ᐅ What tasks can be done independently when building a prefabricated house?
Created on: 14 Sep 2017 11:22
C
Chico1701
Hello everyone!
I came across this informative forum by chance and, as a complete beginner in this field, I hope to get some ideas and advice. My husband and I are planning to build our own home by the end of 2018 / beginning of 2019. Currently, we are still looking for a plot of land.
Some details/facts:
- Region: Central Hesse
- Desired plot size: 650-800 m² (7000-8600 sq ft)
- House type: Urban villa / Bauhaus style (definitely two stories)
- Living area: approximately 160-200 m² (1720-2150 sq ft), possibly plus a granny flat
- Basement included
- With garage (if space allows, a double garage)
After a consultation with our bank, it looks like a total budget of €400,000 (approximately $440,000) is realistic.
My husband tends to prefer going with one of the many solid brick house manufacturers to get as much as possible “from a single source.”
My preference is more towards managing everything ourselves in collaboration with an architect who supports us up to planning phase 4 at most.
It should be mentioned that both my husband and I work professionally as engineers in project management for construction projects (I am just about to finish my degree). We know all about construction project planning, obtaining and coordinating bids from contractors, and so on.
Additionally, we have a lot of experience within the family. My dad is a bricklayer, my brother-in-law is an electrician, and among our friends, we have gas/water fitters, roofers, scaffolders, and many skilled DIY enthusiasts. So basically, we would not depend on expensive contractors, who are currently charging very high prices due to strong demand (around here, sometimes a 30% markup because their order books are full).
We would actually only need specialist contractors for the following tasks:
Windows/shutters
Underfloor heating + screed
Heating and ventilation system
Exterior plaster/render
Possibly flooring (as my dad says: “If you buy expensive parquet, it needs to be properly installed”)
My dad says, “Child, that’s no problem, we can easily handle it!” (In our family, a semi-detached house was already built this way, and he helped a lot) – but as a beginner faced with such a huge project, I can’t help feeling a bit overwhelmed. Is that a reasonable feeling?
Now to my questions:
Starting from a turnkey house costing €300,000 (approximately $330,000) – how much percentage-wise can one save through self-work? Is the effort worthwhile? My husband leans towards a shell-and-core house – but as far as I know, the shell is exactly the part where we can do a lot ourselves and save the most?
We definitely want to visit solid brick house manufacturers and get advice (we welcome any recommendations). However, I personally find it difficult to compare how much cheaper it would actually be if we did it ourselves.
On the one hand, we want a sensible solution, but on the other hand, we want to get the maximum quality out of the money available to us.
Best regards from Central Hesse!
I came across this informative forum by chance and, as a complete beginner in this field, I hope to get some ideas and advice. My husband and I are planning to build our own home by the end of 2018 / beginning of 2019. Currently, we are still looking for a plot of land.
Some details/facts:
- Region: Central Hesse
- Desired plot size: 650-800 m² (7000-8600 sq ft)
- House type: Urban villa / Bauhaus style (definitely two stories)
- Living area: approximately 160-200 m² (1720-2150 sq ft), possibly plus a granny flat
- Basement included
- With garage (if space allows, a double garage)
After a consultation with our bank, it looks like a total budget of €400,000 (approximately $440,000) is realistic.
My husband tends to prefer going with one of the many solid brick house manufacturers to get as much as possible “from a single source.”
My preference is more towards managing everything ourselves in collaboration with an architect who supports us up to planning phase 4 at most.
It should be mentioned that both my husband and I work professionally as engineers in project management for construction projects (I am just about to finish my degree). We know all about construction project planning, obtaining and coordinating bids from contractors, and so on.
Additionally, we have a lot of experience within the family. My dad is a bricklayer, my brother-in-law is an electrician, and among our friends, we have gas/water fitters, roofers, scaffolders, and many skilled DIY enthusiasts. So basically, we would not depend on expensive contractors, who are currently charging very high prices due to strong demand (around here, sometimes a 30% markup because their order books are full).
We would actually only need specialist contractors for the following tasks:
Windows/shutters
Underfloor heating + screed
Heating and ventilation system
Exterior plaster/render
Possibly flooring (as my dad says: “If you buy expensive parquet, it needs to be properly installed”)
My dad says, “Child, that’s no problem, we can easily handle it!” (In our family, a semi-detached house was already built this way, and he helped a lot) – but as a beginner faced with such a huge project, I can’t help feeling a bit overwhelmed. Is that a reasonable feeling?
Now to my questions:
Starting from a turnkey house costing €300,000 (approximately $330,000) – how much percentage-wise can one save through self-work? Is the effort worthwhile? My husband leans towards a shell-and-core house – but as far as I know, the shell is exactly the part where we can do a lot ourselves and save the most?
We definitely want to visit solid brick house manufacturers and get advice (we welcome any recommendations). However, I personally find it difficult to compare how much cheaper it would actually be if we did it ourselves.
On the one hand, we want a sensible solution, but on the other hand, we want to get the maximum quality out of the money available to us.
