Good evening!
I come from the Tübingen district and I am 27 years old. My wife and I have now received confirmation for our desired plot, which we will buy in the next few days. Now the planning for the actual house begins.
I am a complete beginner and have browsed this forum a bit, but it’s overwhelming. All the information drives me crazy and discourages me; I don’t even know where to start!
We don’t have a huge budget and want to build with a construction company such as Heinz von Heiden, Town & Country, or Scanhaus Marlow. Some kind of builder that is not the most expensive but still delivers good quality work, preferably solid construction. There are good and bad reviews about every builder online, so I won’t even ask here for recommendations, right?
What I have found out so far are the following hidden costs: (House only, no landscaping)
On top of the “turnkey price,” I have to calculate:
1. About 25,000€ (27,500 USD) additional construction costs
2. Kitchen
3. Lighting fixtures
4. Own work, usually: flooring/wall work + materials
5. Basically add about 20,000€ (22,000 USD) for selections to the stated “turnkey price” because the standard is often too basic
I need to pay attention to the construction description included with “turnkey”:
1. Is triple glazing included?
2. What standard is installed?
3. Heat pump, etc.?
4. What extras do I want + what does all that cost?
I would like to know now:
1. What is the best way to proceed? I want to schedule appointments with the companies mentioned above. How do I best prepare for meetings with these somewhat opaque builders?
2. What other hidden costs should I watch out for that I haven’t mentioned or don’t know yet?
3. What must the house absolutely have in terms of “equipment”/standard?
An example of how I calculate:
House standard turnkey: about 170,000€ (187,000 USD)
Selections: about 20,000€ (22,000 USD)
Additional construction costs: about 25,000€ (27,500 USD)
Flooring + wall materials: about 6,000€ (6,600 USD)
Kitchen: about 15,000€ (16,500 USD)
Lighting: about 3,000€ (3,300 USD)
Financial buffer: about 5,000€ (5,500 USD)
= 244,000€ (269,000 USD)
Is this correct? Am I missing anything? Do I need to add anything else, if yes, what?
I would really appreciate your help!
Best regards
I come from the Tübingen district and I am 27 years old. My wife and I have now received confirmation for our desired plot, which we will buy in the next few days. Now the planning for the actual house begins.
I am a complete beginner and have browsed this forum a bit, but it’s overwhelming. All the information drives me crazy and discourages me; I don’t even know where to start!
We don’t have a huge budget and want to build with a construction company such as Heinz von Heiden, Town & Country, or Scanhaus Marlow. Some kind of builder that is not the most expensive but still delivers good quality work, preferably solid construction. There are good and bad reviews about every builder online, so I won’t even ask here for recommendations, right?
What I have found out so far are the following hidden costs: (House only, no landscaping)
On top of the “turnkey price,” I have to calculate:
1. About 25,000€ (27,500 USD) additional construction costs
2. Kitchen
3. Lighting fixtures
4. Own work, usually: flooring/wall work + materials
5. Basically add about 20,000€ (22,000 USD) for selections to the stated “turnkey price” because the standard is often too basic
I need to pay attention to the construction description included with “turnkey”:
1. Is triple glazing included?
2. What standard is installed?
3. Heat pump, etc.?
4. What extras do I want + what does all that cost?
I would like to know now:
1. What is the best way to proceed? I want to schedule appointments with the companies mentioned above. How do I best prepare for meetings with these somewhat opaque builders?
2. What other hidden costs should I watch out for that I haven’t mentioned or don’t know yet?
3. What must the house absolutely have in terms of “equipment”/standard?
An example of how I calculate:
House standard turnkey: about 170,000€ (187,000 USD)
Selections: about 20,000€ (22,000 USD)
Additional construction costs: about 25,000€ (27,500 USD)
Flooring + wall materials: about 6,000€ (6,600 USD)
Kitchen: about 15,000€ (16,500 USD)
Lighting: about 3,000€ (3,300 USD)
Financial buffer: about 5,000€ (5,500 USD)
= 244,000€ (269,000 USD)
Is this correct? Am I missing anything? Do I need to add anything else, if yes, what?
I would really appreciate your help!
Best regards
H
HilfeHilfe11 Aug 2016 09:36WildThing schrieb:
Soil reports usually come afterward, and in the worst case, it's a nasty surprise Well then, good luck if the house is already sealed up tight like it was sewn with buttons............
S
Schwabenland11 Aug 2016 10:50Thank you all for the great participation, I really appreciate it.
Phew, okay, there is indeed a lot to consider. Thank you for the links, they are very helpful.
Choosing the right developer is really difficult... making the right choice is worth its weight in gold.
Regarding the plot of land @HilfeHilfe, we haven’t bought it yet. That will happen in the next few weeks.
