.
My further questions for you: How do you assess the risk of being let down by such a large provider? Would you choose a builder with a large budget who does not necessarily have a reputation for delivering houses to the highest standard? I do not intend to sell the house again, but future property valuation plays a role in refinancing at follow-up financing. If the house ever needs or should be sold, some buyers might be put off by the construction method or the original general contractor. Has anyone built with this provider or lives in one of their houses?
Floor plan designs are quite advanced and have been optimized multiple times. The development area is ready, and as financing is secured, construction should start soon. The second offer will expire soon, so the main decision now is basically for or against the second offer. With the first offer, it would still be possible to request new comparison offers. If we choose the second provider, we need to decide soon.
Thank you very much for any tips and recommendations. I am happy to provide further information.
Hello,
without having read everything:
On the west-facing side, the windows seem too close to the edge of the house. I would move them about 0.5 meters (20 inches) towards the center.
Also, since you are apparently planning a 10 m² (108 sq ft) guest room: How about swapping the office and guest room? This way, the upper floor would remain completely free of visitors, and you could possibly move the wall between the living room and the current office a bit to enlarge the living room. The latter seems a bit small for a 190 m² (2,045 sq ft) house.
Best regards,
Andreas
without having read everything:
On the west-facing side, the windows seem too close to the edge of the house. I would move them about 0.5 meters (20 inches) towards the center.
Also, since you are apparently planning a 10 m² (108 sq ft) guest room: How about swapping the office and guest room? This way, the upper floor would remain completely free of visitors, and you could possibly move the wall between the living room and the current office a bit to enlarge the living room. The latter seems a bit small for a 190 m² (2,045 sq ft) house.
Best regards,
Andreas
Dribbdebach schrieb:
If the mailbox is right next to the front door and you can access the property from two sides, that wouldn’t be an issue. Yes, but at least the mail carrier has to expect that the house isn’t built close to the street for their convenience, but according to your preferences. The problem is that people will end up cutting through your garden, coming from that side, so a path will be needed there.
If you decide against that and attach the mailbox to the south gate, package delivery drivers or others won’t be able to reach it. Also, you’ll constantly see your house from the side when bringing in items 😉
I would suggest running through this scenario a bit more carefully.
D
Dribbdebach1 Aug 2022 17:55Does anyone have any comments on the floor plan? So far, there has been no feedback on the room layout. Do you find it coherent, or are there opportunities for improvement?
Regarding the different window sizes:
On the east side, the bathroom could have a floor-to-ceiling window, which would better align with the door below. However, from inside the bathroom, this doesn’t make much sense.
Alternatively, the bedroom’s floor-to-ceiling window on the east side could be changed to a standard window. That would match the kitchen window below and also better align with the bathroom next to it. However, this would result in two different types of windows in the bedroom.
On the south side, the central windows could be adjusted to match the outer windows. That would create three identical windows on the upper level.
On the lower level, the kitchen window (and then all outer windows) could be moved more toward the center and the kitchen window replaced by a floor-to-ceiling window. This would result in three identical windows on both top and bottom levels.
Inside, this would definitely limit the kitchen to an L-shape, ruling out a U-shaped layout, which we had so far left open.
Additionally, there would be less visibility from the dining table to the outside. The window width would no longer mirror the width of the door opposite it, but that is probably negligible.
Regarding the different window sizes:
On the east side, the bathroom could have a floor-to-ceiling window, which would better align with the door below. However, from inside the bathroom, this doesn’t make much sense.
Alternatively, the bedroom’s floor-to-ceiling window on the east side could be changed to a standard window. That would match the kitchen window below and also better align with the bathroom next to it. However, this would result in two different types of windows in the bedroom.
On the south side, the central windows could be adjusted to match the outer windows. That would create three identical windows on the upper level.
On the lower level, the kitchen window (and then all outer windows) could be moved more toward the center and the kitchen window replaced by a floor-to-ceiling window. This would result in three identical windows on both top and bottom levels.
Inside, this would definitely limit the kitchen to an L-shape, ruling out a U-shaped layout, which we had so far left open.
Additionally, there would be less visibility from the dining table to the outside. The window width would no longer mirror the width of the door opposite it, but that is probably negligible.
D
Dribbdebach1 Aug 2022 18:03andimann schrieb:
Hello,
without reading everything:
On the west elevation, the windows seem too close to the edges of the house. I would move them about 0.5m (1.6 ft) towards the center.
And since you are apparently planning a 10 sqm (108 sq ft) guest room: How about swapping the study and guest room? Then the upper floor would remain completely visitor-free, and you could possibly shift the wall between the living room and the current study a bit to enlarge the living room. The latter seems somewhat small for a 190 sqm (2045 sq ft) house... The window location was intended to imitate the effect of corner windows. We have already tried both versions and could move them further away from the walls again. Visually, I find the current interior arrangement very nice and it also provides more usable surface for furniture. From the outside, I also prefer the windows not to be positioned too close to the edges.
The ground floor should definitely keep a study. However, since the guest room upstairs feels a bit cramped to me, it might be worth reconsidering whether to create a combined study and guest room downstairs.
The house has been slightly reduced in size, now offering around 182 sqm (1959 sq ft) of living space, so the living room became smaller. The study grew larger because we are building without a basement, so there would be room to place a large wardrobe there.
About 52 sqm (560 sq ft) are planned for the living room and kitchen, plus an open hallway, which should feel spacious enough. I’m not sure if gaining 2 sqm (22 sq ft) from the study would make a significant difference.
Visually, we would create a cozier corner for the sofa behind the staircase, which I liked as well.
D
Dribbdebach1 Aug 2022 18:11ypg schrieb:
Yes, at least the mail carrier has to expect that the house won’t be built close to the road for their convenience but according to your preferences. In that case, people will naturally cross through your garden and approach from your garden side, so a path will be necessary there.
If you skip that and attach the mailbox to the south gate, you won’t be accessible to parcel delivery services or others. Also, you’ll constantly see your house from the side when pulling in 😉
I would recommend you think this through a bit more. The house is positioned almost in the center of the plot anyway. The door on the north side would be more suitable for an address linked to the north side. Maybe that’s even feasible.
There will be a path to the south side anyway, since we want to be able to leave the property on foot in that direction.
I also don’t see a big issue here: we are building in a small community and the mail carrier is familiar with the area, so it’s possible to discuss which route makes the most sense for them.
Speaking of thinking it through: I personally won’t place a garage on the south side of the property, because the address will likely be assigned there. We chose this exact plot because access is possible from the north side, so there’s no need for a wide driveway or garage on the south side. People can manage the footpath from there as well 😀
Dribbdebach schrieb:
We are building in a small community, and the mail carrier knows the area well. You can discuss with them which route makes the most sense. Well, we live in a village, and after our best-ever mail carrier retired, we have had a different one every year. I was recently told that we are in a temporary delivery zone... our regular mail carrier is on long-term sick leave.
Packages have not been delivered by a consistent person for a long time; DHL, Hermes, Amazon, DPD, and UPS all send different drivers, so it’s a different situation altogether.
I just wanted to say that what you make of this is up to you. Sometimes it can be more complicated than you think.
I have already said something about the floor plan. The windows... are a bit of a disaster: nothing is balanced. The children’s room with corner windows only gets half the daylight... The roof also looks oddly placed because of the bay window...
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