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Timmi160821 Jul 2014 12:44Hello everyone,
Until recently, we were planning to build our own house, but we are now leaning more towards buying one. We have already found a house that meets our expectations. Therefore, I would like to ask for your opinion on this property.
The house is located near a village with 1,400 inhabitants, close to a river. However, it is about 2 meters (6.5 feet) above the river level, so flooding should not be an issue. To access the property, you have to cross the neighboring property, which has an easement registered for this purpose. There are also two easements registered directly on the property, the significance of which I still need to clarify with the local building authority.
The house itself has 195 m² (2,098 sq ft) of living space and was built in 2005. The exterior walls are made of 24 cm (9.5 inches) Ytong blocks, and the interior walls are made of the same material with a thickness of 17.5 cm (7 inches). There is no additional insulation on the walls, but the roof is fully insulated. We have already consulted a known architect who inspected the house from the outside. Although it is large, it is primarily built with basic materials (24/17.5 cm Ytong blocks, simple bricks, prefabricated garage, system staircase, etc.). The house is heated by a gas central heating system with a gas tank located in the garden. There is no basement.
What do you think about the property based on these general details, especially regarding the use of Ytong blocks?
What disadvantages are there due to the construction method of the house?
Is the purchase worthwhile? The asking price is around 340,000 euros (region Heilbronn).
I would be very grateful for many opinions!
Until recently, we were planning to build our own house, but we are now leaning more towards buying one. We have already found a house that meets our expectations. Therefore, I would like to ask for your opinion on this property.
The house is located near a village with 1,400 inhabitants, close to a river. However, it is about 2 meters (6.5 feet) above the river level, so flooding should not be an issue. To access the property, you have to cross the neighboring property, which has an easement registered for this purpose. There are also two easements registered directly on the property, the significance of which I still need to clarify with the local building authority.
The house itself has 195 m² (2,098 sq ft) of living space and was built in 2005. The exterior walls are made of 24 cm (9.5 inches) Ytong blocks, and the interior walls are made of the same material with a thickness of 17.5 cm (7 inches). There is no additional insulation on the walls, but the roof is fully insulated. We have already consulted a known architect who inspected the house from the outside. Although it is large, it is primarily built with basic materials (24/17.5 cm Ytong blocks, simple bricks, prefabricated garage, system staircase, etc.). The house is heated by a gas central heating system with a gas tank located in the garden. There is no basement.
What do you think about the property based on these general details, especially regarding the use of Ytong blocks?
What disadvantages are there due to the construction method of the house?
Is the purchase worthwhile? The asking price is around 340,000 euros (region Heilbronn).
I would be very grateful for many opinions!
Umbau-Susi21 Jul 2014 12:57If the year of construction is correct, I would also consider the reason for the sale. It’s been less than 10 years, meaning capital gains tax applies to the sale profit. There must be a very valid reason or fear of the next flood. I would suspect neighborhood conflicts due to the consequences of easements for passage rights, etc. Living there might actually be worse than living on a main road in that case.
Sylvia
Sylvia
In general, Ytong is not a bad material. You can find information about the advantages and disadvantages of different building materials here in the forum or online.
Compared to the current 36 cm (14 inch) Ytong blocks, the 24 cm (9.5 inch) Ytong blocks were the standard back then due to the energy regulations at the time, so this should not come as a surprise. You will face the same issue with the windows (likely double-glazed instead of triple-glazed). However, it is a second-hand property and not a new build.
In 10 years, current houses will also likely fail to meet energy standards, unless they are built significantly better than average now. But if this is the case, you will also want to get a higher price for the property in 10 years.
If you want more than an average second-hand property, as a buyer, you will have to pay more.
Compared to the current 36 cm (14 inch) Ytong blocks, the 24 cm (9.5 inch) Ytong blocks were the standard back then due to the energy regulations at the time, so this should not come as a surprise. You will face the same issue with the windows (likely double-glazed instead of triple-glazed). However, it is a second-hand property and not a new build.
In 10 years, current houses will also likely fail to meet energy standards, unless they are built significantly better than average now. But if this is the case, you will also want to get a higher price for the property in 10 years.
If you want more than an average second-hand property, as a buyer, you will have to pay more.
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