Comparability of costs Architect vs. General Contractor

What does KfW standard mean? The Energy Saving Ordinance is met by every standard house, otherwise it would not be approved. Because proof of this by an energy engineer is part of the building application. What does low ceilings mean? Rooms have to be 2.4 m high, if I remember correctly. Thus, every building has sufficiently high ceilings. What does FHZ in the basement mean? First of all, for many of us a basement is dispensable, and if there is one, it is not necessarily heated or only by radiators, because it is not used for living purposes. What does ventilation mean? A ventilation system is a nice to have, not a basic standard. The normal case is windows that can be opened. I am not willing, considering dozens of new buildings in our environment, to see your extras as state of the art. They are and remain extras. There will hardly be a building without extra wishes, but these are individual preferences.

It depends on where you build. In many areas, KfW55 is now mandatory, as well as the photovoltaic system on the roof. The builder simply has no other choice. And on the subject of ventilation... it is absolutely crazy to build efficient houses (and I also count the Energy Saving Ordinance among them) and then constantly open the windows in winter and let the heat escape again. Then you might as well leave out half of the insulation. Nowadays, I don't really consider building houses without ventilation to be sensible. And in the end, it doesn't matter whether things are standard, regulation, or just the builder's wish. What counts is the price that comes out with the builder's wishes, and some providers already have a method of working with air heating and factoring in the upselling. But you don't have to build with them either ;)

I assume that with a correct and reputable provider, a standard house is approval-capable, suitable for year-round living, and properly ventilable. For us, this meant the FHZ was standard, the gas condensing boiler with solar thermal, the exhaust system in the bathroom with continuous window rebate ventilators, triple-glazed branded windows, a Ytong wall structure with 30 cm Planblock and plaster application. The building easily meets the Energy Saving Ordinance standard; with a heat pump instead of gas, KFW 55 would be achievable. WHAT is NOT standard and what I do not expect are roller shutters, colored windows, painted interior doors, two-shell facing brickwork, a controlled residential ventilation system, photovoltaics, geothermal or pellet heating, clay roof tiles, to name just a few things that some consider important but are a matter of individual taste. I drive a basic Golf, it has exactly two extras, four doors, and a 110 HP engine with six-speed transmission. Otherwise basic. Yet it is still a complete car. Just as a comparison.

In Berlin, living space must be 2.50m high. "Poor but airy"...

It depends on where you build. In many areas, KfW55 is now mandatory, as is the photovoltaic system on the roof. The builder simply has no other choice then.

I assume that with a proper and reputable provider, a standard house is approvable, habitable year-round, and properly ventilated.

I agree with Karsten!

Standard is the basic version. The house works with energy-saving ordinance quality. Everything else can or must be added.
It’s like with a car: one brand, three models, all available in the basic version. Packages are offered: comfort, racing, technology... everything else gladly in a modular system.
Instead of automatic climate control, some need the air conditioning (controlled residential ventilation), tinted rear windows (triple glazing) are mandatory, just like fog lights (higher ceilings) and ashtrays (pantry). Both are roadworthy and livable.
If I live and drive in the Harz, there is just the upgrade that is necessary: winter tires instead of all-season tires//photovoltaics as a requirement for new development areas.

Regarding underfloor heating in the (non-living) basement, I generally only have one comment: "and children are starving in Africa"! (oh no, that’s not true, there is a second one: "The rich like the Romans always perished through decadence").

By the way, it will be a complete living basement, so a heating system is supposed to go in there like in the rest of the house ;)

And hopefully the comment about “children starving in Africa” is meant to be somehow funny – otherwise, you wouldn’t be allowed to do so many things (and definitely not build a single-family house at all ;))

That’s why I write 2000€/sqm for absolute standard with plaster and a very compact construction. Here I get criticism from some people for these mentioned 2000€ because they think I’m absolutely too high. As if I wanted to annoy them or set the prices myself :rolleyes:
In total, however, they want the whole extra package for less.

Yes, I noticed it here in the forum that when people say “my house only cost XX euros,” it’s probably a famous apples and oranges issue.

I assume that with a correct and reputable provider, a standard house is permit-capable, habitable all year round, and properly ventilatable. For us, that meant the underfloor heating was standard, the gas condensing boiler with solar thermal, the exhaust system in the bathroom with window rebate ventilators continuously, triple-glazed branded windows, a Ytong wall construction with 30 cm plan block and plaster layer. The building easily meets the energy saving ordinance standard, with a heat pump instead of gas KfW 55 would be achievable.
What is NOT standard and I don’t expect it to be are shutters, colored windows, painted interior doors, two-shell brick cladding, controlled residential ventilation, photovoltaics, geothermal or pellet heating, clay roof tiles, to name just a few that are important to some but represent individual taste. I drive a base Golf, it has exactly two extras, four doors and a 110 hp motor with six-speed gearbox. Otherwise basic. Still, that is a complete car. Just as a comparison.

Everyone should do it how they want ;) But what always leads to the same discussion: I’m sure that you can also build a fairly simple house with an architect, without much frills – because you decide yourself about budget and style, right?

And on the subject of ventilation... it is absolutely crazy to build efficient houses (and that includes the Energy Saving Ordinance) and then constantly open the windows in winter, letting the heat escape again. You might as well leave out half of the insulation. Nowadays, I don't really think it makes sense to build houses without ventilation.

We are currently thinking the same about the KFW70 semi-detached house where we are still renting. Terrible, especially in winter, air quality is awful. Unbearable. We only have decentralized ventilation in the entire living-dining-cooking area and one in the bathroom. After 8 hours in the bedroom, nobody should come in from outside, they’d collapse. I'm surprised we’re still alive :D