Construction costs are currently skyrocketing

I can probably work unlimited overtime, but I just don’t get paid for it. That means for the next 6 months, against my work ethic, I will really only work on Priority A tasks if the regular time isn’t enough and spend as much time as possible on the construction site (as soon as I’m allowed by the progress of the construction...). And yes, if overtime were paid for me, it would be different. But honestly, considering gross vs net and the availability of the craftsmen nowadays, it could still end up being a zero-sum game even then.

I'm really interested now. Can you all do paid overtime hours as you wish?

For many with children, for example, one works part-time and could then accordingly work more/less. Or take parental leave to work on the construction site.

Or I have considered taking unpaid leave for the construction site. But that usually only pays off for things where I don't take five times longer than a craftsman. Or, like us, you are in the fortunate position of not having to pay rent and can just take a few more months with the construction.

If someone works 40 hours, plus as is completely usual for us, at least 2 hours of commuting time to Munich (round trip), then they leave the house at 7 a.m. and don't get back before 6 p.m. If you then have a demanding job or children, it's really extremely difficult to still do anything significant on the construction site afterwards.

For us, this many self-performed tasks only works because I don't have exactly the 2 hours of commuting time and don't have children yet. Also, unfortunately civil servants are not paid according to Munich standards, which is why we unfortunately have no choice but to put the money in accordingly. If we could easily afford it, we would definitely do much less ourselves...

Specifically regarding overtime, there are regularly opportunities for us to do more. But it's not like you can simply say "I would like to work 42 hours please."

A craftsman today earns about 18 - 20 € per hour, gross. That is 10 € net. A craftsman hour gross costs about 60 - 80 €. So a journeyman works 7 hours to pay for 1 hour of another craftsman. Now someone should explain to me why I should work overtime on Saturdays while a company is working at my home and even performing tasks that I can easily do myself. Not to mention the increased tax deductions for the paid overtime. Keyword cold progression.

A tax consultant with an hourly rate of 120 euros will not carry stones himself. He can have them carried. But those are the few. And he does not complain about a few thousand euros of material price increases either. And he will not need refinancing because of that.

But it is also a societal problem. What only the upper class could afford and wanted 30 or 40 years ago, today everyone from their mid-20s needs. Is everything still right when 20-year-olds have a house built for half a million, install a kitchen for 20,000, and the new Audi for 80,000 stands in front of the door? And these are people who work as unskilled helpers in three shifts at Bosch or ZF. The woman is a hairdresser and has never had a connection to money. I don’t know what has been instilled in these people.

Most people can install the washbasin,

Mostly yes, unless you happen to have the idea of slapping porcelain stoneware tiles on the wall. With a normal drill, that’s impossible. I myself wore out 4 diamond drill bits for 10 holes. Here you really have to weigh whether you dare to do it yourself, for example to avoid the overpriced washbasin prices.

For many with children, for example, one parent works part-time and could then accordingly work more/less. Or take parental leave to work on the construction site.

Or I have considered taking unpaid leave for the construction site. But that only really pays off for tasks where I don’t need five times longer than a craftsman.
Or, like us, you’re in the fortunate position of not paying rent and can simply take a few more months with the construction.

If someone works 40 hours, plus, as is completely common for us, at least 2 hours of travel time to Munich (round trip), then they leave the house at 7 am and come back no earlier than 6 pm.
If you then have a strenuous job or children, it really becomes extreme to still do anything meaningful on the construction site afterward.

For us, the many own contributions only work because I don’t have the 2 hours travel time and no children yet.
Also, unfortunately, civil servants are not paid according to Munich standards, so sadly, we have no choice but to work the money back into it accordingly.
If we could easily afford it, we would certainly do much less ourselves...

Specifically regarding overtime, there are regularly opportunities for us to do more.
But it’s not like you can just say “I want to work 42 hours, please.”

What do you mean by paid overtime? Paid out or compensated with time off?

I’m just asking because in my former consulting life, overtime was compensated with the bonus. There was neither time off nor payout, just overtime.

Who would want to have overtime paid out? For me, free time is still more important despite working from home.

What do you mean by paid overtime? Paid out or compensatory time off? I ask only because in my previous consulting life, overtime was compensated with the bonus. There was neither compensatory time off nor payout, only overtime. Who would want to have overtime paid out? For me personally, free time is still more important despite remote work.

It always depends on the personal life situation. If I am currently redesigning the garden entirely from ongoing income, I am also happy to have a large part of the overtime paid out. However, if I don't have a major project at the moment, then it goes into time off.