ᐅ Realistic Cost Estimate: Single-Family Home with Challenging Site Access
Created on: 20 Jan 2023 10:50
S
schmeissrein
Hello everyone,
I have been following this forum for a while and first of all, a big thank you to everyone who shares their advice here and sometimes also speaks hard truths. I didn’t originally want to create a new thread but intended to form an opinion based on other discussions. However, you convinced me that this building project is too individual for that. So here is our plan:
- Building a new single-family house in the far north of Germany (Schleswig-Flensburg region).
- Plot size is over 1000sqm (10,764 sq ft).
- Total square meters are not so important as long as the layout works.
- Basement is not planned.
What we would like:
- Open-plan kitchen-living area of at least 36m² (388 sq ft).
- Guest room (at least 10m² / 108 sq ft) and small guest bathroom with shower on the ground floor, so that in old age, with disability, or a broken leg, the ground floor can be used independently and possibly serve as a bedroom.
- Utility room / storage room / pantry with heat pump of at least 8m² (86 sq ft) (KfW 40 standard would be great, of course).
- Upper floor with three rooms (1 office, 1 master bedroom, 1 child’s room) each at least 14m² (151 sq ft) and one bathroom. Our dream would be a “walk-in” (what a silly word – aren’t all showers walk-in?) shower to avoid having to clean those limescale-rusty, annoying shower enclosures.
- We could contribute labor for garden landscaping and painting/wallpapering; otherwise, we would prefer a turnkey build.
As for the house style, regionally typical Frisian houses or captain’s houses (with all the “cute” features like small gables, etc.) are in consideration, or also not completely unimaginative “normal” single-family houses. We are not afraid of Bauhaus-style concrete marvels either, but those tend to be more expensive. In terms of fittings, no “gold-plated faucets” and no smart home – but decent and presentable.
The big BUT: the plot is not connected to utilities, and the distance to the street is about 65m (213 ft), of which 50m (164 ft) is a paved driveway and paved parking area that would have to be dug up (across another property). The connection costs and incidental construction costs worry us quite a bit. Does anyone have experience with such a “mammoth connection” for a relatively small building project? What realistic costs should we expect for both?
We would greatly appreciate any thoughts on this project, thank you very much in advance!
I have been following this forum for a while and first of all, a big thank you to everyone who shares their advice here and sometimes also speaks hard truths. I didn’t originally want to create a new thread but intended to form an opinion based on other discussions. However, you convinced me that this building project is too individual for that. So here is our plan:
- Building a new single-family house in the far north of Germany (Schleswig-Flensburg region).
- Plot size is over 1000sqm (10,764 sq ft).
- Total square meters are not so important as long as the layout works.
- Basement is not planned.
What we would like:
- Open-plan kitchen-living area of at least 36m² (388 sq ft).
- Guest room (at least 10m² / 108 sq ft) and small guest bathroom with shower on the ground floor, so that in old age, with disability, or a broken leg, the ground floor can be used independently and possibly serve as a bedroom.
- Utility room / storage room / pantry with heat pump of at least 8m² (86 sq ft) (KfW 40 standard would be great, of course).
- Upper floor with three rooms (1 office, 1 master bedroom, 1 child’s room) each at least 14m² (151 sq ft) and one bathroom. Our dream would be a “walk-in” (what a silly word – aren’t all showers walk-in?) shower to avoid having to clean those limescale-rusty, annoying shower enclosures.
- We could contribute labor for garden landscaping and painting/wallpapering; otherwise, we would prefer a turnkey build.
As for the house style, regionally typical Frisian houses or captain’s houses (with all the “cute” features like small gables, etc.) are in consideration, or also not completely unimaginative “normal” single-family houses. We are not afraid of Bauhaus-style concrete marvels either, but those tend to be more expensive. In terms of fittings, no “gold-plated faucets” and no smart home – but decent and presentable.
