Financing volume 410k € Feasibility assessment

Yes, the slope is very steep. For us, the house connections were 12k and with wastewater, we were already approaching 17k.

But just as much, the standard land value here is over €1000/sqm and with you only a fraction of that.
So everything is hard to compare.

Sure, hard to compare. But where some build for €3,000 per sqm, others might still manage for €2,250. That aspect is way too neglected here in the forum, even before as a silent reader.

May I ask in which region? The disparity in Germany when it comes to construction costs is actually quite large … House connections cost us around 5k. But they are included in the cost estimate.

The region is the western Lake Constance hinterland. Although SIG is still one of the districts with cheaper construction costs.

House connections cost us around 5k. But they are included in the cost estimate.

By the way, house connections don’t just depend on the region but also on how you build. The farther the technical room is from the connection shaft, the more expensive it gets. 5000€ is definitely at the lower end, unless your supplier is super cheap. Luckily, that can be looked up relatively easily.

Sure, hard to compare. But where some build for 3,000 per sqm, others might manage 2,250 euros. This seems way too overlooked here in the forum, even as a silent reader before.

You have to be very careful with that. Much cheaper usually only works with a lot of own labor, and you have to be able to do that. In most trades, as a layperson you don’t have much to do. And moreover, as a working person, you’re usually way too busy to invest several man-months before moving in. If you have to rent special tools, that adds up in the long run as well. The possibilities to save costs by omitting things are becoming fewer and fewer, what many old forum members have judged unnecessary is or will soon be mandatory (keywords: solar obligation, increasingly strict energy standards, 65% "renewable" heat = death of the gas heating system, permeable paving, green roofs, ...). Cellars are often omitted but with a slope location it’s a Pyrrhic victory. Everyone has to deal with high material prices. And with friend prices, I would be cautious given full order books. Nobody is giving anything away for free. When we started planning, I also thought everyone here was exaggerating. But the more concrete everything got, the more expensive it became. But when I then hear that in my original hometown (about 8,000 inhabitants including all districts, BC) in the new development area (plots 200-250€/sqm) no house has been built for under 800,000€ anymore... then I’m still a small fish.

The shell construction is not even a friendly price. The crew earns some extra money after working hours, which, however, works with significantly cheaper hourly wages. For a bungalow here in the village, I would estimate 140 sqm + double garage, the labor costs for the client were 10,000 euros for three bricklayers. The client has to source the materials themselves through the building materials trade. It then takes 3-4 months until the shell construction is up.

Yes, electricity and telecommunications are free at the house connections (please don’t ask me why). Water and sewage were 3.5k at the other houses in our new development area. I rounded up to 5k. There is no gas.

I notice very large differences in the costs. I don’t believe construction costs around Stuttgart or Munich are the same as in the "middle of nowhere".

The shell is not even a friend price. The crew earns some extra after work, which then works via significantly cheaper hourly wages. For a bungalow here in the village, I would estimate 140 sqm + double garage, the labor costs for the builder for three masons were 10,000 euros. The builder has to obtain the material himself through the building materials trade. It then takes 3-4 months until the shell is up.

Yes, electricity and telecom are free at the house connections (please don’t ask me why). Water and sewage were 3.5k in the other houses in our new development area. I rounded up to 5k. There is no gas.

I already notice very big differences in costs. I don't believe that the construction costs around Stuttgart or Munich are the same as in the “boondocks”.

Once again my assessment on various points
a) "The crew earns some extra after work" nobody here wants that to be explained in detail ;). But you have to ask yourself whether you are sufficiently insured in case of a work accident of your crew on your construction site. Otherwise, it could get quite unpleasant.
b) A basement on a slope is probably reasonable. I know some examples with a slab on a slope and somehow the house doesn’t really stand right: Either the driveway is too steep (in one case even unusable without an SUV) or the straight parking space goes exactly into a window :eek:
However, I wonder whether a garage has to be in the basement, I estimate that means further, significant cost increases. (Please also consider the fire hazard with cars!) Possibly, a house entrance on the "basement floor" and two parking spaces in front would be a cheaper alternative at the start.
c) You should not sign a contract without knowing the exact costs for earthworks (excavation for the construction pit + possible disposal + backfilling afterwards). Go with a contract ready for signature to a civil engineer and get a corresponding offer. In our case, the costs for that (comparable house with basement (without garage!) on a slope) were in a mid five-figure range, i.e., earthworks and exterior facilities were overall six-figure.
d) I consider the suggestion to build with a general contractor (GU) very reasonable. You build with an architect if it is primarily about a great design and the budget is not particularly tight.

What do you think makes the garage such a major cost driver? If I basically convert the garage space into "living space," it seems much more expensive to me? Could you explain that a bit? :)

For me, garage means: painted floor, sprayed plaster on the wall. I don't necessarily need it tiled, for example. I also wouldn't know what additional space requirements I should accommodate there ... because our space plan has everything we need.

What do you think makes the garage such a big cost driver? If I basically convert the garage space into "living space," wouldn't that be much more expensive? Can you explain that to me a bit? :) For me, garage means: painted floor, textured roller plaster on the wall. I don't need it tiled right away, for example. I also wouldn't know what additional space requirements I should accommodate there ... because our room program has everything we need.

The garage will probably make your basement larger than without a garage, and you will therefore need to have a larger excavation pit dug. That means more expensive earthworks because more cubic meters have to be removed. A masonry garage is already a luxury version. If it is also built into the slope, is in contact with the earth, and therefore needs to be waterproofed, then all these positions add up as cost drivers, making it the super-luxury version. I would also call myself a car fan, but when building a house, I build "living space" for myself and not for our cars. That's why they are kept outside. :) Instead of a luxury garage, I'd rather have some luxury in the interior. But everyone has to set their own priorities. Your first step to saving with a tight budget is to do without masonry garages. (Not to mention basement garages) With a 650m2 plot, you can easily fit a spacious garden shed at a fraction of the price....