KNXliebhaber
2020-08-07 13:49:14
- #1
Hello,
I have been a loyal reader of this forum for almost two years and thought I would simply share my experiences with you. We live in a rural area and have always considered the estimated values for single-family homes that have come up to be somewhat exaggerated. Unfortunately, I have to say, you were completely right. I would argue that both the furnishings and our equipment deserve at least the label "upmarket standard," even though we are both rational, frugal people. We wanted to fulfill all our wishes and wanted a new house with the latest technology. Our motto was far too often: hmm, if you can get KNX everywhere, then I can get the 3m wide kitchen window - ok sounds fair/, if we take controlled residential ventilation + photovoltaics, then the fireplace should also have a water jacket - yes sounds logical/
As early as 2017, we started thinking about the house. We were lucky to receive a large plot of land as a gift from my parents-in-law. We (32 + 28) live in the countryside, still Baden-Württemberg - but close to the Bavarian border, 45 km from Würzburg. The standard land value for our 350 sqm was about €8500 - however, the municipality now demands €85 per sqm (which, of course, is still a dream for most readers here). Of course, there are not many well-known companies in the countryside, but there are many "hidden champions" within a radius of 30 km, and further on, it already goes into the notorious Rhine-Neckar region, so the risk is acceptable. Our house is on a slope, but it was already held by a retaining wall (we demolished the barn that stood on the property ourselves – without damaging the retaining wall).
We have many tradespeople in our circle of acquaintances and wanted to build individually, so we decided on an architect-designed house. In 2018, the first estimate from the architect was around €420,000 including incidental building costs for 165 sqm! I also frequently read similar figures in the forum. My husband assured me that the amount would be lower. Reason: We live in the countryside = lower costs also for the trades + our own labor. Since we estimated our own labor at 30k, we thought - we would pay a maximum of 390k.
We dated the own labor at 30k because my husband took over all the electrical work and we took on a large part of the drywall construction.
At the start of construction in September 2019, we had €90k equity + €20k ELR subsidy program + €370k loan = €480k
Although we never wanted to pay €480k just for the house, we had taken out a very large loan as a buffer, and the idea was actually 400k house + 20k kitchen + 30k buffer & extras + 30k (possibly new car purchase, etc.)
Our income at the beginning of the planning (around the end of 2017) was about €4500 combined. Due to salary increases, it is now 2x full-time: €3000 + €2200 net = €5200 net (vacation pay + 13th salary not included). When all loans have been drawn, we pay €1,500 credit (3% repayment, 1.35% interest with 20 years fixed interest). Due to our solid savings rate, bonus and Christmas pay, and little free time (and consequently hardly any vacation and leisure consumption because of our own labor), we were able to save an additional €40k (previously we paid rent of €500 warm and otherwise lived quite student-like or always had goals to save such as the wedding or then the house construction; we still like to travel in Asia with backpacks). Possible capital currently available for house construction therefore €520k.
As I said, we always saved diligently - and suddenly during the house construction, we wanted to fulfill all our wishes immediately:
So our house construction will cost €470,000 (smaller invoices are still missing - fluctuates between 460k and 470k). Our outdoor facilities will amount to about €40k+ (paving, carport, and terrace) = about €520k – using up every buffer.
I am incredibly happy, 1. that we planned the large buffer (about 70k) and that we were still able to save so much last year. Maybe without this security, we would have made fewer wishes or would have slept even more restlessly at night. Despite the seemingly large mountain of debt, I am very happy not to have foregone these comfort-enhancing things or to have afforded equipment that precisely matches our taste design-wise and not the next-best price-performance alternative.
I wanted to show everyone dealing with the topic of house building: Prices are STILL rising - even despite Corona. In the countryside, house costs are also cheaper, but not as much as one would wish. And we did not save on the house construction; instead, we save in everyday life and were able to save at least €2500 extra every month last year - that is then also a question of priorities.
