Financing request - How many documents are normal?

I myself had obtained financing offers for the purchase of apartment buildings during Corona / with Corona / after Corona (if one can say that) and did not have the impression that anything had changed significantly here, except that, as is known, interest rates have continuously moved downward!

We had to submit offers for every little thing (e.g. 5,000 roof frame on a 300,000 loan amount) even before Corona with single trade awarding... Very annoying and we wanted to change the bank, but they were just as strict. Stayed with Bank A and everything runs smoothly without stupid questions... (liegen aber auch gut im Kosten- und Zeitplan).

But I am not going to let my construction company see how much equity I have and how much credit I take out?!

As has already written: The architect only has to confirm the COST calculation. How it is then financed is the bank's concern.

So hire an architect completely unknown to us at great expense just to sign off the numbers

You will need an architect anyway who approves your building application. He can then also approve this breakdown.

But I’m not going to let my house company see how much equity I have and how much credit I’m taking out?! So to commission a completely unknown architect at great expense just to tick off the numbers If you can trust the other party, the loan amount vs. income/equity matches. Once a standard bank and once a house bank I would say ^^ We didn’t consider a small no-name bank. We will follow up again. Because we already asked if the “basic numbers and facts” actually fit. If not, they should just honestly say no ...

Then just name the numbers. There are some experts here. You’ll get an honest opinion

Just on the topic of the title: "your experiences with self-awarded contracts"

We got an architect who created the floor plans for us and submitted the building application on our behalf. I then selected the structural engineer, shell builder, carpenter, roofer, plumber, screed specialist, etc., myself from our area based on recommendations and reputation. I preferred companies that had already worked together. Doors and windows from Poland.

The bank only cared that the architect's stamp was on the cost estimate. Since then, there have been advance payments with which I pay the invoices of the trades. Every few months, there is a list of expenses and a photo of the construction progress sent to the bank for the next advance payment.

It goes quite smoothly and without inquiries from the bank. We also have a lot of personal work involved (drywall, electrics, flooring, ETICS, painting, exterior plaster, media shafts, wastewater). The online banks did not want to factor in so much personal work. At the Sparkasse, that was not an issue. They only wanted a list from us stating what my helpers do for a living so they knew that there was also "experience" behind it.

I'll tell you right away: it is an enormous amount of work and your job must allow you to be very flexible so that you can show up at the construction site at any time. Without professional construction supervision, one should think carefully about this.

On the other hand, you can save a lot of money through personal work and self-awarded contracts. In the end, we will land at under <300K€ for 200 sqm of living space, without making compromises on furnishing/equipment. Including ancillary construction costs.

This has nothing to do with Corona. Many aspects can lead to this, as evidence is required. Our bank demanded a signed construction cost statement from the architect. If you were the bank and had to bear the risk, you would certainly proceed in the same way. Thus, it all has its justification.