Building a house at nearly 60? Risks of building/buying a house.

Hello construction expert, your due diligence seems to have been successful.

Back from Frechen, many impressions. We have to forget what we previously thought we knew about (prefabricated) houses. Ready-made, off the shelf, or the Trabants of houses, that apparently no longer applies to prefabricated houses.

I also can’t imagine under this competitive pressure that in the end moon prices would be enforced or the foolish customer would be deceived. Whoever produces 1 to 3 houses per calendar day... well, there is so much feedback from the customers, I do not expect technical design flaws. A first gut feeling.

Also quite interesting were the consultants/salespeople who act independently. That might even be better than having employees.
What I also like is that some offer the combination of plot plus house, which saves me the search, and no plot is offered to me that would not fit the house, which was prospectively outlined in its main features until then.

What made me think were young people who will have their plot next month but don’t yet know exactly which house they want. Now, based on the plot, they already had to make first concessions on their house wishes because something is no longer possible. That means the mistake I could make, namely buying the wrong plot for the then incompatible house, is already ruled out. This service is offered for a manageable price (if that is true, as said and understood). So two modules would already be suitably linked, the plot and the house.

Ah, also interesting for us was cellar – or no cellar. My opinion is simple: if there is enough storage space in the house (or if you want, in the garage), then the cellar is the worse choice because it is disproportionately expensive and riskier. For a car, one would say: unsprung mass ...
By the way... garages could be seen, but no garbage sheds... So we have here 4 different bins, that is certainly 2 m³ of space needed. Or do the manufacturers think the house builders throw their trash into the street?

Conclusion for today:
My purchasing intention has simply doubled... from 1% probability to 2% ;).

[tbc]

Hi,

regarding the search for a plot: this should be done first and – very important – independently of the house design. First find the plot that you definitely like and then plan the house. There are an estimated 15 reputable prefab house companies operating nationwide, each offering about 30 house types. That already makes 450 house variants. Yes, I know, this calculation is very rough ;) I mean: you will find a house for every plot. The other way around will be very difficult.

Don’t let yourself be pressured into signing contracts too quickly!

Trash bins:
The consequence is that in front of the houses – often planned with great dedication by the builders and perceived as the most beautiful house – an armada of colorful plastic trash bins stands and ruins the whole appearance.
Yes, you should definitely consider during the planning of the house and garage how best to hide the trash bins.

Good evening,

Hello building expert, your due diligence seems to have been successful.

Keeping a careful eye on things has never hurt. Although I'm slowly wondering whether it makes sense to respond to you, because it feels like the two of us (almost alone) are performing a pas de deux (Entrée). I hope I'm not scaring off the other users, as I actually intended to moderate and not to conduct "conversations" between two people ;)

Also quite interesting were the consultants/sellers who act independently. Maybe even better than having employees in front of you.

In my humble opinion, there is only one provider (massive construction) in the Rhineland who works with employees; similar to your favorite example of a car => salesperson and only with a basic salary.

... That means the mistake I could make, namely buying the wrong plot of land for a then unsuitable house, is already ruled out.

You should urgently reconsider this point; "klblb" hits the mark. The way you are carrying it around in your head now, you will never find the "right" plot of land. It is better to find a plot that corresponds to your personal wishes/lifestyle and then build based on the plot conditions/zoning plan.

Because - there are no difficult plots, only bad planning ;)

Rhenish greetings

In addition to the aforementioned points from Bauexperte and klblb, it is not only the "small amount for the service" that remains, but you also have to pay the real estate transfer tax on the house (around 5%) depending on the federal state and not just on the land.

Quite an expensive service that sounds "cheap"...

So then... for those interested, otherwise it’s just my non-construction diary...

a) Today I looked at an existing house... it already starts questionably with the real estate agent who says it is a prefabricated house, but it was a self-built house made of Ytongg... supposedly built in 2010, but the energy certificate is from 2009. What does the term “year of construction” actually mean for a house, like for a car?

Then the "energy pass": it was issued by Ytongg, looks like a blank check that everyone who buys the bricks gets (unless it’s photoshopped). Whether the energy values are actually correct would first need to be measured, I think. I do have doubts: the house needs energy costing 120 euros per month for 160 sqm. Through a subsequently installed solar system, it then reduces to a net 80 euros. The owner also added additional insulation between the rafters. Apparently, it was not so great with the energy values after all... I would first have an energy assessment and an appraisal done before buying the house. The plot, location, 9m garage and landscaped garden, storage space in the gable are nice, but I really don’t like the house itself, so I wouldn’t want to move in there. Bathroom with DIY store sink, ceiling height only 2.50 m, no ventilation system, too many too small rooms. You can also tell from the cheap textured wallpaper that not only did the seller’s wife leave him, but also his money ran out. Conclusion: the only 4-year-old house would have to be thoroughly refurbished to be habitable. And I have to pay property tax on the land plus the house. And the agent’s commission, but the seller has to pay that from January, if I understood correctly? From today it’s 1:0 for new builds against (fairly, this one) existing houses.

b) Another provider, who builds stone upon stone, spoke of an insurance which, in connection with 4 or 5 intermediate TÜV reports, gives warranty promises to the builder (terrible term that sugarcoats reality, by the way; and don’t women build houses? Are they then called “building women”?) It should be expensive but useful and reassuring. Is that true?

Regarding b): I would not trust any expert whom I do not pay separately.