Hello, a small family from Bavaria dreaming of their own home... A few years ago, I wanted to renovate a house from the 1970s, completely gut it and update it to modern standards (trained HVAC technician)... Nowadays, I believe (due to house prices) building new almost comes out the same price and you get something brand new... We are considering building a solid (masonry) house fully finished (Turnkey), (Town & Country, etc.)
The land is quite secure...
The question is turnkey or shell house (more money vs. more time invested)
Doing work yourself is definitely a must for me, every tradesperson understands that... (either way, the question is to what extent)
Plumbing, heating, electrical would be no problem... I can also do tiling, drywall, have a screeding contractor, master electrician, and plasterer available...
I also think that with self-building you can avoid poor workmanship by observing drying times, selecting materials carefully, etc.
My question is, who has already extensively completed a shell house themselves...
Is there a comparison to a turnkey offer? (savings)
Does anyone have a list of all the tasks for self-performed work in a shell house? (for budgeting)
Would anyone later prefer to build turnkey with some self-performed work?
You don’t read much here about shell houses... but maybe there is a tradesperson here who has wrestled with the same considerations...
...
We don’t really have any time pressure as we currently live rent-free, but we want something of our own, and if that’s the case, we would spend every free minute working on it. Of course, no one can replace the time you then don’t get to spend with your family...
I’m looking forward to your answers!
The land is quite secure...
The question is turnkey or shell house (more money vs. more time invested)
Doing work yourself is definitely a must for me, every tradesperson understands that... (either way, the question is to what extent)
Plumbing, heating, electrical would be no problem... I can also do tiling, drywall, have a screeding contractor, master electrician, and plasterer available...
I also think that with self-building you can avoid poor workmanship by observing drying times, selecting materials carefully, etc.
My question is, who has already extensively completed a shell house themselves...
Is there a comparison to a turnkey offer? (savings)
Does anyone have a list of all the tasks for self-performed work in a shell house? (for budgeting)
Would anyone later prefer to build turnkey with some self-performed work?
You don’t read much here about shell houses... but maybe there is a tradesperson here who has wrestled with the same considerations...
...
We don’t really have any time pressure as we currently live rent-free, but we want something of our own, and if that’s the case, we would spend every free minute working on it. Of course, no one can replace the time you then don’t get to spend with your family...
I’m looking forward to your answers!
ypg schrieb:
A layperson, even a self-proclaimed “all-round” handyman, needs two to three times as long as an experienced professional, requires the necessary tools, damages their car while sourcing materials, strains and injures their body, and carries full responsibility. Without any warranty. Yes, I completely agree with you. I’m a professional in plumbing, heating, and electrical work... and it’s clear that this kind of time commitment is no walk in the park.
By mentioning screed layers, master electricians, and plasterers, I mean that these trades should be subcontracted (some are acquaintances)... because, for example, electrical work can’t be done without a licensed master electrician.
So, I should probably consider building with an architect.
Thanks for your replies.
haydee schrieb:
Having only the shell built by Town & Country should be possible. A friend of mine did the same.
I’m not sure if the same contractor is working in MSP as here. Around here, you don’t hear anything bad about Town & Country.
You have to source the materials yourself. I don’t think you save money doing that.
The significant amount of personal work shouldn’t be underestimated. Roughly estimated, we needed between 1800 and 2000 working hours for the interior finishing. That would be a full year of full-time work based on a 40-hour week.
Some acquaintances have been spending every free minute on their site for almost a year now, including their father, father-in-law, and friends. What started as extra time gradually turned into a move-in project. It’s basically doable. Several people do this here.
Every hour of paid professional labor reduces the savings.
Not every professional delivers poor quality, and likewise, not all personal work is flawless. Thank you for your reply! Experience reports are exactly what I need…
I have actually heard quite good things about Town & Country here…
The only part that worries me is the time I practically won’t be available for my family…
I actually prefer sourcing the materials myself rather than having something installed under a turnkey contract at prices where I could get higher quality elsewhere…
Ragnarök schrieb:
I actually prefer sourcing the materials myself rather than having something installed in a turnkey build at prices where I could get higher quality elsewhere...What, for example, do you mean?
ypg schrieb:
What do you mean, for example?For example, sanitary fixtures, toilet frames, pipe materials/manufacturers, electrical materials, ...
Or you could look for a small construction company. They are often quite flexible and usually work together with local tradespeople. Maybe you can find someone who is available to take on additional tasks alongside the shell construction, such as plastering.
For me, the savings wouldn’t be worth hardly having any time for the family over two years. Once you’ve moved in, the work is far from over.
For me, the savings wouldn’t be worth hardly having any time for the family over two years. Once you’ve moved in, the work is far from over.
haydee schrieb:
For me, 2 years would hardly be worth the savings considering the little time left for family.Yes, that’s actually exactly why I’m asking here... it’s not really worth it to me either... I just haven’t had a conversation with Town & Country or similar companies yet, so I have lots of questions... maybe the electrical, plumbing, and heating work can be excluded from the turnkey package and organized separately... that would actually be ideal...