C
chrissy15087 Nov 2014 10:22Hello dear forum,
I have been reading and gathering information for a while now because my partner and I want to build a house.
Our situation is as follows:
My parents own quite a large piece of land and would like to give or gift us a part of it. This portion would then be surveyed. However, we do not yet know if building would even be allowed on this land. Inquiries at the responsible building authority have so far only resulted in the information that no appointments are made to discuss the project; instead, a preliminary building inquiry must be submitted by a planner to check this. We were only told verbally over the phone, after a quick look at the parcel map, that at first glance nothing appears to stand in the way of approval.
Now we are not sure about the order in which we should proceed.
Should we first go to a planner and maybe have the land surveyed after a possibly positive preliminary building inquiry, or does the surveying need to be done beforehand? And how detailed do the house specifications need to be? We are still at the beginning of the planning phase and therefore cannot provide an exact floor plan or similar yet.
The planner is only supposed to handle the preliminary building inquiry. Once that is available, we would like to have initial talks with different house builders, after we have discussed our financial framework with the bank.
Is this the right sequence, or would you do it differently? We are still quite unsure about this.
Best regards,
chrissy1508
I have been reading and gathering information for a while now because my partner and I want to build a house.
Our situation is as follows:
My parents own quite a large piece of land and would like to give or gift us a part of it. This portion would then be surveyed. However, we do not yet know if building would even be allowed on this land. Inquiries at the responsible building authority have so far only resulted in the information that no appointments are made to discuss the project; instead, a preliminary building inquiry must be submitted by a planner to check this. We were only told verbally over the phone, after a quick look at the parcel map, that at first glance nothing appears to stand in the way of approval.
Now we are not sure about the order in which we should proceed.
Should we first go to a planner and maybe have the land surveyed after a possibly positive preliminary building inquiry, or does the surveying need to be done beforehand? And how detailed do the house specifications need to be? We are still at the beginning of the planning phase and therefore cannot provide an exact floor plan or similar yet.
The planner is only supposed to handle the preliminary building inquiry. Once that is available, we would like to have initial talks with different house builders, after we have discussed our financial framework with the bank.
Is this the right sequence, or would you do it differently? We are still quite unsure about this.
Best regards,
chrissy1508
D
Doc.Schnaggls7 Nov 2014 11:21Hello Chrissy,
you have a rather unusual building authority there... 😉
I would suggest that the very first step should be to make an appointment with your bank with the purpose of finding out “What can we afford?”
In this meeting, where you don’t need to present any documents about the planned house yet, your trusted banker will calculate what monthly payment you can manage and what loan amount this corresponds to. It is helpful, however, if you can bring a breakdown of your income and expenses to this meeting.
With this information (possible loan amount + own funds), you could then contact various home builders to get an initial offer. For these meetings, I recommend preparing a “wish list” of what you want your house to include (which rooms, size, heating system, etc.). It would also be helpful if you already have a development plan or have received confirmation from the building authority that construction according to section 34 (adapted to the surrounding buildings) is permitted.
I would try to avoid hiring a separate planner just for the preliminary inquiry if possible.
Best regards,
Dirk
you have a rather unusual building authority there... 😉
I would suggest that the very first step should be to make an appointment with your bank with the purpose of finding out “What can we afford?”
In this meeting, where you don’t need to present any documents about the planned house yet, your trusted banker will calculate what monthly payment you can manage and what loan amount this corresponds to. It is helpful, however, if you can bring a breakdown of your income and expenses to this meeting.
With this information (possible loan amount + own funds), you could then contact various home builders to get an initial offer. For these meetings, I recommend preparing a “wish list” of what you want your house to include (which rooms, size, heating system, etc.). It would also be helpful if you already have a development plan or have received confirmation from the building authority that construction according to section 34 (adapted to the surrounding buildings) is permitted.
I would try to avoid hiring a separate planner just for the preliminary inquiry if possible.
Best regards,
Dirk
B
Bauexperte7 Nov 2014 12:13Hello,
This is not as uncommon as some might think; increasingly so due to the current construction boom. On the other hand – from my point of view – it’s understandable, as this matter is difficult to clarify over the phone.
BUT – your building authority also has public consultation hours; probably Tuesday and/or Thursday. Take your parents’ land registry excerpt and some time, and go to the building authority. In a personal meeting it can surely be clarified whether subdivision and subsequent development are possible or not. And remember – treat your counterparts as you would want to be treated yourself.
If the conversation leads to the desired outcome, proceed as the expert described.
Regards, Bauexperte
chrissy1508 schrieb:
We still don’t know if the plot can actually be built on. Inquiries at the responsible building authority so far only resulted in the information that no appointments are made to discuss the project; instead, a preliminary building application must be submitted by a planner to review this. Verbally, we were told over the phone, after a brief look at the cadastral map, that at first glance there seems to be nothing that would prevent approval.
This is not as uncommon as some might think; increasingly so due to the current construction boom. On the other hand – from my point of view – it’s understandable, as this matter is difficult to clarify over the phone.
BUT – your building authority also has public consultation hours; probably Tuesday and/or Thursday. Take your parents’ land registry excerpt and some time, and go to the building authority. In a personal meeting it can surely be clarified whether subdivision and subsequent development are possible or not. And remember – treat your counterparts as you would want to be treated yourself.
If the conversation leads to the desired outcome, proceed as the expert described.
Regards, Bauexperte
D
Doc.Schnaggls7 Nov 2014 14:27Hello,
As a rough average estimate, you can expect about EUR 1,500.00 per square meter (approximately 140 per square foot) of living space.