I have been a loyal reader of this forum for almost two years and thought I would simply share my experiences with you. We live in a rural area and have always considered the estimated values for single-family homes that have come up to be somewhat exaggerated. Unfortunately, I have to say, you were completely right. I would argue that both the furnishings and our equipment deserve at least the label "upmarket standard," even though we are both rational, frugal people. We wanted to fulfill all our wishes and wanted a new house with the latest technology. Our motto was far too often: hmm, if you can get KNX everywhere, then I can get the 3m wide kitchen window - ok sounds fair/, if we take controlled residential ventilation + photovoltaics, then the fireplace should also have a water jacket - yes sounds logical/
As early as 2017, we started thinking about the house. We were lucky to receive a large plot of land as a gift from my parents-in-law. We (32 + 28) live in the countryside, still Baden-Württemberg - but close to the Bavarian border, 45 km from Würzburg. The standard land value for our 350 sqm was about €8500 - however, the municipality now demands €85 per sqm (which, of course, is still a dream for most readers here). Of course, there are not many well-known companies in the countryside, but there are many "hidden champions" within a radius of 30 km, and further on, it already goes into the notorious Rhine-Neckar region, so the risk is acceptable. Our house is on a slope, but it was already held by a retaining wall (we demolished the barn that stood on the property ourselves – without damaging the retaining wall).
We have many tradespeople in our circle of acquaintances and wanted to build individually, so we decided on an architect-designed house. In 2018, the first estimate from the architect was around €420,000 including incidental building costs for 165 sqm! I also frequently read similar figures in the forum. My husband assured me that the amount would be lower. Reason: We live in the countryside = lower costs also for the trades + our own labor. Since we estimated our own labor at 30k, we thought - we would pay a maximum of 390k.
We dated the own labor at 30k because my husband took over all the electrical work and we took on a large part of the drywall construction.
At the start of construction in September 2019, we had €90k equity + €20k ELR subsidy program + €370k loan = €480k
Although we never wanted to pay €480k just for the house, we had taken out a very large loan as a buffer, and the idea was actually 400k house + 20k kitchen + 30k buffer & extras + 30k (possibly new car purchase, etc.)
Our income at the beginning of the planning (around the end of 2017) was about €4500 combined. Due to salary increases, it is now 2x full-time: €3000 + €2200 net = €5200 net (vacation pay + 13th salary not included). When all loans have been drawn, we pay €1,500 credit (3% repayment, 1.35% interest with 20 years fixed interest). Due to our solid savings rate, bonus and Christmas pay, and little free time (and consequently hardly any vacation and leisure consumption because of our own labor), we were able to save an additional €40k (previously we paid rent of €500 warm and otherwise lived quite student-like or always had goals to save such as the wedding or then the house construction; we still like to travel in Asia with backpacks). Possible capital currently available for house construction therefore €520k.
As I said, we always saved diligently - and suddenly during the house construction, we wanted to fulfill all our wishes immediately:
[*]Underfloor heating everywhere
[*]Wood stove with water jacket
[*]Controlled residential ventilation
[*]Photovoltaic system
[*]Smart home with KNX
[*]Colored lighting system (DALI) in the living room and bathroom / KNX control (my husband is a little electrical nerd and was allowed to let off steam here J)
[*]2 bathrooms
[*]Cantilever staircase
[*]Basement + ground floor
[*]Carport
[*]Balcony
So our house construction will cost €470,000 (smaller invoices are still missing - fluctuates between 460k and 470k). Our outdoor facilities will amount to about €40k+ (paving, carport, and terrace) = about €520k – using up every buffer.
I am incredibly happy, 1. that we planned the large buffer (about 70k) and that we were still able to save so much last year. Maybe without this security, we would have made fewer wishes or would have slept even more restlessly at night. Despite the seemingly large mountain of debt, I am very happy not to have foregone these comfort-enhancing things or to have afforded equipment that precisely matches our taste design-wise and not the next-best price-performance alternative.
I wanted to show everyone dealing with the topic of house building: Prices are STILL rising - even despite Corona. In the countryside, house costs are also cheaper, but not as much as one would wish. And we did not save on the house construction; instead, we save in everyday life and were able to save at least €2500 extra every month last year - that is then also a question of priorities.