So, would you recommend getting a soil report done before purchasing?
I thought that was sometimes covered by the developer? We don’t want a basement, just a concrete slab.
Could this also become a cost trap in terms of earthworks?
About the financial situation: I have €100,000 (about $110,000) in equity and want to borrow an additional €280,000 (about $308,000) from the bank. I definitely don’t want to take on too much debt.
The plot costs exactly €100,000 (about $110,000) including additional fees, which I will pay from my equity.
So, in total, I want to spend a maximum of €280,000 (about $308,000) on the house without outdoor landscaping. Everything must be included in that price, absolutely everything, there is no buffer left. Furniture is not included; we already have a complete basic household setup.
We want a monthly payment of €1,000 (about $1,100). When my wife starts working again soon, we will pay a bit more each month.
Does anyone have any specific recommendations regarding developers in Baden-Württemberg?
Thanks again, I will read, read, read and occasionally ask questions here in the thread.
Phew, okay, there is indeed a lot to consider. Thank you for the links, they are very helpful.
Choosing the right developer is really difficult... making the right choice is worth its weight in gold.
Regarding the plot of land @HilfeHilfe, we haven’t bought it yet. That will happen in the next few weeks.
So, would you recommend getting a soil report done before purchasing?
I thought that was sometimes covered by the developer? We don’t want a basement, just a concrete slab.
Could this also become a cost trap in terms of earthworks?
About the financial situation: I have €100,000 (about $110,000) in equity and want to borrow an additional €280,000 (about $308,000) from the bank. I definitely don’t want to take on too much debt.
The plot costs exactly €100,000 (about $110,000) including additional fees, which I will pay from my equity.
So, in total, I want to spend a maximum of €280,000 (about $308,000) on the house without outdoor landscaping. Everything must be included in that price, absolutely everything, there is no buffer left. Furniture is not included; we already have a complete basic household setup.
We want a monthly payment of €1,000 (about $1,100). When my wife starts working again soon, we will pay a bit more each month.
Does anyone have any specific recommendations regarding developers in Baden-Württemberg?
Thanks again, I will read, read, read and occasionally ask questions here in the thread.
The soil survey is usually not done by the developer, or if it is, you will have to pay for it anyway. I would definitely have this done in advance. The ground must be stable and, if possible, uncontaminated. There is also always the risk of groundwater, which can cause problems even without a basement. If the plot is on a slope, things become more complicated, and you will need to budget a significantly larger contingency for additional construction-related costs.
With a budget of €280,000, building is definitely possible. After subtracting additional construction-related costs and some contingency, you would have around €200,000 to €220,000 left for the house itself. However, this likely leaves little room for extensive custom features or upgrades.
With a budget of €280,000, building is definitely possible. After subtracting additional construction-related costs and some contingency, you would have around €200,000 to €220,000 left for the house itself. However, this likely leaves little room for extensive custom features or upgrades.
P
Peanuts7411 Aug 2016 13:15WildThing schrieb:
Addendum to your questions from the first thread:
Regarding 1:
I would start by researching providers online and visiting model home parks to get a general idea of what you want—building method, house size, number of rooms, etc. Then you might shortlist 3-5 providers for consultation meetings. I wouldn’t recommend contacting 10 providers, as it can get confusing to keep track of them all... So, it’s important to speak with potential providers rather than just “anyone.”
Regarding 2:
A lot has already been mentioned here. Reading a lot of threads or homebuilding blogs can also be very helpful.
Regarding 3:
See point 2. It always depends on what you want. I would pay attention to things like proper insulation/building materials, a dedicated installation zone if you choose a timber frame house, enough electrical outlets, switches, and circuit breakers for each floor or possibly each room, insulation values and security of windows, good room layout and use of space, orientation of the house on the plot according to the cardinal directions, enough windows for natural light, and so on...I don’t think security windows would fit into the budget.
For example, I would also consider what kind of own work I can realistically contribute and how flexible the builder is about that—whether the corresponding discounts make it worthwhile.
Three years ago, €25,000 (approximately $27,500) in additional costs would have been enough for us without a basement, but nowadays that could be very tight.
What I can say is that two acquaintances built with Town & Country. You can tell these are not luxury homes but really in the lower price range, yet both are satisfied and everything went smoothly.
The Heinz von Heiden posts here in the forum would discourage me a bit.
However, there is another company, I believe Romanian, that will build you a timber frame house according to your plans. The planning is done by German architects, and you also get a warranty.
The interior work (technical installations, etc.) is done by German companies. Have a look at arcso.ro
For people on a tight budget, this might be an option!!! I know someone who was/is very satisfied.
You can also visit a house they have already built locally, take a look around, and ask the owner about their experience. They are open about it and don’t keep it a secret...