Construction costs - Are we that far off?

Hello everyone,

we would like to start our construction project in the second half of the year and are currently in the exploration and decision-making phase for the building partner/architect. Apart from the floor plan, we already have quite detailed ideas; I would like to briefly outline the cost drivers:

- House according to the Energy Saving Ordinance (not a KfW efficiency house)
- Simple architecture with a gable roof (no dormers, cross gables, bay windows, etc.)
- 160 m² living space + approx. 80 m² basement (about 40 m² of which is habitable for a sauna and one room)
- Double garage
- Gas condensing boiler with solar thermal system
- Underfloor heating
- Controlled residential ventilation with heat recovery
- Wood/aluminum windows with triple glazing
- Small freestanding wood stove
- Parquet flooring, glued in most of the living area
- Electric roller shutters via KNX
- Partial KNX in the living/dining area, prepared for later retrofitting

The plot is almost flat, slopes about ~1 m over 25 m length as estimated.

We have 410,000 EUR available for implementation including construction ancillary costs (connections, construction electricity, etc.). I get a 25% discount on material costs for heating, solar thermal system, controlled residential ventilation, wood stove. In addition, we get the surveying work almost for free except for a few euros in fees.

Not included in the calculation are the plot, acquisition ancillary costs (tax, notary, double rent, etc.), kitchen, sauna, outdoor facilities – there is a separate budget for these.

My cost calculation:
- 25,000 EUR construction ancillary costs, leaves 385,000 EUR pure construction costs
- 25,000 EUR garage, leaves 360,000 EUR
- 70,000 EUR basement, leaves 290,000 EUR

This corresponds to about 1,800 €/m² for the house.

The biggest uncertainty is definitely the basement, as the information varies wildly. We have no groundwater but poorly water-permeable rock (muschelkalk). Are 70,000 EUR realistic here? Another critical point is also the architect’s fee, which should basically be covered by the price per m² (if we build by individual contracts…).

Some architects and general contractors practically threw this back at us (“you want a Porsche at a VW price”). Are we really so far off with the above wishes? In my opinion, only the windows and the (partial) KNX system are really extraordinary cost drivers on the list. The other points are somehow “normal”…?

Has anyone implemented something similar? Where would you cut costs?
I would appreciate a few opinions, thank you!

What exactly should the architect take care of for you? Which service phases do you want to pay for? 290k for 160m² definitely seems feasible to me. We are building about the same size and our quotes were between 250-280k. We also had an offer with architectural services for all service phases amounting to about 20k. From my point of view, you are not that far off. How many quotes have you obtained?

The ancillary construction costs are set too low. Better take double, then you will be quite well protected against surprises.

How big should the garage be and how equipped?
What type of construction for the house? Monolithic or timber frame? How should the foundation of the house be done?
The basement certainly costs money, as do the KNX-controlled blinds and the preparation for the rest.

I can't quite understand the architects' statement like that, but you have also given very few information.

Hello everyone,

first of all, thanks for the responses, they reassure me a little bit.

Architectural services: We are still in the decision-making process, so it's difficult to assess properly. We have three options in mind:
a) Complete program to the architect (HOAI 1-9)
b) HOAI 1-4 to the architect, the rest via the general contractor (GU)
c) Everything through the GU

The tendency is towards a), because we have very detailed requirements that might be lost with a GU – this way we would have control over all trades. I don’t think I have the time to take over the construction management myself.

The plot is difficultly shaped (trapezoidal), so we need a smart solution for the floor plan; that’s why b) is under consideration.

Additional construction costs: I have planned 20,000 EUR for further incidental costs (taxes, financing, insurance). The surveying services will be as stated under 500 EUR. Of course, there is also an additional buffer for cost overruns.

Garage: We were thinking of a simple double garage with an electric door, approx. 6*7.5 m, possibly partially integrated into the building structure.

Construction method: monolithic with Poroton (T7?) or Ytong, preferably 36 cm walls.

Foundation: According to the general soil survey, the ground is very load-bearing, so a normal shallow foundation.

: Were those GU or architect offers? With which setup are you building?

Honestly, we don’t have any real offers yet, just estimates with a calculator in hand. The general mood is that most immediately dismiss it...

In what order of magnitude did the costs for a basement hit you?

Service phase 1 - Basic evaluation is conducted by builders who are very intensively involved with their house construction anyway. You have thought about what kind of house you roughly want to build, what your financial scope looks like, what overall services you need, etc. I find it difficult here to pay the architect for something (I would describe it as idea generation) that I have actually carried out myself with an effort of 100-150 hours.

Service phase 9 - Construction supervision can definitely be delegated to third parties. Depending on how closely the architect is connected to the general contractor (GU), this would mean that the GU controls their own work or the architect controls the work of his "friend." In any case, that is my understanding.

We have inquired with both GUs and architects. The final setup is not yet fixed, but it looks like we will build with a structural engineer and, together with him, commission one or more companies for the house construction. (The commissioning is done by us, but the structural engineer supports us with advice and assistance.)

Hello dobabau,
from August to December we also had many appointments with four different GCs... and yes, the prices are really sobering.

My cost calculation:
- 25 TEUR ancillary construction costs, leaving 385 TEUR pure construction costs
- 25 TEUR garage, leaving 360 TEUR
- 70 TEUR basement, leaving 290 TEUR

What I would estimate for your construction project after talks with the four GCs:
approx. 385-400k without garage, without habitable basement (only utility basement), without KNX, without wood-aluminum windows, without T7 bricks (but an unfilled 36 cm brick).....unfortunately :-(