Hello and greetings to the community,
My girlfriend and I are considering building a house in the near future.
We already have a plot of land, so that issue is settled.
We have also decided on the type of house.
We want to avoid rising energy costs by building a passive house with solar panels on the roof.
Additionally, we definitely do not want wood as a building material but prefer traditional bricks or something similar.
In terms of design, we want something suitable for aging (i.e., accessible) and therefore a bungalow.
The dimensions for the house are already set: 15.50 meters (51 feet) wide and 11 meters (36 feet) long, which equals about 170.5 m² (1,835 sq ft).
Now to my questions:
- I have read a lot about passive houses online, and one site mentioned that it is almost impossible to build a bungalow as a passive house. Why is that?
- Are the costs for a bungalow cheaper or more expensive than for a two-story house?
- Is there a building material comparable in quality to brick?
- Is a passive house built with solid construction, i.e., bricks, significantly more expensive?
- Is there any way to get an approximate price estimate for our “dream house”?
Many thanks in advance
Regards
Hugh60
My girlfriend and I are considering building a house in the near future.
We already have a plot of land, so that issue is settled.
We have also decided on the type of house.
We want to avoid rising energy costs by building a passive house with solar panels on the roof.
Additionally, we definitely do not want wood as a building material but prefer traditional bricks or something similar.
In terms of design, we want something suitable for aging (i.e., accessible) and therefore a bungalow.
The dimensions for the house are already set: 15.50 meters (51 feet) wide and 11 meters (36 feet) long, which equals about 170.5 m² (1,835 sq ft).
Now to my questions:
- I have read a lot about passive houses online, and one site mentioned that it is almost impossible to build a bungalow as a passive house. Why is that?
- Are the costs for a bungalow cheaper or more expensive than for a two-story house?
- Is there a building material comparable in quality to brick?
- Is a passive house built with solid construction, i.e., bricks, significantly more expensive?
- Is there any way to get an approximate price estimate for our “dream house”?
Many thanks in advance
Regards
Hugh60
F
friedrich2726 Nov 2013 13:16We really need to reconsider and revise the square and cube design!!! I’m not a fan of flat roofs, even if they might be cheaper initially.
Why not? A shed roof is also an affordable alternative.
The plot size easily allows for a square, so we definitely wanted everything on one level and in the described size (15.5 x 11m (51 x 36 feet)).
Not a square but a cuboid. Have you really checked the floor area ratio and the floor space index?
I had to do a lot of googling first to decipher all the abbreviations.
I’ll start with the figures and list my questions alongside. Are hollow brick units just the good old bricks (at least that’s what they look like)?
ETICS with EPS = External Thermal Insulation Composite System with EPS rigid foam boards. What incident in Hamburg and why are these unsuitable or what would be better?
Besides the ecological concerns, EPS is a fire accelerator. There was a fire in a multi-family building in Hamburg where the fire spread behind the EPS facade up to the attic and then dispersed from there. The insulation market is vast, so you might want to do some reading first.
Regarding timber construction: My grandma has built three houses with bricks, which have stood for decades without any problems, but she once had a wooden balcony, and the work involved with the balcony every time has been just awful.
Therefore, I want to learn from my grandma’s experience and actually avoid wood.
As a layperson, I don’t understand the purpose of a timber frame that I then cover with plaster, brick cladding, facade panels, and so on, since wood always moves, and if I apply coverings on it and the wood underneath moves, cracks will eventually appear and I’ll have to repair again.
I don’t have this problem with bricks, do I?
Of course, you do. No material is completely movement-free, and the problem is that each material moves differently. When you combine plaster and brick, the movements differ, which can lead to cracks. This is not an issue with a specific material but with the workmanship. And here comes the mantra: Building is for specialists, and they cost money, so don’t save on architects and structural engineers.
And regarding your grandma’s balcony—in all honesty, even as a fully convinced timber builder, I wouldn’t build a balcony from wood. Unfortunately, steel is the better building material for that, sad but true.
Why not? A shed roof is also an affordable alternative.
