Hello everyone,
I would like to ask for your personal opinions.
The starting point is that we basically want to build a KFW 55 house, definitely with a 10 kWp photovoltaic system on the roof, but for cost recovery reasons, without a battery storage system (which I do not want to discuss here).
We were offered an upgrade to a KFW 40 house for 11,000 euros – in such a case, of course, all insulation and related measures would be improved.
For KFW 40+, the only thing missing would then be a battery storage system (which I originally did not want).
My thought now is that I could upgrade the house directly to KFW 40+ by paying the additional 11,000 euros plus purchasing a battery storage system for about 6,000 euros gross. That would result in an extra cost of 17,000 euros.
Compared to KFW 55, however, I would receive an additional 10,000-euro repayment bonus from the KFW bank as well as about 1,200 euros in VAT refund for the battery, so the effective extra cost in my case from KFW 55 to KFW 40+ would be around 5,800 euros.
While the battery no longer pays off in the end, you can consider the money simply as the price for a better efficiency rating, leading to lower energy consumption and a generally higher quality house – plus you can use more of your self-generated electricity yourself.
What do you think of this calculation and idea? Have I overlooked something important, and in your opinion, is the additional financial effort to achieve KFW 40+ worthwhile?
Are there any other arguments for or against the KFW 40+ upgrade from your point of view?
I’m looking forward to your thoughts and hope for an engaging discussion!
Best regards,
Ralf
I would like to ask for your personal opinions.
The starting point is that we basically want to build a KFW 55 house, definitely with a 10 kWp photovoltaic system on the roof, but for cost recovery reasons, without a battery storage system (which I do not want to discuss here).
We were offered an upgrade to a KFW 40 house for 11,000 euros – in such a case, of course, all insulation and related measures would be improved.
For KFW 40+, the only thing missing would then be a battery storage system (which I originally did not want).
My thought now is that I could upgrade the house directly to KFW 40+ by paying the additional 11,000 euros plus purchasing a battery storage system for about 6,000 euros gross. That would result in an extra cost of 17,000 euros.
Compared to KFW 55, however, I would receive an additional 10,000-euro repayment bonus from the KFW bank as well as about 1,200 euros in VAT refund for the battery, so the effective extra cost in my case from KFW 55 to KFW 40+ would be around 5,800 euros.
While the battery no longer pays off in the end, you can consider the money simply as the price for a better efficiency rating, leading to lower energy consumption and a generally higher quality house – plus you can use more of your self-generated electricity yourself.
What do you think of this calculation and idea? Have I overlooked something important, and in your opinion, is the additional financial effort to achieve KFW 40+ worthwhile?
Are there any other arguments for or against the KFW 40+ upgrade from your point of view?
I’m looking forward to your thoughts and hope for an engaging discussion!
Best regards,
Ralf
Ralf, you're a businessman. Do the math: you spend 6,000 on something you didn’t really want, just to meet a theoretical standard they pressure you about, like Lumpi with the liverwurst, subsidies, Lumpi, subsidies... all to reduce your presumably already low heating costs from €587 (about $647) to €547 (about $603) per year. By the time you recoup those six thousand, you’ll be long gone. Just forget it. If you have six thousand left over for your new home, buy yourself a nice fence or something.
Actually, like you, I’m a civil servant... I didn’t quite make it into something decent like a business professional, where math would have actually been helpful... so the business-related profile is purely coincidental.
I expected that the additional cost wouldn’t be recouped quickly. My reasoning was simply that, due to our already high standard with photovoltaic panels, the costs would ultimately be limited to the price of a storage system. And there are quite a few people who buy such a storage system today even though it doesn’t really pay off yet. Of course, we don’t have an extra $6000 either, but the construction is of higher quality because of it. I mean, a brick facade also costs around 10,000 euros (about $11,000), and its added value mainly lies in the fact that many people find it more attractive, it fits better in northern regions, and it requires somewhat less maintenance. That’s why I didn’t find the idea of added value too far-fetched, especially since it also offers a real benefit.
I also tend to think somewhat long term—I believe that in the not-too-distant future, a KfW 40 standard house will be the norm. I certainly have no intention of selling the house anytime soon, but I suspect that a certified KfW 40 house will inherently be worth more than a KfW 55 house...
I know this sounds like I’ve already made my decision, but that’s definitely not the case! I’m simply trying to bring up a few arguments so they can be discussed.
So, thank you very much for your opinion!
I expected that the additional cost wouldn’t be recouped quickly. My reasoning was simply that, due to our already high standard with photovoltaic panels, the costs would ultimately be limited to the price of a storage system. And there are quite a few people who buy such a storage system today even though it doesn’t really pay off yet. Of course, we don’t have an extra $6000 either, but the construction is of higher quality because of it. I mean, a brick facade also costs around 10,000 euros (about $11,000), and its added value mainly lies in the fact that many people find it more attractive, it fits better in northern regions, and it requires somewhat less maintenance. That’s why I didn’t find the idea of added value too far-fetched, especially since it also offers a real benefit.
I also tend to think somewhat long term—I believe that in the not-too-distant future, a KfW 40 standard house will be the norm. I certainly have no intention of selling the house anytime soon, but I suspect that a certified KfW 40 house will inherently be worth more than a KfW 55 house...
I know this sounds like I’ve already made my decision, but that’s definitely not the case! I’m simply trying to bring up a few arguments so they can be discussed.
So, thank you very much for your opinion!
My thoughts on property value. It might be that KfW 40 becomes standard. However, currently, existing homes in good locations and conditions are extremely expensive, even though KfW standards don’t matter to buyers. Location determines value, not the standard. An old, run-down demolition site here in town sold for over 600,000, with the house itself worth nothing, because the land was in the city, close to the harbor, and could be developed with upscale condominiums for retirees from Hamburg. So, if you care about the value of your house in 2031, ask yourself: Where is it located? Is it already in a sought-after area or in the middle of nowhere? The FFW standard will probably be completely irrelevant by 2031. Whether the term even exists then is another question...
Additional Requirements for a KfW Efficiency House 40 Plus
A KfW Efficiency House 40 Plus meets the standards of a KfW Efficiency House 40 and includes the following additional package:
A renewable energy-based power generation system
A stationary battery storage system (energy storage)
A ventilation system with heat recovery
Visualization of power generation and consumption through a user interface
There is a grant of €5000 for KfW 55, an additional €5000 for KfW 40, and a further €5000 for 40 Plus, up to a maximum for 2 housing units...
A KfW Efficiency House 40 Plus meets the standards of a KfW Efficiency House 40 and includes the following additional package:
A renewable energy-based power generation system
A stationary battery storage system (energy storage)
A ventilation system with heat recovery
Visualization of power generation and consumption through a user interface
There is a grant of €5000 for KfW 55, an additional €5000 for KfW 40, and a further €5000 for 40 Plus, up to a maximum for 2 housing units...
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