If you want to install a heat pump as your heating system, you should also consider underfloor heating. These two components work together almost perfectly. With conventional radiators, you would either need to increase the supply water temperature (which makes the heat pump inefficient) or install special (more expensive) radiators with a larger surface area.
A stove with a chimney is a nice feature, but it costs quite a bit and limits the flexibility of your floor plan design, since it has to fit on every floor. A more affordable and less restrictive option is an external stainless steel chimney pipe mounted on the outside wall of the house. However, you have to like the look of it.
For me, in a solid house, only a monolithic wall construction without external thermal insulation composite systems (ETICS) would be an option, as I am not a fan of materials like polystyrene.
Is a prefabricated house with a timber frame construction not an option for you? That way, you could achieve the same insulation values with thinner walls (=> more living space on the same footprint).
I would postpone the question of whether to build with or without a basement until you have the soil survey report. Depending on the soil conditions, a basement does not necessarily have to be more expensive than a slab foundation if additional foundation costs would arise.
Best regards,
Dirk
As a rough average estimate, you can expect about EUR 1,500.00 per square meter (approximately 140 per square foot) of living space.
If you want to install a heat pump as your heating system, you should also consider underfloor heating. These two components work together almost perfectly. With conventional radiators, you would either need to increase the supply water temperature (which makes the heat pump inefficient) or install special (more expensive) radiators with a larger surface area.
A stove with a chimney is a nice feature, but it costs quite a bit and limits the flexibility of your floor plan design, since it has to fit on every floor. A more affordable and less restrictive option is an external stainless steel chimney pipe mounted on the outside wall of the house. However, you have to like the look of it.
For me, in a solid house, only a monolithic wall construction without external thermal insulation composite systems (ETICS) would be an option, as I am not a fan of materials like polystyrene.
Is a prefabricated house with a timber frame construction not an option for you? That way, you could achieve the same insulation values with thinner walls (=> more living space on the same footprint).
I would postpone the question of whether to build with or without a basement until you have the soil survey report. Depending on the soil conditions, a basement does not necessarily have to be more expensive than a slab foundation if additional foundation costs would arise.
Best regards,
Dirk
C
chrissy15087 Nov 2014 14:40Ah, okay, thanks Dirk for the additional information. :-)
Are the 1500 €/m² (approximately $1,650 per sq yd) only for the shell construction?
Um, what exactly is a stainless steel "spargel"?? (*silly question*)
I think my partner insists on solid construction because he places a lot of importance on sound insulation, and with solid walls (insulated cavity walls will be installed inside), isn’t the sound insulation better than with a timber frame construction?
The larger floor area isn’t a problem since the plot is big enough. Or was that comment more about the costs?
Okay, so a basement might even be worthwhile on this sloped site if it isn’t much more expensive than a slab-on-grade foundation. Who calculates the price difference based on the soil conditions, the architect?
I guess my questions are increasing rather than decreasing. ;-)
Best regards
chrissy1508
Are the 1500 €/m² (approximately $1,650 per sq yd) only for the shell construction?
Um, what exactly is a stainless steel "spargel"?? (*silly question*)
I think my partner insists on solid construction because he places a lot of importance on sound insulation, and with solid walls (insulated cavity walls will be installed inside), isn’t the sound insulation better than with a timber frame construction?
The larger floor area isn’t a problem since the plot is big enough. Or was that comment more about the costs?
Okay, so a basement might even be worthwhile on this sloped site if it isn’t much more expensive than a slab-on-grade foundation. Who calculates the price difference based on the soil conditions, the architect?
I guess my questions are increasing rather than decreasing. ;-)
Best regards
chrissy1508
B
Bauexperte7 Nov 2014 14:45Hello,
Dirk mentioned €1,500.00 per m² (approximately $140 per sq ft); in my experience, the cost can be lower in your region. "For now," commercial construction is already expanding into "B" and "C" locations; it is only a matter of time before private construction prices follow.
I would estimate that the above requirements can be realized for around €170,000 (KfW 70 standard). On top of that come costs for the land, additional construction-related expenses, chimney and fireplace costs, painting and flooring work, landscaping, as well as reserves for extras.
You “can” do many things, but whether it is advisable is another matter. My current recommendation is always to skip the garage rather than the ventilation system 😉
Regards, Bauexperte
chrissy1508 schrieb:
Could someone please help me with a rough initial cost estimate?
The house will be built in Saxony, in the district of Mittelsachsen.
We want a single-family house with about 120 m² (1,292 sq ft) of living space, with a gable roof, no basement or garage/carport, and no dormers, bay windows, or similar features.
Underfloor heating would be nice but is not essential. However, a fireplace is definitely desired, along with an open kitchen-living area. We would also like a utility room (also for heating technology) and a guest toilet, possibly with a shower, on the ground floor, and on the upper floor a bathroom, bedroom, and two children's rooms.
Dirk mentioned €1,500.00 per m² (approximately $140 per sq ft); in my experience, the cost can be lower in your region. "For now," commercial construction is already expanding into "B" and "C" locations; it is only a matter of time before private construction prices follow.
I would estimate that the above requirements can be realized for around €170,000 (KfW 70 standard). On top of that come costs for the land, additional construction-related expenses, chimney and fireplace costs, painting and flooring work, landscaping, as well as reserves for extras.
chrissy1508 schrieb:
We would like to build with solid Poroton bricks without extra exterior thermal insulation (ETICS / external wall insulation system), so relatively thick walls (36 cm (14 inches)?). Would it then be possible to do without a mechanical ventilation system with heat recovery?
You “can” do many things, but whether it is advisable is another matter. My current recommendation is always to skip the garage rather than the ventilation system 😉
Regards, Bauexperte