Financing construction of a single-family house in Southern Germany, 180m²

Then you can already significantly reduce your costs ("costs" time though). I completed a core renovation to below KfW55 standard in EL for well under €1,000/sqm. So there is quite a bit possible in EL.

Yes, you need time, that is true, which as always is not available in full measure. My plan would be, if the plot requires it and a basement becomes necessary, to only finish it later. Important at the beginning are bedrooms, children's rooms, bathroom, kitchen. Everything else can take its time. Through smart purchasing of materials, I was already able to save in the past. Heat pump Jeisha from Spain. Tiles also from Spain directly from the manufacturer at half price and top quality. Window sills strangely cost half as much in NRW as here in BaWü. I don't think everything is possible everywhere, but sometimes it is.

The building area is supposed to be this one: "Engwiesen II - 1st construction phase"

Excellent, that's the best way to indicate the source of your development plan here!

The (!) trap is the obligation for cold local heating. One would need more details to know if this becomes an absolute dealbreaker...

I agree with that.

(I know you should always let the masons do the masonry because they know it best)
[...] foundation slab or cellar/partial cellar according to cellar rule by @11ant [...]
1. Order property surveying yourself before talking to GCs
2. Commission architect for service phases 1+2
3. Wait
4. Request GCs or possibly continue with the architect up to phase 5

Wonderful, that goes down like oil – Conductor, a fanfare please!

2. only installs
6. only installs plastic windows

It’s not that bad that you have to mention this restriction twice. PVC as standard is normal for GCs, but not offering an upgrade, no. If you already...

3. wanted to talk me into a lift-and-slide door (which I explicitly did not want)

... reasonably not wanting to go with the lift-and-slide trend, you more or less only have the aluminum front door as a stress factor – as far as you want to stay within the economy range. Of course, it pleases me – even if I no longer deal with it myself – when pure aluminum is otherwise preferred (or what would be your preference instead of PVC?).

Things I didn’t like about him:
1. He only builds with YTONG [...]
4. For a gable roof he doesn’t want to build with an open ridge (too expensive for him)
5. Bay windows and projections make no cost difference for him (I was a bit stunned because that contradicts everything I know, [...]
7. I wanted a wall heating behind the shower in the bathroom --> he can’t implement that
8. He advises against a solid staircase (okay, a matter of taste and design/costs)

1) what bothers you about aerated concrete #4) do I guess correctly that he wants to do rafter roofs? #5) if purlins are too expensive for his roof, this point also causes further surprise and skepticism for me, but with 7) he would be dead for me anyway (not because I wanted one like that, but because you must be allowed to want it and he must be able to deliver it) #8) I assume he (only?) has the clad steel structure in his program?

180m² living space, 1 study on the ground floor, 2 children’s rooms, bedroom with dressing room and separate bathroom, children’s bathroom upstairs, storage room upstairs

5. Planning and competent architect. Good planning can make a 160sqm house more usable than a 200sqm house ==> costs the architect but saves a three-figure sum in thousands in construction.

I also suspect the desire for the area comes from the current house plus where one would like slightly more. And I also see that good planning can significantly reduce that. 20 extra square meters at 3k makes 60k, more than an architect costs for an entire single-family house.

Solid staircase, straight or U-shaped as a landing staircase

Two flights always relieve the floor plan, but U or L is neutral.

Plan fixed glazing to save money

Which should not be overestimated, and often only works well on the ground floor.

1. Where else can I save?

with restraint in construction (which I do not see with you ==> no plastic windows, wall heating in the bathroom, solid staircase ...) and/or EL

3. How would you proceed?

According to my plan, as said, gladly customized individually – I look forward to your call.

4. Individual contracting, yes or no?
5. Where are the traps?

4) Now I am a little bit disappointed: I have written a lot here about it (keywords individual contracting / self-contracting / Gerddieter); that attentive readers of my mantras might overlook this (?) #5) point 4 is already enough of a collection of traps; otherwise keywords tendering (I just wrote about it again yesterday and today, partly in bold) and site manager with and without quotation marks.

Excellent, this is the cleverest way to indicate the reference of your development plan here!

I agree.

Wonderful, that goes down like oil for me - Mr. Conductor, a fanfare!

It’s not that bad that you have to mention this restriction twice. PVC as standard is normal for the general contractor, but not to offer an upgrade, no. If you already ...

Probably a mistake, it should only be mentioned once.

... reasonably don’t want to go along with the lift-and-slide fashion, the only stress element left more or less is to take the aluminum front door - as far as you want to stay within the economy frame. Of course, I’m pleased - even if I don’t handle it myself anymore - if pure aluminum is preferred otherwise (or what would be your preference instead of PVC?).

When it comes to windows, I am actually undecided. In the current house we have wooden windows from a carpenter from the neighboring town. They are upkeep-intensive and good PVC windows are better than bad wooden windows. Aluminum was also considered.

1) what bothers you about aerated concrete #4) I suspect correctly that he wants to do trussed roofs? #5) if purlins for the roof are too expensive for him, this point also causes further surprise and skepticism for me, but with 7) he would be dead to me anyway (not because I wanted such, but because one should be allowed to want them and he has to be able to do it) #8) I assume he (only?!) has the clad steel frame in the program?

1) actually nothing, it depends on the mason what he prefers to use, that’s why I didn’t want to commit. My dream would be a double-shell with sand-lime brick, mineral wool, air space, recycled clinker brick Reich format. But sometimes you have to let things slide. I see that. He didn’t say whether he does purlin roof or trusses. I also don’t know when you get a construction performance description, just before signing? 7) He says that doesn’t fit, it looks too bulky. (But I like to decide that for myself)

I also suspect the desire for the area comes from the current house plus where you would like to have a bit more. And I also see that good planning can significantly reduce that. 20 chub square meters at 3k make 60k, more than an architect costs for a single-family house in total.

Hit the nail on the head “from the current house plus x.”

4) now I am a little bit disappointed after all: I have written a lot here (keywords individual award / own award / Gerddieter) about it; that precisely otherwise attentive readers of my mantras can overlook this (?) #5) point 4 is already a collection of pitfalls enough; otherwise keywords tender (I just wrote partially in bold again about it yesterday and today) and site manager with and without quotation marks.

It was worth a try. I know the good architect knows his stuff, has contacts, knows his men. But finding him, not easy.

1) Actually nothing, it depends on the mason what he prefers to work with, so I didn’t want to commit. My dream would be a double-shell with sand-lime brick, stone wool, air gap, recycled clinker in Reichsformat. But sometimes you have to let things slide. I understand that too. Whether he does a purlin roof or trusses he didn’t say. I also don’t know when you get a construction service specification, shortly before signing? 7) He says that doesn’t fit, it looks too bulky. (But I like to decide that myself)

I don’t understand wall heating being too bulky. You should get the construction service specification at the latest upon request as an interested party, the speed of response is exactly what scores most points (but many general contractors don’t understand that).

It was worth a try. I know the good architect knows his stuff, has contacts, knows his people. But finding one is not easy.

As I said, I’m looking forward to your call, then everything else almost happens by itself. Kind of like with Jim Rockford, if anyone still knows him.

My dream would be a double shell with sand-lime brick, stone wool, air space, recycled clinker Reichsformat.

I thought you wanted to build somewhat cheaply? The wall construction you dreamed of is by far the most expensive option you can choose.

I thought you wanted to build somewhat cheaply? The wall construction you dreamed of is by far the most expensive option you can choose.

Dreams sometimes have to remain just dreams. I am open to any value-for-money solution.