Estimate of construction costs for a single-family house in the Tübingen area

In the subforum you mentioned, you will find almost only supraregional entries. And the regional part is wrong in the listing, namely sorted alphabetically and not by postal code – if I remember correctly. You can forget it! It’s just not the best of the best, uh, pages.

I didn’t mean the categories 293 or 324, but 119: and I recall quite a few detailed reports there, where people searching for companies have given comparative references about several visited providers. The titles mostly contain a city name or one of the visited providers. Since a good general contractor usually operates regionally, one searches there alternatively to “Tübingen,” for example, for Reutlingen, Böblingen, or Calw (several hits, unfortunately none with “Freudenstadt,” but that’s enough anyway).

Huh, what? I can tell you really enjoy wordplays. But for me the topic is very serious and yes, I have great respect for it. It’s too cryptic for me, but a smile still sneaks out now and then.

Cryptic, oh please. The Schrödinger experimental setup is widely available and popularly explained in an easily understandable way; I myself only have a secondary school diploma with a grammar school background. Broad education doesn’t hurt and you can use it universally, so don’t hesitate like Hector – tackle the meatballs!
I like to illustrate with picture comparisons that more or less everyone knows – admittedly, in some places the “insider knowledge” of being born before the Kohl era helps the penny drop faster.

That sounds more understandable to me – but why? Because Town & Country has such a low construction service description?

Town & Country has a high proportion of inexperienced / career-changing franchisees and therefore does not appear in the field of the people who seek my advice.

I guess the choice for the general contractor means no more free planning.

It almost hurts how badly you listen. We have long since established here that you will probably reach your goal best with a shell construction rather than a move-in ready general contractor (or with an outfitter builder) and a free architect who also advises you on the description of services. Stop sticking to the idea of wanting to fight the Economy move-in ready general contractor dragon armed with an Excel sword. I work nationwide and I am absolutely sure that among the people who can (easily) help you I am by far not the only one!
Do you want to “build” or do you want to “complain that building is complicated”?

You simply need 1. a free architect for initially only module A, then 2. during the dough’s rest phase a decision-making point (with, for example, me or alone), then following the result 3. a maturation of the preliminary design or adjustment of an alternative construction proposal (depending on whichever fits better, not even the crystal ball can peek around the corner here), and 4. only then (“already now” would be pure nonsense) a “final” search for providers (for example with a building consultant like me), where the architect develops the construction service description with you and assembles the team of craftsmen. 0. You can register your demons for bulky waste collection.

Thanks, I understand that well and can continue reading [ / ] Probably true – I will continue reading in the subforum, thanks for the tip.

In both cases, I don’t understand what you mean.

I wasn’t referring to categories 293 or 324, but 119: and I recall quite a few detailed reports where people searching for companies compared several providers they had visited. The headings mostly include a city name or one of the visited providers. Since a good general contractor (GU) usually operates regionally, you can alternatively search for "Reutlingen," "Böblingen," or "Calw" instead of "Tübingen" (several hits; unfortunately none with "Freudenstadt," but that’s enough).

Krypsis, oh come on. Especially the Schrödinger experimental setup is widely available and popularly explained in an understandable way—I myself only have a secondary school education with some high school background. Broad education doesn’t hurt and can be used universally, so without hesitation, like Hector attacking the meatballs! I like to illustrate with picture comparisons that almost everyone knows—admittedly, in some places the "insider knowledge" of having been born before the Kohl era helps the penny to drop faster.

Town & Country has a high proportion of inexperienced / career-changing franchisees and therefore does not appear in the field of those seeking advice from me.

It almost hurts how poorly you listen. We have long since worked out here that you will probably reach your goal best with a shell construction GU instead of a turnkey GU (or a house for finishing yourself) and a freelance architect who also advises you on the service description. Stop fixating on wielding the sword of an Excel table to fight the dragon of the turnkey economy GU. I am active nationwide and know for sure that I’m by far not the only one who can (easily) help you! Do you want to "build" or do you want to "complain that building is complicated"?