The plot size easily allows for a square, so we definitely wanted everything on one level and in the described size (15.5 x 11m (51 x 36 feet)).
Not a square but a cuboid. Have you really checked the floor area ratio and the floor space index?
I had to do a lot of googling first to decipher all the abbreviations.
I’ll start with the figures and list my questions alongside. Are hollow brick units just the good old bricks (at least that’s what they look like)?
ETICS with EPS = External Thermal Insulation Composite System with EPS rigid foam boards. What incident in Hamburg and why are these unsuitable or what would be better?
Besides the ecological concerns, EPS is a fire accelerator. There was a fire in a multi-family building in Hamburg where the fire spread behind the EPS facade up to the attic and then dispersed from there. The insulation market is vast, so you might want to do some reading first.
Regarding timber construction: My grandma has built three houses with bricks, which have stood for decades without any problems, but she once had a wooden balcony, and the work involved with the balcony every time has been just awful.
Therefore, I want to learn from my grandma’s experience and actually avoid wood.
As a layperson, I don’t understand the purpose of a timber frame that I then cover with plaster, brick cladding, facade panels, and so on, since wood always moves, and if I apply coverings on it and the wood underneath moves, cracks will eventually appear and I’ll have to repair again.
I don’t have this problem with bricks, do I?
Of course, you do. No material is completely movement-free, and the problem is that each material moves differently. When you combine plaster and brick, the movements differ, which can lead to cracks. This is not an issue with a specific material but with the workmanship. And here comes the mantra: Building is for specialists, and they cost money, so don’t save on architects and structural engineers.
And regarding your grandma’s balcony—in all honesty, even as a fully convinced timber builder, I wouldn’t build a balcony from wood. Unfortunately, steel is the better building material for that, sad but true.
Hugh60 schrieb:
By passive house, we mean an airtight building with a heat pump (i.e., mechanical ventilation with heat recovery), triple-glazed windows, so that heating is replaced by air circulation. The costs of the heat pump and other energy sources should be offset by solar power.We have the same, but as a KfW70 house. Significantly cheaper than a passive house.
The electricity can also be fed in through a photovoltaic system. That is correct. BUT: to my knowledge, there are still no affordable systems that can also store electricity. Therefore, despite having a photovoltaic system, you usually remain connected to the local electricity provider.
A wooden balcony cannot be compared to a timber frame structure. A balcony is exposed to weather conditions. Of course, wood moves, but within a framework that does not cause the walls to collapse.
In my home region of Westphalia, there are hundreds of houses built on the same principle that have stood for centuries. These are half-timbered houses, and they do not just fall down.
I am not trying to convince you to choose timber construction; I just have the feeling that you have not yet explored the various building materials in depth, or considered which materials can achieve what level of airtightness in a house.
F
friedrich2726 Nov 2013 13:43Well, I think you should have mentioned the location of your house first. Then I wouldn’t have had to worry about the floor area ratio / plot ratio. I also believe that discussing your energy concept is out of place here without considering the location. I doubt anyone here is familiar with the legal requirements, energy prices, energy availability, and so on in Hungary. It must be around the Burgenland / Neusiedler See area, which is a region with a relatively mild climate. I think it would make a lot of sense to consult a local expert, wouldn’t it???
Regards, friedrich27.
Regards, friedrich27.
friedrich27 schrieb:
Well, I think you should have mentioned the location of your house first.
Sorry, I didn’t think of that, it was a mistake and of course I should have done it right away!!!
I also think discussing your energy concept here, without considering the location, is irrelevant. I hardly believe anyone here knows the legal requirements, energy prices, energy availability, etc. in Hungary.
I don’t see it that way, since I want to build a passive house and for us it’s not about how much we save or how high the energy prices are, but rather about being independent from the prices!!!
It should be around the Burgenland/Neusiedler See area. So a region with a relatively mild climate. I think it would make a lot of sense to consult a local expert, wouldn’t you agree???
Regards, Friedrich. We will do that. Still, I have become a big fan of forums because you get honest answers here!!!
