Hello,
we are building a semi-detached house with around 150 sqm (1,615 sq ft) of living space and a 200 sqm (2,153 sq ft) garden. The contract will be signed next week, and construction will start in late autumn. We have chosen the “technical completion” stage and will do some of the work ourselves: flooring, tiling, sanitary fixtures, attic finishing, interior doors, landscaping, and painting.
We have done our homework for the financing and negotiated extensively with the builder, so we now have a good price.
As you know, building a house always takes quite a toll on the budget, so we are now focusing on the details and where we can save costs. What are your experiences? For example, regarding:
And so on…
I’m looking forward to your experiences!
we are building a semi-detached house with around 150 sqm (1,615 sq ft) of living space and a 200 sqm (2,153 sq ft) garden. The contract will be signed next week, and construction will start in late autumn. We have chosen the “technical completion” stage and will do some of the work ourselves: flooring, tiling, sanitary fixtures, attic finishing, interior doors, landscaping, and painting.
We have done our homework for the financing and negotiated extensively with the builder, so we now have a good price.
As you know, building a house always takes quite a toll on the budget, so we are now focusing on the details and where we can save costs. What are your experiences? For example, regarding:
- Where to get sanitary fixtures cheaply? Also, are branded products really worth it?
- Likewise, kitchen appliances – is there a good way to find display models?
- How have you managed to do landscaping cost-effectively?
- Where and how to buy doors at a low price?
And so on…
I’m looking forward to your experiences!
Here I go getting myself into trouble again, smile.
If Aldi has faucets or similar items, that’s fine. Go for it. Good quality. Toilet bowls and such, get those at stores like Bauhaus, Hornbach, or similar. However, I would still choose branded products for those. For electrical appliances, look for refurbished or “like new” used items on Amazon. Redcoon also offers this, calling it B stock. We got our Jura coffee machine this way for $600 instead of $750, and it was basically new. My wife’s Siemens washing machine was also one of these and lasted years without any problems—until now.
Other affordable shopping options include Ikea, especially for bathroom furniture and kitchens, Fliesen Harry if it’s available in your area. For paving stones and similar materials, eBay works well. Often, someone still has 1.5 pallets and just wants to get rid of them! That’s it for now. Karsten
If Aldi has faucets or similar items, that’s fine. Go for it. Good quality. Toilet bowls and such, get those at stores like Bauhaus, Hornbach, or similar. However, I would still choose branded products for those. For electrical appliances, look for refurbished or “like new” used items on Amazon. Redcoon also offers this, calling it B stock. We got our Jura coffee machine this way for $600 instead of $750, and it was basically new. My wife’s Siemens washing machine was also one of these and lasted years without any problems—until now.
Other affordable shopping options include Ikea, especially for bathroom furniture and kitchens, Fliesen Harry if it’s available in your area. For paving stones and similar materials, eBay works well. Often, someone still has 1.5 pallets and just wants to get rid of them! That’s it for now. Karsten
Flauti schrieb:
Hello,
we are building a semi-detached house with about 150 sqm (1600 sq ft) of living space and a 200 sqm (2150 sq ft) garden.Oh, so tearing down "Grandma’s little house" didn’t happen after all?
Flauti schrieb:
- Where can you get affordable sanitary fixtures? Also: Are branded fixtures really worth it here?
I’d say: if you don’t have a name brand, you have nothing to lose. Buying cheap often means buying twice. I wouldn’t save on quality (abrasion rating of tiles, etc.): if you end up having to rebuild right after finishing the financing because everything is worn out, that’s no fun. Paying "only" 100% by skipping the 20% premium for the “premium brand” is okay; paying 70% for cheap stuff, and then another 70% later because the cheap stuff doesn’t last, adds up to 140%. So that’s actually more expensive than if you had just gone for the premium brand items from the start ;-)
https://www.instagram.com/11antgmxde/
https://www.linkedin.com/company/bauen-jetzt/
Investing hundreds of thousands of euros and then trying to save 100 EUR on an electrical appliance here or 20 EUR on a fixture there—definitely worth it.
Quality has its price, this applies to the plot, the house, fittings, and so on.
There is something available at every price level, but the term priceCLASS is no coincidence. Of course, you get higher-quality and more durable products, fittings, etc., for a bit more. Simply a higher class. Or you buy cheap and redo it in 10 years. Whatever you prefer.
Provided you don’t overpay, I always find it amusing how people discuss these topics. There are different quality levels, and you have to decide what you want. For example, I choose something durable here and something cheaper there. Because I value it somewhat and there I know it will break soon anyway. Just as an example.
There is nothing wrong with hardware store stuff. It’s cheap and breaks sooner but protects your budget at first. Or you invest more upfront and enjoy it for a longer time. That works too.
Quality has its price, this applies to the plot, the house, fittings, and so on.
There is something available at every price level, but the term priceCLASS is no coincidence. Of course, you get higher-quality and more durable products, fittings, etc., for a bit more. Simply a higher class. Or you buy cheap and redo it in 10 years. Whatever you prefer.
Provided you don’t overpay, I always find it amusing how people discuss these topics. There are different quality levels, and you have to decide what you want. For example, I choose something durable here and something cheaper there. Because I value it somewhat and there I know it will break soon anyway. Just as an example.
There is nothing wrong with hardware store stuff. It’s cheap and breaks sooner but protects your budget at first. Or you invest more upfront and enjoy it for a longer time. That works too.
Keramag, for example, sells more affordable ceramics under the Allia label, which have the same surface quality as their higher-end styling series. Allia offers only a few basic types, mostly rounded shapes. It’s fine for those who like that style. Entire government buildings, schools, and daycare centers are equipped with these. Karsten
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