You simply need 1. a freelance architect initially just for module A, then 2. during the resting phase a decision (with e.g. me or alone), followed by 3. the maturing of the preliminary design or adjustment of an alternative building proposal (depending on what fits better—here even the crystal ball can’t foresee ahead), and 4. only then ("already now" would be pure nonsense) a "final" supplier search (e.g. with a construction consultant like me), during which the architect prepares the service description with you and assembles the team of craftsmen. 0. You can register your demons for bulky waste.

I don’t understand where you mean this in either case.

I know Schrödinger’s cat—I might be averse to it because I’m a person who prefers dogs.

I’m listening, but I didn’t get a unified picture of how your approach would be. Just to be sure again what you mean in my layman’s understanding. I have to understand the path exactly first before I "pester" until I get it. I thought GU equals GU (something like a Fingerhaus, Hanse Haus). "Shell houses" where as a layman I have to coordinate with craftsmen are out! What I can do is lay wooden floors, do (or have done) painting work, build terraces and paths, and rather small things. No doors, no windows, no technology, no screed.

According to this recommendation, you say (also in this post ):

1. Approach a freelance architect who charges a flat fee in our case because "cost saving." State your wishes and requirements for life in the house: what is important to me, what is not. What can I afford (I believe I once read that an architect can roughly estimate 10–20%—right? How do I even find an architect who charges a flat fee?

2. The product from this/these conversation(s) is a preliminary design that hopefully fits the budget (right?).

3. This preliminary design includes a 3D representation and a "plan" showing how the access and parking options could look, how the building envelope was utilized, plus floor plan and description of the individual areas in sqm of the hallway, rooms, as well as windows and doors, etc., at scale 1:100, correct?

4. With this preliminary design, you can approach "house-building companies" and obtain offers, which are then compared based on their construction and service description where you get the best price-performance ratio.

5. Now comes your resting phase and decision moment? Pause: what did I want, what do I get, what can I afford? Construction periods, construction start, etc.

6. If adjustments are necessary to the floor plan, I can return to the freelance architect or enter further discussions to improve offers with the remaining "house builders"?

7. If one can also do a selection of materials during one signing, that would be great; I found this in the forum here .

7.1 In case one selects materials after signing, as mentioned in thread 7, the possible risks should be known (or as noted in this thread, assume about €50,000, but that was probably related to Town & Country).

7.2 If one selects materials before signing, great, then you have better cost transparency.

8. Purchase contract signed, material selection takes place in case 7.1 or 7.2, and the "parts list" or cost plan according to which the price guarantee is designed, stands. I wonder what I signed in 7.1. Feels weird.

8.1 Detailed planning starts and "building permit-worthy" plans are ready, whether with the GU architect or freelance architect; no idea, I would tend to the GU architect here? This "plan" is submitted for approval.

9. Hopefully, building permit is granted and no changes need to be made, otherwise go back to step 8.1.

10. Execution planning

11. Award phase

12. Shell construction phase (inspector for security)

13. Interior finishing phase

14. Possible own work also parallel to 13, though that presumably requires a lot of coordination.

15. Acceptance by authority / inspector etc.

You can see that if steps 1 to 9 were done right, from 9 on my knowledge is very thin, and I really wouldn’t want ten contact persons in these phases.

If I understood the previous post correctly, we should take this path, but I don’t understand what exactly a "shell construction GU" is.

I know Schrödinger's cat - it may be that I am biased because I am a person who prefers dogs...