F
friedrich2726 Nov 2013 16:25Based on their field of study, an architect is primarily trained in design. An engineer provides the necessary building physics calculations, but also handles detailed planning, tendering, construction supervision, and so on. It is possible that the architect is also a civil engineer, or vice versa. Alternatively, an engineer may be allowed to call themselves an architect through membership in the architectural association. So you can have both roles in one person, or the firm employs both, or the firm contracts specialist planners, or you have to arrange that yourself.
Timber construction: You can’t force someone into something against their will, and this forum is certainly not here to persuade you. So I’ll leave it at that. But a tip: keep your distance from friends, acquaintances, social clubs, and relatives when it comes to building a house, as they will only confuse you. Where do you get your knowledge about the alleged lack of durability of wood? You do know that some of the oldest buildings in the world (those still occupied by people) are made from 100% pure wood. It’s not about the building material itself but how it is constructed and maintained.
Passive house is fine, although I haven’t seen much discussion about it here so far. I referred to the energy concept. Do you know the legal requirements there regarding consumption and feed-in? I’m not sure what kind of heat pump you are considering. Heat pumps also need approval. What are the regulations there, and so on.
Regards,
Friedrich27
Timber construction: You can’t force someone into something against their will, and this forum is certainly not here to persuade you. So I’ll leave it at that. But a tip: keep your distance from friends, acquaintances, social clubs, and relatives when it comes to building a house, as they will only confuse you. Where do you get your knowledge about the alleged lack of durability of wood? You do know that some of the oldest buildings in the world (those still occupied by people) are made from 100% pure wood. It’s not about the building material itself but how it is constructed and maintained.
Passive house is fine, although I haven’t seen much discussion about it here so far. I referred to the energy concept. Do you know the legal requirements there regarding consumption and feed-in? I’m not sure what kind of heat pump you are considering. Heat pumps also need approval. What are the regulations there, and so on.
Regards,
Friedrich27
Thank you for the information. Naturally, you try to get both together since that usually means paying less—or do you pay the same for two separate things?
Of course, there are wooden buildings that have lasted for ages, but I just can’t get comfortable with wood... I want as little maintenance as possible on the house later, and that’s why I find bricks simply better!
My knowledge about bricks and construction in general mainly comes from personal experiences. I’m really fascinated by the Colosseum and how such a huge structure could be built so long ago with bricks (and, of course, concrete) and still be standing today!
I always like listening to tips from friends, people who have built houses, and so on, but the very first thing I searched for online was “The biggest mistakes in house building,” and this issue keeps coming up everywhere—and that’s a mistake I definitely don’t want to make! But thanks again!
Regarding all the regulations in Hungary, of course, we need to clarify those with the architect or engineer, as well as the exact price, permits (building permit / planning permission), and so on.
For me, it was important to gather as much information as possible (like earlier about bricks, roof styles, no external thermal insulation system with EPS, or whether to use wood or not).
Are there any other things I might not have thought of, like the best insulation (plans are set, brick type is chosen, roof not finalized yet—possibly a hip roof)?
Of course, there are wooden buildings that have lasted for ages, but I just can’t get comfortable with wood... I want as little maintenance as possible on the house later, and that’s why I find bricks simply better!
My knowledge about bricks and construction in general mainly comes from personal experiences. I’m really fascinated by the Colosseum and how such a huge structure could be built so long ago with bricks (and, of course, concrete) and still be standing today!
I always like listening to tips from friends, people who have built houses, and so on, but the very first thing I searched for online was “The biggest mistakes in house building,” and this issue keeps coming up everywhere—and that’s a mistake I definitely don’t want to make! But thanks again!
Regarding all the regulations in Hungary, of course, we need to clarify those with the architect or engineer, as well as the exact price, permits (building permit / planning permission), and so on.
For me, it was important to gather as much information as possible (like earlier about bricks, roof styles, no external thermal insulation system with EPS, or whether to use wood or not).
Are there any other things I might not have thought of, like the best insulation (plans are set, brick type is chosen, roof not finalized yet—possibly a hip roof)?
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