ᐅ How do you get started? When should you hire which professionals for which tasks?
Created on: 29 Sep 2019 18:15
D
dr2okevin
Hello,
I have decided to build a single-family house. I have already read a lot about it and could answer many detailed questions, but I can never find information about the first steps. How do I get an approximate idea of the cost of my desired house without immediately paying several thousand for an architect? How do I find a plot of land? How can I tell if my idea for the house will fit on the plot, or how many square meters (square feet) of living space would be suitable for me?
I know what I want:
A basement, underfloor heating, a heat pump with a cooling function (probably with a ground collector), photovoltaic panels and solar thermal system (possibly integrated directly into the roof without tiles underneath?), a smart home system (probably Homematic), a double garage with electric vehicle charging capabilities, and preparations for a home battery.
I also already know the type of rooms I want, the kind of features they should have, and roughly where they should be located in the house.
I assume I will need an architect to realize my wishes. But my questions are: When should I bring the architect on board? When do costs start to occur? And who else do I need? The construction companies will surely need to be coordinated by someone.
Regarding my financial possibilities, I still plan to discuss this with a banker friend, but at the moment, I estimate a budget of about 300,000 euros (approximately $330,000), with about 30% saved as equity so far.
I am currently single but want to plan the house so that it can comfortably accommodate up to four people with minimal renovations.
I have decided to build a single-family house. I have already read a lot about it and could answer many detailed questions, but I can never find information about the first steps. How do I get an approximate idea of the cost of my desired house without immediately paying several thousand for an architect? How do I find a plot of land? How can I tell if my idea for the house will fit on the plot, or how many square meters (square feet) of living space would be suitable for me?
I know what I want:
A basement, underfloor heating, a heat pump with a cooling function (probably with a ground collector), photovoltaic panels and solar thermal system (possibly integrated directly into the roof without tiles underneath?), a smart home system (probably Homematic), a double garage with electric vehicle charging capabilities, and preparations for a home battery.
I also already know the type of rooms I want, the kind of features they should have, and roughly where they should be located in the house.
I assume I will need an architect to realize my wishes. But my questions are: When should I bring the architect on board? When do costs start to occur? And who else do I need? The construction companies will surely need to be coordinated by someone.
Regarding my financial possibilities, I still plan to discuss this with a banker friend, but at the moment, I estimate a budget of about 300,000 euros (approximately $330,000), with about 30% saved as equity so far.
I am currently single but want to plan the house so that it can comfortably accommodate up to four people with minimal renovations.
The land reference value is the current one, right? New reference values came out in 2019, so if the plot has been on the market for a while, the old land reference value might still be used. But even then, a 600sqm (about 6458 sq ft) plot — which you need roughly for a single-family house — can easily cost €70,000. If the market value is higher than the reference value (which is usually the case), it gets more expensive. €100,000 for the plot is a good rough estimate.
After buying the land, you also have to pay notary fees, cadastral charges, etc., all of which add up.
However, the land reference value isn’t really something you need to worry about — that’s for notaries and tax authorities. What you need is the market value, which can vary significantly from the reference value depending on the region.
For the house itself, as a rough estimate, consider €2,000 to €2,700 per built sqm — with your requirements, lean toward the higher end.
If the house is meant for 4 people, 150sqm (about 1615 sq ft) is rather on the small side — so if you estimate €2,500 per sqm and build a smaller house with 150sqm, you’re already looking at €375,000. And that’s just the house — no land, no earthworks (remember you want a basement, so add that), no notary, no land registry fees, no architect fees — and that’s not even considering the garden. The basement alone will add between €60,000 and €100,000, depending on features and ground conditions.
The houses you see in catalogs and online: nice photos, decent floor plans, but minimal equipment. So cheap tiles and flooring (or sometimes no flooring), inexpensive doors, cheap fittings, double glazing only, max 2 power outlets per room (especially you as an IT professional should know that is too few), etc. In short: no one gets by with that, and they usually charge extra for upgrades.
So overall:
€100,000 for the land
€375,000 for the house
About €80,000 for the basement
That already totals around €555,000 — and I’d say that’s still without incidental building costs.
On top of that: additional construction-related costs, garden, garage/carport, furnishings (most people end up buying a new kitchen, etc.)
Nah, Steffen, the IT guy only needs 0 and 1
After buying the land, you also have to pay notary fees, cadastral charges, etc., all of which add up.
However, the land reference value isn’t really something you need to worry about — that’s for notaries and tax authorities. What you need is the market value, which can vary significantly from the reference value depending on the region.
For the house itself, as a rough estimate, consider €2,000 to €2,700 per built sqm — with your requirements, lean toward the higher end.
If the house is meant for 4 people, 150sqm (about 1615 sq ft) is rather on the small side — so if you estimate €2,500 per sqm and build a smaller house with 150sqm, you’re already looking at €375,000. And that’s just the house — no land, no earthworks (remember you want a basement, so add that), no notary, no land registry fees, no architect fees — and that’s not even considering the garden. The basement alone will add between €60,000 and €100,000, depending on features and ground conditions.
The houses you see in catalogs and online: nice photos, decent floor plans, but minimal equipment. So cheap tiles and flooring (or sometimes no flooring), inexpensive doors, cheap fittings, double glazing only, max 2 power outlets per room (especially you as an IT professional should know that is too few), etc. In short: no one gets by with that, and they usually charge extra for upgrades.
So overall:
€100,000 for the land
€375,000 for the house
About €80,000 for the basement
That already totals around €555,000 — and I’d say that’s still without incidental building costs.
