ᐅ Assistance with Planning and Strategy Development – Ideas, Suggestions, and Advice

Hello everyone,

I have only recently started exploring the topic of homeownership and over the past few weeks have gathered a huge amount of information, looked at apartments, houses, and plots of land, and spoken with a mortgage broker to get an overall picture and establish my budget. What has become clear in the meantime is that everyone wants to make money—some in a rather bold way, others more honestly. So for now, I have decided to take a step back and thought I might find some valuable ideas and comments here, as many of you have probably either built a house or are in the process of doing so and faced similar questions.

What am I hoping for? To find the most suitable path for me to move into my own home within a foreseeable time frame without exceeding my financial limits or making too many compromises that I might regret later.

Since I probably don’t fit the typical profile of a “young family urgently needing space for children and wanting to build a house now,” I think my circumstances might allow an approach that differs from this common narrative and therefore unconventional options might be more interesting for me.

Preferences:

I thought I’d start by specifying the things that are important to me, without worrying about feasibility at this point.

There is really only one must-have on my list. This requirement isn’t necessarily reasonable or justifiable, but is based purely on my gut feeling and previous experience: it should be a detached house, not an apartment or semi-detached house.

My “would be important” list is as follows: classic gable roof, living area of at least 150m² (approximately 1,615 sq ft), at least KfW55 energy efficiency standard, very open floor plan on the ground floor with a living kitchen and as few walls as possible.

The “nice to have if possible” list includes: basement (of course unlikely), underfloor heating.

Regarding my situation:

I have a well-paid permanent job with a 35-hour workweek (which gives me quite a bit of time in the afternoons and evenings) and free weekends. I currently live in a very affordable rental apartment (€290 warm, the building belongs to a friend’s parents) and I could afford about €1,000 per month for loan repayments without financial strain or reducing any savings or other expenses. Since I am unmarried and don’t have a family, I am very flexible timewise, meaning I have no problem if the home building project takes one or two years. Of course, I don’t want it to take any longer than necessary, but I have no time pressure since my current rent is so low and I also wouldn’t mind living on a construction site for some time while the house is gradually completed. I know many might think I’m underestimating the chaos of living in dust and disorder, but I am actually quite sure about this last point.

I also don’t need a full furnishing package right away—no new furniture for the entire house, no brand-new kitchen, no complete garden or terrace. I would add all those things gradually over time and don’t need them all ready two weeks after completion. Regarding furniture, I am not starting from scratch, same with the kitchen.

Plot of land:

I haven’t found a plot yet, so I still need to find one. I prefer buying rather than leasing, but this choice is also based on gut feeling rather than rational reasons (I like to have things settled for good; with a lease, I would feel subject to the “arbitrariness” of the lessor). However, maybe there are very good reasons that could speak in favor of leasing in my case? I am by no means fixed on this.

Apart from that, the only thing worth mentioning is that I’d rather avoid a typical new housing estate with houses built closely together if that can be prevented. Of course, it always depends on the specific case, and I don’t want to completely rule it out. But I have spent the last 15 years living in the middle of a gray city and would have no problem living with few or no neighbors in a rural to very rural setting.

Budget:

Since I am currently faced with quite contradictory information, my budget is still a variable figure. The budget below should always be understood as the total amount for house including materials and services, plot, and all additional costs. An independent financial advisor gave me the green light for €280,000 - 300,000, a consultant from a turnkey home provider came up with a similar number, while a sales advisor from Fingerhaus openly told me this figure was unrealistic, which I found quite remarkable because he is probably the last person on earth who would want to stop me from paying his company an unhealthily large sum of money. According to his calculation, a budget of €200,000 would be a “healthy” number, as it already factors in an interest rate rise towards the end of the term to, from today’s perspective, a pessimistic 6%. Although I had read many positive comments about the transparency of this company on various homeowner blogs and forums during my research, I was quite shocked after this conversation. On the same day, a couple of hours earlier, I spoke with a man from Massa Haus who presented me with an offer of €320,000 and said that with HIS financing (BHW) it would “definitely be feasible.”

The last thing I need is sugarcoating or false hopes. I want to spend only what can be done in good conscience and with sufficient reserves, not a cent more. For this reason, I have arranged several more appointments with financiers to get a realistic picture. I will probably also consult a fee-based advisor to eliminate distortions caused by commission clashes between banks and brokers.

