ᐅ Planning a New Single-Family Home Construction with Energy Consulting
Created on: 8 Jan 2017 15:43
Z
ZeroDown
Hello everyone,
first of all, Happy New Year to you all 🙂
We are currently in the planning phase of our single-family home for two adults and a very small baby 🙂
I am currently looking at a plot of land (around 1500 m² (0.37 acres)) and once that is settled, I will take my floor plan idea to a trusted architect to discuss it and then have a plan drawn up. (Postal Code: 95515)
Of course, I still have many gaps in my knowledge and wanted to ask for your advice on the best way to proceed.
Here are the key points:
A single-family house built with solid construction and a very, very high amount of own work effort / sweat equity (father-in-law is a passionate excavator and crane operator, brother-in-law and brother are masons; my dad is a painter and all-round craftsman), even if it takes 2 years 🙂
A basement (usable area approx. 90 m² (970 sq ft); unheated/living space excluded); ground floor plus one upper floor with about 180 m² (1,940 sq ft) of living space; a double garage approx. 40 m² (430 sq ft) (neither basement underneath nor built over)
A staggered mono-pitched roof (solid roof construction - entirely by the carpenter) with a large photovoltaic system (based on the current floor plan, about 16 kWp is possible with south orientation). Planning for this is already quite advanced 🙂 Roof covering therefore with trapezoidal metal sheets.
Triple-glazed windows
Controlled mechanical ventilation system
Heat pump with ground collector / trench collector
Possibly KNX home automation
Possibly expandable with a small wood stove in the living room, i.e. pre-install/build a chimney
Possibly air conditioning (split unit)
What I have in mind as underlying goals:
A house as cost-effective as possible (price/performance ratio must be right), hence a lot of own work effort
At least state-of-the-art technology
Where I hope to get your support:
1. At what stage do you involve which type of energy consultant?
1a. What kind of house am I building? KfW 70 / KfW 55 / KfW 40 / KfW 40+ (photovoltaic storage is not really economical); tendency leans towards KfW 40, as it seems likely achievable, right?
2. How do I build it? 24 cm (9.5 inches) sand-lime brick + insulation / 36 cm (14 inches) aerated concrete / or something completely different?
3. How do I heat it? Ground source heat pump with trench or surface collector?
What other important information have I forgotten?
What are your opinions on our plan?
Many thanks in advance and best regards
Marco
first of all, Happy New Year to you all 🙂
We are currently in the planning phase of our single-family home for two adults and a very small baby 🙂
I am currently looking at a plot of land (around 1500 m² (0.37 acres)) and once that is settled, I will take my floor plan idea to a trusted architect to discuss it and then have a plan drawn up. (Postal Code: 95515)
Of course, I still have many gaps in my knowledge and wanted to ask for your advice on the best way to proceed.
Here are the key points:
A single-family house built with solid construction and a very, very high amount of own work effort / sweat equity (father-in-law is a passionate excavator and crane operator, brother-in-law and brother are masons; my dad is a painter and all-round craftsman), even if it takes 2 years 🙂
A basement (usable area approx. 90 m² (970 sq ft); unheated/living space excluded); ground floor plus one upper floor with about 180 m² (1,940 sq ft) of living space; a double garage approx. 40 m² (430 sq ft) (neither basement underneath nor built over)
A staggered mono-pitched roof (solid roof construction - entirely by the carpenter) with a large photovoltaic system (based on the current floor plan, about 16 kWp is possible with south orientation). Planning for this is already quite advanced 🙂 Roof covering therefore with trapezoidal metal sheets.
Triple-glazed windows
Controlled mechanical ventilation system
Heat pump with ground collector / trench collector
Possibly KNX home automation
Possibly expandable with a small wood stove in the living room, i.e. pre-install/build a chimney
Possibly air conditioning (split unit)
What I have in mind as underlying goals:
A house as cost-effective as possible (price/performance ratio must be right), hence a lot of own work effort
At least state-of-the-art technology
Where I hope to get your support:
1. At what stage do you involve which type of energy consultant?
1a. What kind of house am I building? KfW 70 / KfW 55 / KfW 40 / KfW 40+ (photovoltaic storage is not really economical); tendency leans towards KfW 40, as it seems likely achievable, right?
