Complete renovation of a 60s house - is KFW85 possible?

What happens if we plan a KFW component but then do not achieve the necessary energy standard?

Bad luck and repay the loan.
But how should that happen? You can only apply for the loan once you have the energy advisor’s confirmation. And if you build as planned with the energy advisor (the bank controls the correct use of funds), then you will also reach the corresponding level. You can only fail if you build differently than planned. But then both the energy advisor and your bank should warn you early on.

What is the usual process to set up financing? As I understand it, I would have to work out a plan with the energy advisor before the financing is granted to know which KFW target is possible with the planned modernization costs. But that would mean that I have to pay the energy advisor upfront without having a purchase contract for the house. Am I on the wrong track with this way of thinking, or is there another way?

You do all that in parallel.
And yes, you have to pay upfront. Sometimes you’re not secured with double suspenders, a seatbelt, and a parachute. Then, if in doubt, you just shell out €2,000 – others spend that on a simple top smartphone instead.
Plan the financing with the bank; you don’t have to sign anything yet. Talk in parallel with an energy advisor about the costs he estimates for KfW XY. Then, if in doubt, add 30% on top of the costs to have a buffer. And at the bank, it will be put into a suitable structure so that you can calmly conclude the purchase contract.

Hello,

I am always surprised at what people dare to do when it comes to a house. Most believe they can outgrow themselves even though opposing experiences are shared in many forums.

Like some other people in this forum, I completely renovated a house from 1958 and must say it took three years. I had the help of a construction helper.

Therefore, I advise the questioner as follows:

1. Is the house and the associated renovation effort correctly estimated? Was a professional involved?
2. If the execution of self-performed work is based on YouTube videos, many overestimate themselves.
3. Do not underestimate the building regulations and standards, etc. that must be complied with.
4. He who buys cheap, buys twice!
5. And last but not least, take off the rose-colored glasses!

With that in mind, good luck

You are vastly overestimating yourself, unless you are a professional and work on construction sites daily. 43 vacation days and parental leave are barely enough for the ready-to-use interior finishing of a turnkey house, provided you at least want to have Sundays and some Saturdays off...

You first have to knock everything out and dispose of it for weeks. Then you need tons of (special) tools and small items—is that calculated? Example: You estimate tiles... 35 EUR/m². Then add 10-20% waste, depending on the room and tile size. But you still need adhesive, tile cutter and/or angle grinder with diamond blade, for the bathrooms hole saws, grout, rubber float for application, sponge float for wiping, silicone for the corners, transition strips, corner and edge profiles...

I just glued my tile backsplash in the kitchen, with facing stones for 25 EUR/m². 3 packs of facing stones 75 EUR. All the small stuff then cost me another 75 EUR and I skipped expensive aluminum profiles as an edge finish, put acrylic on instead. Plus about 3 full days of work in total, because I did it for the first time.

I don't think you calculated all that properly. You can expect 50, maybe 100k EUR more coming your way. As a layman, you tend to massively underestimate especially the small stuff.

Since I have been working in new elevator construction in recent years, I have seen quite a bit on construction sites and believe I have at least a rough idea of what to expect. I already have quite a few tools privately, both grandfathers are also well equipped due to building or renovating their own homes, and last but not least I can borrow larger tools from my employer. Therefore, I see no problem there.

I am simply posting my cost estimate. The prices are partly based on material costs, but also on averaged cost estimates from various websites including labor.



Thus, this results in a cost estimate of about €920/sqm for the core renovation without the facade.

I am simply posting my cost estimate. The prices are partly based on material costs, but also partly on average cost estimates from various websites including labor.

However, I still see significant potential savings in various items (e.g. screed, underfloor heating, cellar ceiling insulation, wall coverings, etc.)

Although I still see significant potential for savings in various items (e.g., screed, underfloor heating, cellar ceiling insulation, wall coverings, etc.)

That is good to hear. Of course, I tried to calculate sufficiently. If there is money left over, the heating system could already be replaced with a heat pump. I have discarded the original idea of using the KFW loan for modernization with the minimum target of KFW85 if we can use the low-interest loan from the NRW.Bank. This way, I don’t have any stress with subsidized loans that require a counter-performance. If BAFA subsidies for the individual measures listed can be integrated, then of course we will gladly apply for them. If everything goes as planned, I will see if I can keep a bit of a "construction diary" in another subforum to get one or two good tips on implementation or material purchasing.