Fully agree! Building clients choose different ways to reach their goal; in my own projects, it was different each time. As another possibility for you, I could well imagine the following, since you apparently have a relatively easily buildable plot and your necessary floor plan requirement profile probably applies to 80% of usual home builders (apart from minor adjustments): 1. Determine the approximate living area based on the €3,000 rule of thumb + additional costs. 2. Pick one of the trillions of floor plans that appeals to you as much as possible and is also compatible with the development plan. 3. Post this floor plan here, specifying your individual needs (although this probably already exists online). 4. Largely define insulation standard, level of equipment (controlled residential ventilation, underfloor heating, photovoltaics, shading, etc.). 5. Firmly check what and how much your buddies are willing/able to contribute. 6. Take this to the construction company you have already found suitable and/or another provider in the region. 7. Contact the bank with these key data. The individuality of your house can still be implemented later, whether by color of the plaster, partial wood cladding, window shapes, etc. I think a classic rectangle will be a sensible building shape for this. After that, you will probably already have a clear direction or the realization of what/where you need to make changes in your wish list. The thing with your buddies sounds dangerously unclear to me so far. If they (as you hinted) really take over tiling and painting work completely and you can add your part elsewhere, that means a considerable saving that will give you more freedom elsewhere. Of course, you should also factor in that at some point you will have to throw the same stone into your buddies' garden in the same or other ways. I’m not saying this is a royal road, but based on what I have read so far, I can well imagine it like this, and in conversation with this construction company or one of your new neighbors, further options may arise. The lack of knowledge you fear will diminish over time when you deal with the details. For all topics, there are extensive threads here, for example on heating, floors, photovoltaics and so on, as well as on financing. The more you contribute, the more you get back.

I have the impression that you keep going around in circles, even though you have already gathered a lot of information. This happens when you are structured in terms of content but not in the decision-making process. This process gets confused when evaluations are made before priorities are clear – and admittedly, in this respect, the otherwise very helpful forum is sometimes counterproductive.

First, form a will with prioritization. Then fix the budget and clarify with the financer. Then a rough comparison with one or another contact person – this can also be done without a concrete offer, for example in a conversation in a show house, with a general contractor, or with an architect. Then evaluate what is possible and what is not. Then a finer comparison with 2 providers that come into consideration. Decide and get started or let it go.

To the construction partner, I would state a budget 15% lower than you are prepared and able to finance. This gives you the breathing room you need during construction or when incorporating a wish.

I know Schrödinger's cat - it may be that I am biased because I am a person who prefers dogs...

Slowly I am starting to feel like you are teasing me. In times of fluid gender identities, it is of course completely free whether you virtually “perform” the Schrödinger experiment with a cat, a dog, or a Wolpertinger. You even grow a seventh leg to stand more thoroughly on the hose. Soon you will have to play here alone. Let's leave it at that.

I’m already listening, but then I didn’t get a consistent picture of what your approach would be. Just to be sure again what you mean in my layman’s understanding. I need to understand the process exactly first, before I “pester” until I get it.

No, you are not listening, and you don’t even need to put your pestering in quotation marks, because by doing that you halve your number of readers here every hour. Whether I or another independent consultant or an architect or accompanying expert or or — nobody will patiently stroke you until you are literally “the last one who gets it.” Eventually you will have to overcome your phobia shadow and trust one or the other expert who knows the way to your own home. No one will rewind time in the universe for you so that you can personally convince yourself of the Big Bang again. Water is wet between 0 and 100 degrees Celsius — accept this fact now or live in your own world (and then simply don’t build a house). By the way, do you actually have the purchase option for the plot kept open until 2028 or 2030?

You keep asking questions here that have already been explained to you multiple times. Apparently, you haven’t really read the house-building roadmap — neither from me (where the editorial hotline is also mentioned at the top and bottom) nor the handful of individual roadmaps that I alone have spoon-fed here in the forum in the last six months. The latest post in the “Reloaded” series goes extensively into the resting period and the critical decision-making. Also, the explanations of the products “Weichenstellung” and “Auswahlbegleitung” in the services section leave none of your questions unanswered, and additionally, there is the possibility of dialog via the “comment” function.

I thought GU (general contractor) is just GU (something like a , ). [ / ] If I understood the post before correctly, we should take this path, but I don’t understand what a "Rohbau GU" (shell/construction general contractor) actually is.