2. How do I build it? 24 cm (9.5 inches) sand-lime brick + insulation / 36 cm (14 inches) aerated concrete / or something completely different?
3. How do I heat it? Ground source heat pump with trench or surface collector?
What other important information have I forgotten?
What are your opinions on our plan?
Many thanks in advance and best regards
Marco
Hi, we are also building in Bavaria, using solid construction.
However, we use 17.5cm (7 inches) calcium silicate bricks and an external thermal insulation composite system (ETICS).
You might want to look into the different wall materials based on the factors that matter to you, such as indoor climate, manufacturing without harmful substances, and so on.
We also decided not to use the KfW funding program. However, that always depends on individual preferences.
We have a wood-burning stove as well—because it’s simply cozy. 😉
However, we use 17.5cm (7 inches) calcium silicate bricks and an external thermal insulation composite system (ETICS).
You might want to look into the different wall materials based on the factors that matter to you, such as indoor climate, manufacturing without harmful substances, and so on.
We also decided not to use the KfW funding program. However, that always depends on individual preferences.
We have a wood-burning stove as well—because it’s simply cozy. 😉
You should visit the architect soon and discuss the important matters first, namely the floor plans and building materials. If the cost estimate doesn’t make you break into a sweat, you can then pick a few extras from your very expensive wish list (what do your helpers say about working hard for months so you can install a $20,000 photovoltaic system on the house?).
As a building material, I would choose something common in the region that can be built with experience. This can also be more economical. Whether brick, sand-lime brick, or aerated concrete—each has its own characteristics, and there is no perfect solution. In the end, everything has its price. Your own labor also plays a role because, for example, hollow bricks can be carried by hand, while large sand-lime plan bricks are much more difficult. This could be a point where doing it yourself is no longer worthwhile since a professional with the right equipment works much more efficiently. But that still needs to be figured out.
As a building material, I would choose something common in the region that can be built with experience. This can also be more economical. Whether brick, sand-lime brick, or aerated concrete—each has its own characteristics, and there is no perfect solution. In the end, everything has its price. Your own labor also plays a role because, for example, hollow bricks can be carried by hand, while large sand-lime plan bricks are much more difficult. This could be a point where doing it yourself is no longer worthwhile since a professional with the right equipment works much more efficiently. But that still needs to be figured out.
Wow Alex,
that’s quite a tough challenge you’re throwing my way. I don’t know how it is where you live, but out here in the countryside, people help each other out. Most of the helpers are family and happy to assist. Just last year, I took 4 weeks of vacation to help build my brother-in-law’s house, and by then the shell was almost finished. So what’s wrong with doing it the other way around now?
The hard work has definitely hit me already...
What do you mean by an outrageously expensive wish list? Either I build the way I want, with the luxury I want, or I stay in the rental and accept those compromises.
The controlled residential ventilation system is comfort,
KNX automation is a gadget (almost cut from the plan),
Photovoltaic panels pay for themselves (returns = loan payments) and I do something for the environment (reducing utility costs and making a profit after about 12 years is a very nice bonus).
An air conditioning unit—yes, that’s luxury, maybe even expensive luxury.
Regarding the distribution of building materials: if I had to estimate, based on what kind of single-family houses are built around here, I’d say about 45% brick, 35% aerated concrete blocks (Ytong), and 20% prefab/wood frame construction.
And yes, I still need to thoroughly research individual building materials and discuss them with my architect.
that’s quite a tough challenge you’re throwing my way. I don’t know how it is where you live, but out here in the countryside, people help each other out. Most of the helpers are family and happy to assist. Just last year, I took 4 weeks of vacation to help build my brother-in-law’s house, and by then the shell was almost finished. So what’s wrong with doing it the other way around now?
The hard work has definitely hit me already...
What do you mean by an outrageously expensive wish list? Either I build the way I want, with the luxury I want, or I stay in the rental and accept those compromises.
The controlled residential ventilation system is comfort,
KNX automation is a gadget (almost cut from the plan),
Photovoltaic panels pay for themselves (returns = loan payments) and I do something for the environment (reducing utility costs and making a profit after about 12 years is a very nice bonus).
