ᐅ Is My Budget Enough? $210,000 for a Single-Family Home

Created on: 17 Nov 2013 23:58
M
Mutz
Hello,

even though this question has been asked many times before, I would like to ask it once more. I am planning to build a single-family house with approximately 120 - 130 sqm (1,290 - 1,400 sq ft) of living space plus a storage room and garage. From what I have read in this forum, a rough estimate could be calculated as follows:




[TD="align: right"]195,000



[TD="align: right"]35,000



[TD="align: right"]15,000



[TD="align: right"]8,000



[TD="align: right"]15,000



[TD="align: right"]20,000



[TD="align: right"]10,000



[TD="align: right"]298,000

130 sqm x 1,500
Additional construction costs
Garage
Outdoor areas
Kitchen
Painting/flooring
Miscellaneous
Total


Now I am my own spoiler because the budget is only 210,000 euros. So, at this point, I should give up the building project, but I cannot understand that it is not possible to build a house for 210,000 euros. I would describe my requirements as simple in terms of fittings but high when it comes to quality. I don’t need any luxury, but I can’t stand flimsy windows/doors or creaky stairs. I don’t want much, but what I have should be solid. If I take this on, I want to be quite sure that this budget limit will not be significantly exceeded.

Specifically, I would say the following: simple floor plan – terrace – no slope – shutters (roller shutters) – no curtains inside, instead blinds – no frills – all tiled except for bedrooms and children’s rooms – bathroom with toilet – separate guest toilet – no underfloor heating – no electric shutters/blinds/skylights – no automatic ventilation system – walls and ceilings painted white with textured wallpaper. As the only luxuries, I would like a wood-burning stove in the living room and a network connection in every room. Everything kept simple but of solid/durable quality. For DIY work, I would do the painting (wallpapering/painting) and outdoor areas myself. I would also install the flooring in the rooms that are not tiled (bedrooms/children’s rooms) as well as handle the cleaning up. Preferably built with a solid construction method.

Now the big question: Is this completely unrealistic? Or how should one go about building a simple but solid house for 210,000 euros?

Thanks and regards
kaho67418 Nov 2013 23:28
@ypg: Well, now my curiosity is piqued: WHAT WAS THE PICKAXE FOR? 🙂
Y
ypg
18 Nov 2013 23:32
:P We couldn’t get to the ground anymore because of all the excavators. I wanted to use the time to weed, but it wasn’t possible. Also, I wanted to sow green manure with lupines.
So my husband bought a pickaxe and made a small plow using a brick, which he used to break up the soil.

At the moment, I have a blooming lupine meadow 😀
kaho67418 Nov 2013 23:41
ypg schrieb:

So my husband bought a pickaxe and made a small plow out of a brick, which he used to open the earth arch.
Very original and plow-shaped. 😉
Have you already finished the house and are now working on the garden design?
Where can I find your blog?
Y
ypg
18 Nov 2013 23:47
ypg"]
So my husband bought a pickaxe and made a small plow from a brick to open up the soil arch.
[/QUOTE]

[quote="kaho674 schrieb:

Very original and plow-like.
Are you done with the house and now working on the landscaping?
Where can I find your blog?

It should have said plow and soil of course 😀
No, we are currently between the screed drying phase and the heating program. The contractors didn’t know that the utility meters need to be requested 😉
Next week is vacation time: working vacation... filling, wallpapering, and painting. You’re probably around this phase too?!
My building blog is linked here... you just need to scroll down further in the construction diaries 🙂
M
Mutz
18 Nov 2013 23:55
I admit I might have a different perspective. Yes, I would like to have my own house. But an even stronger desire is to invest only in solid quality. A house without creaking stairs, windows that close smoothly without sticking, and roller shutters on the windows are not something I consider unnecessary extras. I see decorative elements, luxury showers, electric roller shutters, bay windows, towers, etc. as extras.

OK, that’s the wish list so far. It’s becoming clear that the budget won’t allow for all of this. You really have to make compromises, like having roller shutters only on the ground floor, no interior blinds, no garage. I still need to get used to these ideas.
M
Mutz
19 Nov 2013 00:16
I can’t find a function to edit posts. What I wrote above doesn’t make sense after rereading it. No matter how I calculate, the gap is too large to be closed by simply omitting roller shutters. I’ve read a lot more here in the forum. The house I want will probably cost between 250,000 and 280,000 EUR. You have to be able to manage that; otherwise, it’s not realistic. Of course, I would try to lower the price through own labor and negotiating discounts on materials. But you probably shouldn’t count on that as a safety cushion.