The big BUT: the plot is not connected to utilities, and the distance to the street is about 65m (213 ft), of which 50m (164 ft) is a paved driveway and paved parking area that would have to be dug up (across another property). The connection costs and incidental construction costs worry us quite a bit. Does anyone have experience with such a “mammoth connection” for a relatively small building project? What realistic costs should we expect for both?
We would greatly appreciate any thoughts on this project, thank you very much in advance!
X
xMisterDx24 May 2023 09:03Why do you keep trying to present nonsense as correct when you clearly have no idea? Nobody installs insulation in the cavity ceiling.
Radiant heat??? Infrared heaters (or even the sun) work with radiant heat, but definitely not underfloor heating... you really have no clue at all, do you?
Radiant heat??? Infrared heaters (or even the sun) work with radiant heat, but definitely not underfloor heating... you really have no clue at all, do you?
X
xMisterDx24 May 2023 09:05In der Ruine schrieb:
For us, winter temperatures are not just around 3°C (37°F). The living room is usually kept cozy at 23–24°C (73–75°F), and in the bedroom, it can get as cold as 12°C (54°F) during severe winter. Since warm air rises, insulation certainly makes sense, doesn’t it? Especially because it will be a wooden beam ceiling, not an "insulating" concrete ceiling. If the bedroom drops to 12°C (54°F) in severe winter, wouldn’t you especially need the extra warmth from the living room? Temperatures below 16°C (61°F) greatly increase the risk of mold growth.
X
xMisterDx24 May 2023 09:09Axo... speaking of thermal radiation. Of course, warm objects emit a certain amount of heat. However, this scales with the fourth power of temperature and is completely irrelevant for underfloor heating, which at most reaches a surface temperature of 30°C (86°F).
This is only significant in a steel mill, where a worker faces a glowing piece of steel at 1,300°C (2,372°F).
This is only significant in a steel mill, where a worker faces a glowing piece of steel at 1,300°C (2,372°F).
W
WilderSueden24 May 2023 09:12xMisterDx schrieb:
No one installs insulation in the ceiling cavity.Take a look at your construction specifications. Floating screed is standard, even in houses without underfloor heating. In houses with underfloor heating, it is definitely standard.C
chand198624 May 2023 09:16xMisterDx schrieb:
Why do you keep trying to present nonsense as correct when you clearly have no idea?
No one installs insulation in the intermediate ceiling.
Radiant heat??? Infrared heaters (or the sun) work with radiant heat, but certainly not underfloor heating... you really have no clue at all? Wait!
It is correct that the heating output for the entire house does not depend on insulation in intermediate ceilings. In that respect, you are right.
But it is also true that in houses we want to direct heat to specific locations. An underfloor heating system should warm the floor as efficiently as possible. To achieve this, heat transfer to the ceiling of the floor below must be minimized. Simply because the heating can then be controlled more evenly; otherwise, you would need more output upstairs and less downstairs to achieve the desired temperature distribution.
One correction regarding radiant heat: All surfaces with a temperature above zero emit thermal radiation. This is not an exclusive concept of any heating system. This aspect is therefore part of the heating principle for all heating systems—no matter which one. However, radiant heat emission roughly increases with the fourth power of temperature, so it becomes less significant the lower the temperature of the “radiator” is.
Perhaps reflect on your own expertise before shouting “nonsense.”
schmeissrein7 Jun 2023 09:04Hello everyone,
After the heated discussion here, we wanted to share an update from our side.
This week we have meetings with our financial advisor and the construction company. What questions do you think would be important to include? We are both now pretty close to signing the contract. KfW40 is on track, and the energy consultant is satisfied. Are there any pitfalls we should definitely watch out for? Any mistakes you have painfully learned from?
After the heated discussion here, we wanted to share an update from our side.
This week we have meetings with our financial advisor and the construction company. What questions do you think would be important to include? We are both now pretty close to signing the contract. KfW40 is on track, and the energy consultant is satisfied. Are there any pitfalls we should definitely watch out for? Any mistakes you have painfully learned from?
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