ᐅ We are looking for a provider of solid (or: masonry) houses.

Hello everyone,
we have found a plot of land in the Ortenau region (BW) that we really like, and we plan to buy it next week to build a single-family house on it. It will be a solid masonry house. Now we are looking for a company that offers turnkey construction. At first, we considered Town & Country, but we did not like their floor plans, and apparently, custom-designed houses are not available there. Initially, I contacted a construction company directly in the town, but their prices are so high that they are not an option. When I compare their prices with other companies, they are almost €100,000 (about $110,000) more expensive. Now we are considering Schuckhardt, Massivhaus-Zentrum, Helma, D&Z, and Bau’72. Can anyone recommend a company or strongly advise against one? What exactly should we pay attention to?
Thank you very much in advance.

Hello,

alter0029 schrieb:

... First, I asked a local construction company directly. However, they are so expensive that they are really not an option. Comparing their prices with those of other companies, I could add almost €100,000 (about $108,000) on top.

I rather doubt that!

When searching for the right building partner, you should never forget that no one gives anything away, and comparable services always mean comparable quality. So if one of the providers “breaks away” in price — either much higher or lower — it is quite likely that they either do not offer a required service or their offer is more comprehensive than those of other providers.

Therefore, always carefully read and compare the building specifications and have the preferred partner’s creditworthiness checked. Of course, also ask to see properties that are still under construction; a layperson usually cannot identify weaknesses in completed buildings.

Regards, Bauexperte

I did not receive anything in writing. However, I was told over the phone that the house would cost €425,000. I think that is a bit high for a single-family house with about 150m² (1,615 sq ft) of living space, even if it includes a basement.

alter0029 schrieb:
I didn’t receive anything in writing. However, I was told over the phone that the house would cost €425,000. I think that’s a bit overpriced for a single-family house with around 150sqm (1,615 sq ft) of living space, even if it includes a basement.

The price alone doesn’t say much about the value. What exactly is included in the price? Straightforward architecture, dormer, brick cladding, underfloor heating, controlled residential ventilation ... basement for living, possibly access path ... etc.? To clarify: with a utility basement and simple architecture, I already come to around €290,000.

If some gimmicks are included in the mentioned price as well as painting and flooring work, I’m quickly at €430,000 and more.

Regards, Bauexperte

I initially assumed a standard version. I plan to do the walls and floor coverings myself. For the basement, it would be a utility basement, and the architecture is rather straightforward. There was no mention of access roads or other related items. But as I already said, I didn’t receive anything in writing; I only communicated my wishes to the company, and after they gave me that figure, I indicated that they didn’t need to bother preparing a formal quote. I’m sure I can find another company.

Hello,

As a well-established builder of solid houses, I can also recommend the company Fermo Massivhaus from Murr (between Stuttgart and Ludwigsburg).

They offer very nice, individually designed homes that come quite well equipped even in the standard version.

The prices are rather on the higher side—definitely not comparable to companies like Town & Country or D&Z—I expect their quotes usually start with a 4.

If we hadn’t decided on a timber frame house from the start, Fermo would have been our choice of builder.

Best regards,

Dirk