Construction costs turnkey solid house

Hello,

Over the past few months, I have read a wealth of posts in this forum and am very uncertain. We are currently trying to find out whether building is an option for us right now or not. We have already been to several banks and have an offer from a first developer. We know this developer through acquaintances who have already completed the building project (and largely confirm our premises).

I have a cost breakdown for all relevant items. I might post this again on another occasion and ask for feedback. However, I am now exclusively concerned with the construction costs for a turnkey house. (No connection costs or similar.)

While reading many posts in the "Baufinanzierung" forum, I repeatedly came across the same thing: "You will never get a house here (in Germany) for that."

I understand that in the end, it always gets more expensive than originally expected. Listed prices are usually just to lure you in. Regional differences are also a given. But where does the general tenor come from (without knowing where and what someone is building) of pricing houses so high?

We now have an offer from the aforementioned construction company. Without going into the construction service description in detail, it contains the following key data (location Lower Saxony) :

[*]Turnkey solid house with 140m^2
[*]1.5 storeys
[*]Underfloor heating on the ground floor
[*]No basement, no garage
[*]Execution according to Energy Saving Ordinance 2016
[*]Electric shutters in living room and kitchen
[*]Triple glazing

This offer already includes some additional services that we have agreed on with the company. In terms of structural services (inside the house), primarily painting work and the floor on the upper floor are missing afterwards. For this project, we currently come to about 170k€. The (regional) company is neither among the particularly cheap nor the high-quality companies and has been on the market for several decades.

My current assessment of whether building is an option is based on such a price for the turnkey house. However, when I mostly read here that houses are calculated at well over 250k-300k€, I wonder what I am doing wrong. Of course, there are additional costs, for example during construction, if more sockets are agreed with the electrician, additional earthworks, …. Up to 300k€ there is still plenty of leeway.

This topic was partially addressed here ( ). Unfortunately, posts here sometimes drift completely away from the original topic.

As confirmation of my own calculation, I am always relieved when I read posts like this one ( ). Unfortunately, this is a rarity.

Does everyone here build in southern Germany or where do the extreme prices come from? Especially at the current price level, surely not everyone can build city villas with double garages. Are there home builders from Lower Saxony who can confirm similar prices for a "simple" single-family house?

Best regards

Here in the Rhein-Main area, we cannot manage with this price. The order books are full. Some even write such sentences when you do not want to drive 50 km in evening office traffic or want to take time off:

"I can absolutely understand that both your career and family take up a lot of your time. Building a house is often considered the biggest investment in life by many builders. Accordingly, such a project requires sufficient time and a clear mind. Unfortunately, this cannot be done on the side on weekends or evenings after work. For this, appointments during the day and on weekdays are always necessary in advance as well as during planning, sample selection, construction execution, final inspection, etc. Since this is not possible for you for the reasons mentioned above, I would like to refrain from an appointment and cooperation. I wish you all the best for the future and an occasional day off."

What do you think about this? Is this behavior normal for a construction company?

Break down your 170k. I assume you already have a plot of land?

With the prices, I have personally seen big differences in offers, easily up to 50k for the same services. Why do you only have one offer? That costs nothing – you should have about 5-10 comparisons – then you would see for yourself if it is legitimate.

I also don’t understand why you only have underfloor heating on the ground floor but electric shutters? Then better manual shutters and underfloor heating also on the upper floor?

You also have to be careful with the prices here – for many, "Baunebenkosten" also includes everything related to moving in – moving costs, new kitchen, furniture, etc. Pure ancillary building costs can be around 25k-30k – but it can also be 100k!

170 the house: 10 the painters and floor coverings, 10 for small goodies. 7 for utilities, 3 for drain connections, unknown earthworks, so is it flat? slope? difficult soil?, let's say 10 generously. 15 the garden/the access path etc. in simple paving plus gravel on the driveway, with lawn and basic planting. Possibly 8 for a prefabricated garage or a carport with shed.
Your house costs without land thus: 233 thousand euros.
Plan again for furniture, lamps, kitchen: 15 thousand. So you come to 248. This is all not calculated too tightly.
Karsten

PS: If the feeling is right, if the reputation of the BU is good, if the price range is normal, one offer is enough.

The question is indeed what is included in the construction service description and what is still missing from it. Of course, one can build at different price levels. To each their own pleasure. Personally, my neck hairs stand on end when I read "underfloor heating only on the ground floor." I find no rational reasons for this, and the savings effect on the investment is rather small. But it makes me imagine how the rest of the construction service description might be designed... Assuming the construction service description is already comprehensive, further significant items are added. The double garage is certainly not free, nor are the outdoor facilities. Incidental acquisition costs apply, incidental construction costs, lamps, kitchen purchase. Of course, the plot of land. In addition, a forum like this is not representative. The overwhelming majority of single-family homes in this country are built by a few large "catalog builders." The customers of these companies are perhaps not exactly those who want to discuss building materials or construction execution intensively in a forum. That is also fine. Here, rather individual construction projects are discussed and not the middle unit of a row of German terraced houses. The standard, what "standard" is, is also different. I would never think of electric shutters as an extra. Listing underfloor heating on the ground floor as a feature has, for me, as mentioned above, the opposite effect – underfloor heating is standard for me and its absence on one floor is a downgrade, not a feature.

How is the upper floor heated?

Painting work and flooring own contribution or company?

The construction service description is important. Everything that is provided by the client is added. Unfortunately, the construction service descriptions are not really comparable. Be sure to get other offers. Also look in the sample exhibition or if none is available ask for the price range e.g. for tiles. What use is it if you don't like anything and have to pay extra for everything?