Based on my own calculations and comparisons, €200,000 has always been the lower limit, so I will under no circumstances exceed it without good and convincing reasons, even if this undoubtedly makes my project more difficult or even unfeasible. Period.

About my skills:

I am not a tradesman but an IT specialist. Still, I don’t have two left hands and I am not afraid to get involved in more robust tasks. Of course, I know some jobs should definitely be left to people who do them every day. For example, drywall work I can confidently do myself, but heating system installation and electrical work I’d prefer to have done by professionals or “qualified friends” (see below), also for insurance reasons. I think I could manage plumbing work too, as I can rely on the expert knowledge and support of some people. I’m not afraid and would be willing to try certain things and then see if I can handle them or not. Naturally, only if there’s no risk of causing serious, irreversible damage on the first attempt.

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Support:

Within my circle of friends and acquaintances, I have a timber engineer, an architect (although specialized in larger commercial buildings, not single-family homes), a landscape gardener, an electrical engineer, a carpenter, and a locksmith. In my family, there is also a former self-builder who has recently completely renovated a house and later built a nearly zero-energy house almost entirely on his own. I fully understand that these people cannot and do not want to be involved every day, but they would support me enough that I could cover large parts of the process with their assistance and guidance.

For tasks I do not feel confident doing myself or with friends, I would definitely always hire someone who knows what they are doing. I learn quickly, but some things are not just about understanding, they require experience – and before causing lengthy damage and problems due to overconfidence and false economy, I would rather hand certain jobs over to professionals and pay for it.

Ideas so far:

At first, I came across the concept of a shell-and-core house, which looked quite attractive because of the fast completion of the structural shell and the optional finishing stages. However, the offers I have seen so far differ greatly from the advertised marketing prices, so it might still be tight with my budget. Also, fast construction is not necessarily required since I am not under time pressure.

Another interesting topic was a kit home or shell-and-core house from a company that builds the structural shell with EUROMAC2 building blocks, which apparently are quite common in France and are slowly gaining popularity here as well. These houses are offered both as kits and as shell-and-core homes, and the prices are amazingly low. Unfortunately, there are very few tests and reliable user reports available. In addition, there are comparable systems like Ytong and others. As far as I can tell, this might be the only feasible construction method for me. I wouldn't be afraid to build the structural shell myself unless there are compelling reasons not to. It would be interesting to have a detailed overview of total costs and time from someone who has built this way—just to get an idea of what we are talking about. This option also has the (not very important, but nice) advantage that during construction, I could install networks and sensors (which would finally be MY area of expertise 😉 ) throughout the house, as the structure would be fully accessible.

One completely overlooked option so far is the suggestion of an architect whose site I recently visited: he told me that even with a small budget, it is possible to build a solid masonry house tailored to individual needs. Admittedly, this option had not even entered my mind before because I always thought it was unaffordable, and I still don't have detailed information. Maybe someone has experience with this approach and can provide an assessment.

Conclusion:

I am just at the beginning and hope to find here what I always do when I dive into a new topic: to gather knowledge, read about experiences, follow tips and advice, and read between the lines. It would be great if one or two people are willing to help me with my strategy planning. If you have any questions or important information is missing, I will of course add it. Thank you in advance, and I am looking forward to seeing what happens!

Hello,

ArthurDent schrieb:

Wishes:

... it should be a detached house, not an apartment or semi-detached house.

The "Would be important to me" list looks like this: classic pitched roof, living area at least 150m² (1600 sq ft), at least KfW55 classification, very open ground floor layout with kitchen-living area and as few walls as possible.

About my starting point:

Plot:

... and I would have absolutely no problem with having few or no neighbors and living in a rural to very rural setting.

Budget:

An independent financial advisor gave me the green light for 280,000 - 300,000 euros (EUR) [...] According to his calculation, a budget of 200,000 euros (EUR) would be a "healthy" figure,

Based on my own calculations and comparisons, the 200,000 euros (EUR) is always the lower limit, so I will definitely not exceed this without good and convincing reasons...

Now, North Rhine-Westphalia (NRW) is not small—where exactly would you like to live in the future? This is crucial for whether your dream can even be realized to any extent.

