Construction costs are currently skyrocketing

Definitely. But what doesn’t work is the argument “with a total budget of 550k you can’t build a house in areas with BRW >500€, better take an old building with a bigger plot and better location for the same money.” That roughly summarizes the argument of , I just couldn’t put it that sharply last night ;)

And of course you can save money on renovations through personal work. But that also applies to new builds if you want and can. During a major renovation, an existing property is also no longer really habitable, so the advantage disappears.

I believe the only way to come out financially better with an existing property than with a new build is if you don’t do a complete renovation and can live with a few imperfections / the lower insulation standards of the older house for the time being.
Buying an old house and fully upgrading it usually costs just as much or even more than building everything new.
That doesn’t mean I’m against renovations; I find them important and even necessary, but you shouldn’t fool yourself into thinking they’re cheaper.

I also think personal work is often overrated. To really save money that way, you have to have the time and possibly “take” it at a cost. With 30 days of vacation a year, you don’t get far with serious DIY. And unpaid time off is often possible, but if you want to be honest with yourself, you have to convert that into money as well.

That is not correct. Even with a major renovation, the costs can be lower than new construction. Of course, if you try to turn a 1960s settlement house into a 2020s urban villa, the calculation won’t work.

In reality or on paper? I have received really disillusioning conclusions from friends and acquaintances whose properties I have completely renovated so far. In all cases reported to me, it turned out to be significantly more expensive than initially assumed, and in some cases additional financing was even necessary. Opinions ranged from "it was shit, but we love the result" to "looking back, I definitely wouldn't do it again." Maybe my sample is just very unlucky, I don't know.

A bathroom that costs 15k in a new building costs 20k in renovation. It’s logical, but should always be kept in mind.

or get your butt up early ;-.)
I was always in the office at 5:30 and therefore home early. You just have to push through, and not just for one month. We saved a lot because of that, but also because my dad was always there and ready for any task.

sorry, that is nonsense. Our three bathrooms (guest WC, shower bath, bathtub) which were completely gutted and rebuilt cost a total of 18,000 euros three years ago. And the only work we did ourselves was the tile backsplashes above the sinks and the floor of the 4 sqm guest bathroom. However, we did not use large-format tiles and no premium fixtures but mid-range ones from Hansgrohe - or Grohe? - and Villeroy and Boch standard models.