Construction cost per sqm, affordable vs. expensive providers, construction cost reduction

No, he is building in a flood zone. With that, you're out with standard 08/15 and Town & Country definitely does not guarantee that your ground floor is watertight. However, it is then also not really suitable for price comparisons

Not suitable? If he's building a houseboat, then that's hardly comparable in any way to a normal construction project...

Not suitable? If he is building a houseboat, then that is hardly comparable to a normal construction project in any way...

I do think so, just take a look at the HQ10/100 areas of BaWü in the geoportal. You will be surprised how many municipalities (and especially in the Stuttgart metropolitan area) are affected by it. Of course, Town & Country doesn't care, at least for now, and maybe neither does the builder if he wants to compare prices here. But no one wants to look again at the Ahr valley. But you are probably right, if a builder naively relies on some guideline values here and keeps searching until he finds someone who sweet-talks his budget. Only this is the reason why there are also posts here that then describe the payoff from that.

You can get the Flair 152 from Town & Country from 322,000 EUR in the Stuttgart area, so for just under 2,200 EUR with a simple standard. However, you have to do the floors and painting plus the kitchen yourself.

The equipment is debatable. I built such a house... by the way for, after final invoicing, 294,000 EUR including the 2021 price adjustment and extra cost for the foundation... we only upgraded in electrical (more sockets, some data sockets), windows (RC2) and the staircase (oak), tiles, sanitary, everything else standard. And I don't think it corresponds to the level of a prefabricated building from the 1970s, as is often insinuated here.

Of course, you have to be able to live with the lifelong stigma of being the one in the building area who built with "Penny" and not with Edeka or even the delicatessen...

But anyway. Calling 3,900 EUR/m² "standard to slightly upscale"... that is far from reality. Completely unrealistic.

Town & Country is another good tip, we’ll take a look at them. Build according to the Building Energy Act according to the website, so low-interest loans via KfW are not available. Still, being 90,000 EUR below other providers for a solid house, that doesn’t make up for the interest subsidy either, thanks.

The 3000 euros per square meter is quite accurate if you don’t want to contribute any own labor. What are you all by profession? Use your possibilities. Everyone has something they can contribute. My build costs 1300 euros per square meter and 3 years of my life. With 24.5 kWh heating costs per square meter and all the comforts.

A lot of own labor is not realistic alongside job and family. Realistically, a shell house from Massa Haus would push us to the limit, i.e. building for quite a long time, neglecting the family during that time, little support on site, the family lives further away. It is a good solution for other builders, I think less so for us.

Actually, the chances of building now are not bad at all, especially if you have equity and don't have to finance everything.

With individual contracting combined with personal contribution, I would build myself in BW for under 200k.

You also have to consider that those who have a house built must pay VAT. With construction costs over 400,000 euros, around 80,000 VAT is included. This money is gone and is not used in construction.

Of course, you have to design your building style with cost savings in mind. You don't necessarily have to make big compromises, but what is expensive simply has to be canceled. You can also be modest and upgrade properly later, depending on your income situation.

Today, however, everything has to be the best right away and immediately. There is definitely a certain mentality to be observed here.

Why should one go from a very good income situation into an uncertain future with exorbitantly high debt, in a geostrategically certainly uniquely insecure situation? We are practically on the eve of a major war in Europe, in which Germany will certainly be involved. Especially in BW, the automotive industry is facing a turning point.

In the current situation, I would keep my powder dry. Possibly, one really has to seek salvation elsewhere.

Reduce: yes, that's what we are currently doing to the extent that the result barely fits.

General situation: true. I also think about that. At the same time: what are the alternatives? Rents will rise in the coming years. If the economy continues, housing will be scarce. If I build in my life, then now; later we'll be too old. The house makes sense now, where we will have to settle down anyway for 15-20 years with small children.

The risk that the region will economically collapse is the relevant one in my view. That is a risk we would have to take if we build. We take this into account by ensuring the loan is not stretched to the limit, so we can absorb reductions / job changes / ... If things go really badly and we have to sell in a low market and move away, 200k - 300k euros are lost; then you have to decide whether the outcome is worth the risk.

Regarding other risks (war, climate, ...), the question is whether you want to approach things pessimistically / with a safety-first mindset and thereby miss opportunities, or be optimistic, with the chance to shape your life now while accepting the risk of having little left before retirement.

There are better times to build, but for us the decision has to be made now. We are not decided yet. Controllable building costs would help, making the whole thing manageable.

Is there even a plot of land available yet?

Yes, and the decision for/against purchase is pending.