Living in the countryside means to me, first of all, where foxes and hares say good night to each other; this already follows from your budget. Assuming you find something in the area of 40,000 euros (EUR) for the land, 120,000 euros (EUR) remain (budget minus plot minus additional building costs) for the actual house construction. Even with all help from friends, this is not enough to prepare the house so that you could move in during construction conditions and gradually complete the rest—especially not for 150m² (1600 sq ft) or a detached house to KfW 55 standard. Materials still need to be paid for 😉

ArthurDent schrieb:

About my skills:

I’m not a craftsman, but a computer scientist. Still, I’m not completely unskilled with my hands...

Support:

In my circle of friends and acquaintances, I have a timber construction engineer, an architect (but mainly for larger commercial buildings, not for single-family homes), a landscape gardener, an electrical engineer, a carpenter, and a metalworker. In my family, there is also a former self-builder who recently fully renovated a house and later basically built a near zero-energy house from scratch himself.

How far are your friends/acquaintances willing to travel to help you?

ArthurDent schrieb:

Ideas so far:

I wouldn’t be afraid to do the shell construction myself...

Conclusion:

I’m at the very beginning and hope to find here what I always do when I dive into a new topic: gather knowledge, read experiences, take tips and advice to heart, and read between the lines.

Then I would strongly recommend considering a condominium flat (also called an apartment or unit), which can also be purchased inexpensively in rural areas; sometimes with more, sometimes with less renovation backlog. Alternatively, an older detached house usually with greater renovation work to "learn on." A good friend was able to make such a bargain 2 years ago. With only his brother’s help, the whole thing cost him less than 60,000 euros (EUR). The little house has no more than a 60m² (645 sq ft) ground floor and a staircase to a sleeping area under the roof, no garden; this was sufficient for him as a single person. Better small and yours than big and a money pit 😉

If your life requirements change in a few years—who knows what’s coming—you can always consider taking the next step with significantly more capital behind you.

Best regards, Bauexperte

In general, I appreciate detailed text and plenty of input, so the original poster doesn’t have to be prompted for every detail. However, everyone probably has their own limit on how much time they’re willing to spend reading such posts.

A short summary would be helpful, at least for me—something concise with about 10-12 key points.

PS: Not everyone has as much time as a building expert. 😎

ArthurDent schrieb:

The last thing I need is sugarcoating or deceptive optimism. I want to spend an amount that I can responsibly afford with sufficient safety margins—not a cent more. For this reason, I have scheduled several more meetings with lenders to get a realistic picture. I will probably also consult a fee-based financial advisor to eliminate bias caused by commission negotiations between banks and brokers.

Based on my own calculations and comparisons, €200,000 (approximately $220,000) has always been the absolute minimum. I will not exceed this without solid and convincing reasons, even if that makes my project more difficult or ultimately unfeasible. Period.

What exactly makes you doubt your calculations? Basically, you can use various bank and financing websites to fairly accurately calculate how much loan you can get with a €1,000 (about $1,100) monthly payment and when the debt will be paid off. You can also see the terms for fixed interest periods of 10, 15, 20, or 25 years. For the question “What can I afford?” you don’t necessarily need a financing advisor initially. However, an advisor can be very helpful in explaining what costs will come in addition to the pure construction expenses.

Think about the conditions under which the €1,000 (about $1,100) monthly budget remains valid. Your house will have higher additional operating costs than your current €290 (about $320) monthly rent including utilities. If you plan to have a family, that also involves additional expenses. Losing bonuses or premiums could reduce your income. In any household, things need to be replaced regularly, such as the washing machine, refrigerator, car, heating system repairs, and so on. Have you taken all of this into account?

I also read through it yesterday, about three quarters of it 😉

And I have to say: Your ideas are not different from those of everyone else here. Nobody has money to throw away, and the days when only families build a house because their apartment became too small due to growth are long gone.

In this regard, other related threads in this forum might be interesting for you — just browse through them, sit back, and read.

A neighbor of mine has been working on his Ytong (aerated concrete) house for four years now. However, I haven’t seen him for the last six months, even though there is still a lot of visible work. I think he has run out of energy 🙁

That said, it also sounds to me as if you want to slowly build your hermit’s retreat, stone by stone 😉