Every contractor (if they work with wood, usually called a “prefab house manufacturer”) who brings all the teammates needed to build a complete home is a general contractor (GU). If he only brings the teammates needed up to the construction status of a “weatherproof shell”, then he is a shell/general contractor (Rohbau-GU) (or as wood specialists say: “finishing house manufacturer”). And no, apparently you didn’t understand that either, because first:

“Finishing houses” where as a layman I have to coordinate with craftsmen fall out!

... no, a shell or finishing house (which you then complete with an architect) is exactly what is suitable for you alone, and second...

What I can do is lay wooden floors, do painting work (or have it done), build terraces and access paths and rather small things.

... you again ignore that what you can do yourself (or with friends) only counts if it also fits into the schedule of your general contractor. Here again all signs clearly point to the shell-GU (and the architect as your advisor).

After this recommendation you say (also in this post )
1. Approach an independent architect who in our case bills a flat fee because “cost saving”.

Below you now do not list what I said in the linked place, but rattle off your own list. Regarding a flat fee for saving costs, I do not recognize my recommendation, only the starting point to approach the independent architect matches my advice.

(I think I read somewhere that an architect can roughly estimate at 10-20% - right? [...] 2. The product from this/these conversation(s) is a preliminary draft that hopefully fits in the budget, (right?).

Performance phase 2 culminates in a preliminary draft, which is supposed to be volumetrically accurate not only in form but also budget-wise, and yes, also correctly with a still rough accuracy.

3. In this preliminary draft you get a 3D representation and a “plan” of how the access road + parking possibility could look like, how the building envelope is utilized + floor plan + description of the individual areas in square meters of the hallway, rooms, as well as windows and doors etc. at a scale of 1:100, right?
4. With this preliminary draft one can approach “house building companies” and get offers, these are compared based on their construction and service descriptions, where do I get the best price-performance ratio.

3D, if you want, yes; 1:200 scale is appropriate and practical, 1:100 is more the favorite of inexperienced young architects (who also popularly misinterpret the instrument “preliminary draft”). The preliminary draft can be used for a building inquiry and for the decision-making process, where it should not yet be about a half-final service description, but convincingly about the price-performance ratio between the wood (Holzer) and masonry (Steiner) routes for the realization of the concrete project.

5. Now comes your resting period and decision-making? Pause, what did I want, what do I get, what can I afford? Construction times, construction start etc.
6. If adjustments are necessary to the floor plan, can I then go back to the independent architect or do I then enter further discussions to improve offers with the remaining “house builders”?

The resting period can, as I said, already be read extensively. The decision-making is done by directing an initial inquiry round (no casting round!) to a balanced handful (four to six) of participants and evaluating the responses expertly (which is why it is only possible but not advisable to do this as a layman on your own). Adjustments are made about equally often to the previous preliminary draft or to an alternative construction proposal (from the range of received answers). This works best through the architect in cooperation with the provider; often the advisees want me to do this as well (and colleagues will not be much different).

The further process of detailed planning and sampling is already as diverse here as the responses from the decision-making.

The lack of knowledge you fear will gradually diminish over time as you deal with the details.

A remainder of lacking knowledge should not be stubbornly fought at all costs.

For all topics there are extensive threads here, such as heating, floors, photovoltaics and so on.

But there is also the 11ant Steinemantra, which should not only be applied to wall formers, it applies no less to heating-ventilation-air conditioning & Co!

I have the impression that you manage to run around in circles again and again, even though you have already gathered a lot of information. This happens when you are structured in the matter but not in the decision-making process.
This gets confused when evaluations are made before priorities are clear — and admittedly in this respect the otherwise very helpful forum is sometimes counterproductive.

Whether questioners struggle despite or because of the amount of information is often diagnostically difficult to differentiate.

I would mention a 15% lower budget to the construction partner than you are financing

Very good tip, thanks - we are currently approaching the financing institutions to know the framework (monthly burden etc.) but that would of course also be a way. Maybe that also caused the unrest.