Expansion house or turnkey

Hello little family from Bavaria dreams of owning a home... A few years ago I always wanted to renovate a 70s building, tear everything out and rebuild to today's standards... (trained plumber/heating/ventilation technician)... meanwhile I am of the opinion (due to house prices) that building new costs almost the same and you have something new... We are considering building a solid house ready-made... (Town & Country, etc....) The plot is pretty secure... The question is turnkey or shell house... (more money vs. more time investment) Own contribution is definitely mandatory for me, every craftsman understands that... (either way, the question is to what extent) Sanitary, heating, electrical would not be a problem... I can also do tiling, drywall, have screed layer, master electrician, plasterer on hand,... I am also of the opinion that with self-construction one can counteract botched work, for example by observing drying phases, material selection, .... My question is who has already done extensive self-construction of a shell house... Is there a comparison to a turnkey offer? (savings) Does anyone have a list of all positions for own contribution in a shell house? (for calculation) Would the person in hindsight still prefer to build turnkey with own contribution? You rarely read much about shell houses here... but maybe there is a craftsman here who has struggled with the same consideration .... Time pressure would "actually" not be an issue for us since we live rent-free but now want something of our own and if it were so, every free minute would be spent on it. Of course, no one replaces the time you then cannot spend with your family... I look forward to answers!

In my experience, a general contractor is not worth it if you want to do a proper amount of work yourself. Better to hire an architect who does not charge according to HOAI and to contract the trades yourself.

In my experience, a general contractor is not worth it if you want to do proper own work. Better to have an architect who does not bill according to HOAI and to contract the trades yourself.

Where is there more own work than in a shell house?... except masonry and roofing yourself

Own contributions are the same. The price, however, is not.

Here you read very little about the topic of self-build houses... but maybe there is a craftsman here who has struggled with the same consideration

That may be because, on the one hand, most people here earn more at their workplace in one hour in their profession than they can effectively save. An amateur, even a self-proclaimed "universal" craftsman, takes twice to three times as long as an experienced one, uses the necessary machines, messes up his car by obtaining materials, strains and mistreats his body, and bears all responsibility. Without a warranty. The others, in addition to today’s obligatory EL of floor coverings and painting work, also do doors or roof conversion.

Screed layers, master electricians, plasterers on hand,...

Something like that calls again for an architect house. The question is what you mean by that. Craftsmen have to earn a living too. Even those you know. So you save little. And there is no warranty under the table. Banks also resist financing if everything is to be built little by little and by yourself. Have you ever inquired at Town & Country to what extent they are open to that? The GCs have a mixed calculation...

Only having the shell construction done by Town & Country should be possible. A friend of mine did that too. I don't know if the same builder is working in MSP as with us. Here, you don't hear anything bad about Town & Country.

You have to procure the materials yourself. I don't think you save money there. The immense amount of personal work should not be underestimated. Roughly estimated, about 1800 to 2000 working hours were necessary for the interior construction for us. That would be one year full-time at a 40-hour week. Acquaintances have been spending every spare minute on the construction site for almost a year, including father, father-in-law, and friends. Instead of spending a lot of time, they moved into the construction site. In principle, it is doable. Some people here do it.

Every paid craftsman's hour reduces the savings.

Not every craftsman delivers poor quality, just as not every personal effort is flawless.