On top of that: additional construction-related costs, garden, garage/carport, furnishings (most people end up buying a new kitchen, etc.)
Steffen80 schrieb:
You’re a strange IT guy... usually they’re good with numbers...
Nah, Steffen, the IT guy only needs 0 and 1
H
hampshire30 Sep 2019 09:24dr2okevin schrieb:
My cost estimates are based on various websites where the price for a house like this is given between 150,000 and 250,000 (without land).Your research is accurate. Unfortunately, these prices do not include all the costs you will have to cover, as @Tassimat already pointed out. Building a new house is quite different from buying an existing property.dr2okevin schrieb:
I included the extra costs for a heat pump based on gut feeling since I don’t know which model I would need, and prices are hard to find online.The additional costs for the house features consist of both materials and labor. This is often unclear because labor costs can vary significantly depending on the region and the company.dr2okevin schrieb:
I recently found a plot of land through gdi-sh that I could imagine being suitable. How do I find out if it is for sale, or who owns it? The info I have is a cadastral parcel number and the land value (115€)The land value and the purchase price are not directly related, as @Nordlys rightly explains. Still, it’s worth investigating. Sometimes you can acquire land before it officially comes on the market, or by becoming a welcome, friendly neighbor, or... Avoiding the attempt means excluding your chance.Nordlys schrieb:
And never forget, having is better than needing. And beauty fades, but the hectare remains. This also applies to square meters. In 25 years, the money will only be enough for mahogany built-in wardrobes. It doesn’t go away. But building an extra room later is more difficult.In our very privileged society, we have forgotten to distinguish between what we want and what we actually need. What is important are: health, being there for each other, nourishment, shelter, and purpose. I am very grateful to have these five in my life. The nice extras make me happy every day too — but do I need them? I don’t think so. Having without real functional or aesthetic value is unattractive to me.Steffen80 schrieb:
You’re a strange IT professional... they are usually good with numbers…They are. Also, they are good at abstract thinking, constantly deal with incorrect assumptions, correct them, and learn about connections in the process. Asking questions helps with this, and that is exactly what @dr2okevin is doing here.- clarify your budget
- Explore the forum
@Nordlys or @Yosan should roughly fit within your budget
then look around here
https://www.hausbau-forum.de/forums/Baukosten-Förderungen.180/
- Get in touch with your preferred municipality and ask about available plots of land. Savings banks often have some as well.
Depending on the cost of the land and your budget, it will become clear whether you can afford to build at all.
Unfortunately, 300,000 is not much, and you can forget about a basement, double garage, or KNX automation.
Forget about the prices floating around on the internet. They are so polished and sometimes shamelessly unrealistic that it’s surprising they are even published.
Behind those prices, there is a detailed building specification. I once reviewed one that claimed to include a full electrical installation. That included 10 sockets. Even back in 1950, more sockets were typically installed.
Then there are all the builder’s notes or costs that are completely hidden.
Sometimes the prices are "turnkey." Sounds good, but turnkey doesn’t mean a moving truck arrives and you move in. Often turnkey just means a lockable door is installed—no tiles, no flooring, no paint on the walls.
Once you know which plot might be suitable and what it costs, talk to the nearest home builder. Then you will have certainty about
- hillside location
- orientation
- zoning plan (building plan / planning permission)
etc
- Explore the forum
@Nordlys or @Yosan should roughly fit within your budget
then look around here
https://www.hausbau-forum.de/forums/Baukosten-Förderungen.180/
- Get in touch with your preferred municipality and ask about available plots of land. Savings banks often have some as well.
Depending on the cost of the land and your budget, it will become clear whether you can afford to build at all.
Unfortunately, 300,000 is not much, and you can forget about a basement, double garage, or KNX automation.
Forget about the prices floating around on the internet. They are so polished and sometimes shamelessly unrealistic that it’s surprising they are even published.
Behind those prices, there is a detailed building specification. I once reviewed one that claimed to include a full electrical installation. That included 10 sockets. Even back in 1950, more sockets were typically installed.
Then there are all the builder’s notes or costs that are completely hidden.
Sometimes the prices are "turnkey." Sounds good, but turnkey doesn’t mean a moving truck arrives and you move in. Often turnkey just means a lockable door is installed—no tiles, no flooring, no paint on the walls.
Once you know which plot might be suitable and what it costs, talk to the nearest home builder. Then you will have certainty about
- hillside location
- orientation
- zoning plan (building plan / planning permission)
etc
Yes, that’s roughly within my budget. However, this excludes the land and any extras like a kitchen or other optional features. Otherwise, everything combined would total around 350,000.
Are the 300,000 supposed to cover just the house or the house plus the land? If it’s the latter, you will actually have to give up many of your wishes such as a basement, garage, various technical installations, and so on.
If it’s just for the house, you will still need to let go of some of your wishes (especially the basement) and then manage your budget carefully, contributing a lot of your own labor...
Are the 300,000 supposed to cover just the house or the house plus the land? If it’s the latter, you will actually have to give up many of your wishes such as a basement, garage, various technical installations, and so on.
If it’s just for the house, you will still need to let go of some of your wishes (especially the basement) and then manage your budget carefully, contributing a lot of your own labor...
D
dr2okevin30 Sep 2019 13:47I just spoke with my banker. So, €400,000 would be the recommended upper limit. €500,000 would theoretically still be possible, but it wouldn’t be enjoyable anymore. That is the total amount the house plus the land can cost. However, these were only estimates and not calculated down to the exact euro.
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