ᐅ Danwood Family – Is the Project Feasible?

SeppWeller schrieb:

Hello Sepp,

Unfortunately, we did not win the bid for the building plot. Therefore, the project is currently on hold. However, I am always interested in experience and comparative costs, so I would be glad to receive further updates from you regarding the construction progress.

Regards, Sepp

Thanks, Sepp. Yes, it will probably take some time for us as well, since 450 will not be enough; we’ll likely need 500 plus a 50 buffer. We’ll see ‍♂️

11ant schrieb:

Please describe your "similar point" in more detail.

I.P.’s thoughts are identical to Sepp Weller’s initial post. I am just over 50, my wife is 50, and the rest I could have posted similarly.

Danwood might possibly be a topic in Perfect (not Family, as it lacks some things, although as a timber merchant I have access to factory-direct doors at equity prices, as well as flooring and all timber trading goods).

As mentioned above, apart from WOLF, no one offers a foundation slab. This has to be solved locally here in Austria, which is why I contacted STRABAG for the rest. They offer top-quality work with all waterproofing and connections between the house and the foundation slab. In addition, I also have professionals with experience available here. But we will see? Since the costs are currently tight (ready for flooring), and turnkey would exceed the budget, the equity will need to be increased, so there will probably be some delay or a change in the construction method. We’ll see.

In your case, it looks more like an existing house that is typically listed as a handyman special. Especially if you have contacts and are more or less experienced in the field. You should be able to manage with your budget, particularly because the exterior work and utilities are usually already completed.

Tolentino schrieb:

In your case, it looks more like an existing house, which is typically listed as a handyman special. Especially if you have contacts and are more or less experienced in the field. You should be able to manage within your budget, particularly because usually the outdoor areas and utility connections are already completed.

Yes, nothing available at all. That would also be an option. Around here, run-down houses (built in 1960 or earlier) don’t sell for less than 490,000 to 520,000 (roughly). It’s terrible! And 500,000 to 600,000 for a bungalow of about 90 m² (970 ft²) is quite a statement when you’re trying to finance it at 52 years old.

Hmm, strange. Don’t you also have to meet new energy standards?
When switching from KfW-70 to KfW-55 as the minimum standard, combined with rising interest rates, existing buildings without insulation became quite affordable. Even in metropolitan areas, prices for such existing buildings have not increased since the pandemic, or there has even been a slight downward correction due to higher interest rates (at least in Berlin). Maybe it’s worth considering moving out while at least some public transport is still running? Really no option at all?

Sepp M. schrieb:

As mentioned above, apart from WOLF, no one offers the foundation slab. This has to be arranged locally in Austria, which is why I inquired about the rest with STRABAG.

The foundation slab serves as both a physical and a contractual basis for the house. You enter into a construction contract for the house with the builder. To fulfill this contract, the foundation slab must meet the quality requirements specified in the construction agreement. If these requirements are not met, construction cannot begin. The logical consequence is that the responsibility for this physical foundation should not be separated from the fulfillment of the contract. Therefore, the foundation slab or at least the responsibility for its proper construction should be included in the house construction contract. If the builder is used to handling this differently, that is their problem; you are the contractual counterparty.

Naively, a foundation slab might seem like just a few cubic meters of reinforced concrete poured into formwork, something any fool could do without mistakes. In practice, however, it is unfortunately not uncommon for someone with limited plan-reading skills to still manage to make errors. For example, a flawless foundation slab with the correct concrete quality and appropriate steel reinforcement, properly supported on a well-compacted subgrade—but positioned incorrectly: ten or even twenty centimeters (four to eight inches) off in any horizontal or vertical direction, or at the wrong elevation from the reference point. Or openings placed at the "wrong right spot" (measured in the plan as x.yz meters (x.yz yards) from a floor plan edge, but actually located x.yz meters (x.yz yards) from the edge of the slab). Either both aspects fall within the same scope of work, with the responsible party and the affected party being the same—or the client ends up holding the "hot potato" of being the one blamed. For this reason, I take a firm stance here.

Contractors offering cheaper foundation slabs are plentiful, but in case of defects, they are often impossible to hold accountable. Therefore, in my opinion, a separate foundation slab contractor should only be used under the condition that they agree to issue a performance bond and are willing to wait for payment until the electrician has inspected the foundation grounding, the house supplier has approved the slab, and the surveyor has verified that the work is positioned correctly. In Germany, these cheaper foundation slab contractors are often quick to disappear when problems arise—are they any different in Austria?

I only advise homeowners with building sites in Germany, thus under German legal risks, so my recommendation is to proceed with caution.

---

https://www.instagram.com/11antgmxde/
https://www.linkedin.com/company/bauen-jetzt/