An air conditioning unit—yes, that’s luxury, maybe even expensive luxury.
Regarding the distribution of building materials: if I had to estimate, based on what kind of single-family houses are built around here, I’d say about 45% brick, 35% aerated concrete blocks (Ytong), and 20% prefab/wood frame construction.
And yes, I still need to thoroughly research individual building materials and discuss them with my architect.
ZeroDown schrieb:
Wow Alex,
that’s quite a tough challenge you’re throwing my way. I don’t know how it is where you live, but here in the countryside, people help each other out. Most helpers are family and they’re happy to do it. Just last year, I took four weeks off to help my brother-in-law with his house construction, and the shell was almost finished by then. So what’s wrong with doing it the other way around?
That hard grafting part really hit me...I’ve been sitting here for ten minutes thinking about how to respond and whether I was too blunt with you. But no, I don’t think I was. I’m happy to explain again why.
There are often homeowners here who plan to do part of the work themselves. They do this, for example, because they have skilled tradespeople, friends, or family who can do some jobs at a reasonable price. Usually, the main reason is to save money. Those who plan a lot of self-performed work often overestimate the value of that labor. They forget that materials still cost money, and friends, family, or acquaintances don’t have unlimited time to spend every weekend volunteering to build a house. When all is said and done, this kind of optimistic planning usually means the project wouldn’t be possible otherwise because of budget constraints.
Your situation is different. You’re planning a luxury home with top-end features. Don’t get me wrong, mutual help among friends and family is common, and of course, some reciprocation is expected, but anyone planning a 180m² (1,937 sq ft) house plus basement with this list of extras really does not need to commit their entire circle of friends and family to “a very large self-build contribution.”
At the same time, you write that the house needs to be as affordable as possible, but there’s €20,000 (about $22,000) available for photovoltaics... it doesn’t get more contradictory than that! You want your people to sacrifice their precious free time so you can earn a 3-4% return on a solar system? Wow.
Sure, your friends will probably be happy to help you get into your own home, but not to gild the taps. Of course, I might be pushing it here — maybe that’s just how things are where you live.
My impression is that you still lack a clear understanding of the overall costs involved. That’s why I recommend first focusing on the essentials before getting caught up in details like photovoltaics.
Let me ask you directly: do you have an idea how much your project might cost?
What’s the estimated value of your planned self-performed work?
I’m not claiming to be an expert at estimating house prices, but let me give you a rough idea.
180m² (1,937 sq ft) × €1,900/m² (typical for Bavaria) = €342,000 for the house.
An extra €50,000 for the basement.
€25,000 for a masonry double garage.
€40,000 for additional construction costs.
€15,000 for landscaping (the bare minimum, as they say here).
€15,000 for the kitchen.
€20,000 extra for KNX smart home systems (open-ended…).
€12,000 for controlled residential ventilation.
€20,000 for photovoltaics.
€10,000 for fireplace and chimney.
Up to this point, about €550,000. Plus the cost of the land and transaction fees.
Are you aware that with the land included, you’re probably looking at over €700,000 (about $770,000) on your wish list?
Four weeks of help on the shell. 4 weeks × 40 work hours/week × €50/hour = €8,000 saved through self-labor. You counted three helpers plus yourself, so that’s four in total, meaning €32,000 saved. On the other hand, you’re facing a significantly longer construction period during which you might have to pay rent, plus interest on any interim financing. You also won’t have any warranty on the work done.
I just want to show you that you probably have good opportunities to save money. A ground collector, great. A digger operator on hand, even better. That saves you €2,000–3,000. But those are just peanuts compared to the total project cost. First, check off the big, unavoidable items and find out what price you’re quoted. Only then can you really dive into the details and working through your wish list. Most people at that stage will adjust their expectations to reality (which you’re free to avoid if you want, but it’s pretty rare that it goes the other way).
ZeroDown schrieb:
Either I build the way I want, with the luxury I desire, or I stay in the rental and accept those compromises.Building always involves compromise because the budget is limited.
There’s a whole range between a three-room apartment and a palace. 99.9% of single-family homes fall within this range.
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