Best regards from Central Hesse!
C
Chico170114 Sep 2017 12:39Lumpi_LE schrieb:
Knowing your own limits is the biggest challenge here.
We have experts like that living just eight houses away. They bought an existing house, planned to renovate and extend it, and wanted to do almost everything themselves.
They started last spring and planned to move in this summer.
Currently, they are still building the walls of the upper floor... and the shell construction is still the smaller part of the work.
We also planned to do quite a bit of the interior work ourselves. On paper, it didn’t seem like much, yet I have been spending every free minute on the construction for a year now.
I’m a professional in the field and also have carpenters and electricians among my friends and family...
So my advice is: be very critical when assessing yourselves and then multiply your time estimate by three.Thank you. I can relate to that. That’s exactly what slows me down a bit despite my father’s enthusiasm.
The crucial point is how much you actually save. How much is it worth to spend every free minute on the construction site...
I’m really looking forward to appointments with solid masonry home builders.
**A question to everyone:**
If the earliest possible time to sign contracts is next fall, when does it make sense to meet with solid masonry home manufacturers and request quotes? Is it too early now?
So far, we have Southwesthaus and Helma on our list. We really like a house from Weberhaus almost 100%, but they don’t build using traditional brick-by-brick methods (also called solid masonry).
Chico1701 schrieb:
If the earliest possible date for signing contracts is next year in the fall, when is it sensible to meet with solid house manufacturers and request quotes? Is it too early now? As Lumpi_LE already said, multiply any time estimate by three. There really is no such thing as "too early"—that might only apply regarding price guarantees.
Chico1701 schrieb:
We like a house from Weberhaus 99.999% of the way, but they don’t build brick-by-brick. Then Weberhaus can replicate the house and adjust the remaining 0.01%. I wouldn’t build with Weberhaus if I was thinking of a shell construction. They don't really fit for that. Actually, I would generally rule out prefabricated houses if you have a mason as a father. It’s a bit like being a vegetarian in the second generation after meat-eaters.
Chico1701 schrieb:
So far, Southwesthaus and Helma are on our list. For Hesse, I would also add Massivhaus Mittelrhein, Weton, Econ, and—although their floor plans still seem quite rooted in the 1980s—GSE to your list.
https://www.instagram.com/11antgmxde/
https://www.linkedin.com/company/bauen-jetzt/
What can you do yourself with a prefabricated house?
Basically, everything...
It makes sense to have the walls, including windows, installed and sealed professionally.
Everything else (electrical work, plumbing, heating, floors, walls, doors, etc.) you can do yourself. The electrical work still needs to be approved by a licensed electrician, and that’s it.
Of course, you can save money in many areas, but no one can say if you will actually save. Your family also needs to have time to help you.
Basically, everything...
It makes sense to have the walls, including windows, installed and sealed professionally.
Everything else (electrical work, plumbing, heating, floors, walls, doors, etc.) you can do yourself. The electrical work still needs to be approved by a licensed electrician, and that’s it.
Of course, you can save money in many areas, but no one can say if you will actually save. Your family also needs to have time to help you.
Regarding the budget: The bank has determined that you have a maximum of 400,000€ available.
However, this does not align with your desired house unless, as Lumpi_LE already mentioned, you receive the plot of land as a gift.
Structural shell in 3-4 months: that’s how long professionals need, you definitely won’t manage that.
However, this does not align with your desired house unless, as Lumpi_LE already mentioned, you receive the plot of land as a gift.
Structural shell in 3-4 months: that’s how long professionals need, you definitely won’t manage that.
Provided that he also completes the shell construction himself, the result is a neat house.
Please don’t always speak so negatively about it. It’s a lot of work and requires strong nerves, but just look at the cost of calcium silicate bricks, mineral wool, and facing bricks. Then add an excavator operator paid by the hour, and you’re ready to start.
But stay committed! It will be exhausting.
A friend of mine also managed everything through individual contracts and, for example, had acquaintances handle the shell construction. He has now been building for a year. Masonry only on Saturdays took the longest.
I am moving with my family next week after 10 weeks of renovation. I only outsourced the electrical work, windows, and plumbing. The rest I did with friends.
It’s all possible, but it also takes a toll on your nerves.
Please don’t always speak so negatively about it. It’s a lot of work and requires strong nerves, but just look at the cost of calcium silicate bricks, mineral wool, and facing bricks. Then add an excavator operator paid by the hour, and you’re ready to start.
But stay committed! It will be exhausting.
A friend of mine also managed everything through individual contracts and, for example, had acquaintances handle the shell construction. He has now been building for a year. Masonry only on Saturdays took the longest.
I am moving with my family next week after 10 weeks of renovation. I only outsourced the electrical work, windows, and plumbing. The rest I did with friends.
It’s all possible, but it also takes a toll on your nerves.
H
HilfeHilfe15 Sep 2017 06:42I am surprised by the questions when you have studied this subject professionally... did you not have any practical training?
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