First conversation with the developer - first numbers...

Hello dear forum members,

I am still really unsure whether it is better nowadays to build with a developer or with an architect given the current construction prices. We are currently in the process of getting house construction offers.

A brief introduction about us:

We are currently a household of 4 people. We are acquiring the plot from our own funds including property transfer tax and notary fees (no commission applies). The plot size is about 600 m2. The plot is designated as a building plot and fully developed (one would have a building permit in 3-4 weeks). We only have to have the development to the shaft (which is not far away) done.

Our wishes for the house:
A 1.5-story house (approx. 120 - 130 m2) with a gable roof, with storage space in the attic.
Upper floor: 3 children's rooms, bedroom, large bathroom.
Ground floor: Open kitchen, dining and living room, guest bathroom, heating and utility room, possibly also a storage room behind the kitchen.
Underfloor heating everywhere, corner bathtub, anthracite-colored roof, as well as anthracite-colored windows, roller shutters on the windows, we want to build the double garage ourselves step by step, only the floor slab should be poured, no chimney, no basement (We want to build down-to-earth, cost-effectively but also with quality, so not just the cheapest of the cheapest, but no extravagant things like golden faucets, etc.).

We want to carry out the exterior design in our own work, the painting and wallpapering work, as well as floor coverings (except tiles) and the garage (except the foundation for it) to be built later.

We have already been to the architect, who could not yet provide us with exact figures because he wants to first work out the floor plan with us. Furthermore, we have also been to a developer (Town & Country). In the first meeting, actual numbers were already provided. We are now skeptical whether this adds up, or if it was nicely calculated. Furthermore, we are unsure whether to build with a developer or an architect. What are your experiences? One often hears a lot of botched work from developers. Also, the contracts are often not watertight. With Town & Country we have so far heard nothing negative regionally, which is why we went to this developer for a first consultation. The seller was very friendly and explained many things to us patiently, but he also wants to sell, so we now think that maybe he calculated the numbers nicely for us. Therefore, we are asking for advice from experienced builders whether this is initially realistic…

The following was calculated in the first meeting: (We also emphasized that we do not want additional financing later and therefore it should not be calculated too tightly)

Construction and incidental construction costs:

Our house at Town & Country (Lichthaus) should cost the following: including the rooms mentioned above + special wishes (house color: light yellow (maybe also another one, was just an example), underfloor heating everywhere, corner bathtub, anthracite-colored roof, as well as anthracite-colored windows, roller shutters on the windows)

199,170 €

Connection fees and costs (water, wastewater, electricity, gas, sewer connection): 10,000 €
Costs for additional foundation, foundation height increase: 5,000 €
Removal of excavated earth: 1,000 €
Construction water and construction power connection: 1,000 €
Wallpapering and floor covering materials: 5,000 €
Exterior facility materials: 5,000 €
Garage 6x8 m floor slab: 8,000 €
Site plan, staking out, permit fees, other fees: 3,500 €
Interest during construction period: 2,500 €
Sampling buffer, kitchen: 10,000 €
Additional notary costs: 1,000 €

Total expenditure: 251,170 €

That would be the loan amount we would have to take out. Own work and the plot are already deducted from this.

Sounds very good in itself, but we are skeptical that he has calculated it nicely for us, or that something is still missing.

Where are, for example, the surveying costs included? All in the 3,500 €? Is that realistic?
I have often read on the internet that the item construction water and construction power connection is usually about 2,000 €. What do they mean by connection, I thought he meant consumption during the construction period. It is connected up there with the calculated 10,000 €, isn’t it?
Furthermore, we wanted to budget the kitchen with 10,000 €. So he planned 0 € sampling buffer. I think for sampling, one should easily plan another 10,000 € here, right? He always said they already have nice standards and if we don’t want golden faucets, it would be fine. According to my internet research, it is often very simple standard which does not always look very nice. Of course, we don’t want golden faucets or exaggerated things, but still a bit nice, so one should plan a sampling buffer here...

Is something still missing in the above initial statement, or is it really set too low? I am grateful for your experiences, your feedback, your tips. Also gladly about the developer Town & Country.

Best regards

Show me a 1.5-story floor plan with 120m², where you have 3 children's rooms, a bedroom, and a large bathroom on the upper floor, and also accessible storage space in the attic peak.

For most people, a simple standard is not enough, for example, the shower then only has a simple showerhead, no large showerhead or even a rain shower. As a washbasin, you get a 60cm wide basin with a simple faucet (so no larger one under which you could, for example, wash your hair) and no washstand with a matching cabinet. The toilet is not rimless, the bathtub is possibly too small, the offered tiles are not appealing, the format is too small, larger tiles cost extra, the installation is very expensive, etc. The same applies to the electrical equipment, probably far too few sockets, too little lighting, network connections, etc. It continues in the garden, with 5000 euros you don't get far. I would carefully consider beforehand what I absolutely want and inquire about the prices in advance, 20,000 euros can quickly be spent without getting luxury for it.

Best regards Sabine

A 1.5-story house (approx. 120 - 130 m2) with a gable roof, with storage space in the attic.
Upper floor: 3 children's rooms, bedroom, large bathroom.
Ground floor: Open kitchen, dining and living room, guest bathroom, heating or utility room, possibly another storage room behind the kitchen.

That’s going to be tight! I don’t see 4 bedrooms in a 120 m2 house.

Costs for additional foundation, foundation elevation: €5,000
Removal of excavated soil: €1,000
Construction water and electricity connection: €1,000
Wallpapering and flooring materials: €5,000
Exterior materials: €5,000
Garage 6x8 m slab: €8,000
Site plan, staking out, permit fees, other fees: €3,500
Interest during construction period: €2,500
Sample buffer, kitchen: €10,000
Additional notary costs: €1,000

Everything was twice as expensive for us, and that was in 2013.
Can you manage the planned own contributions?

Of course we don’t want golden faucets or exaggerated things, but a bit nice, so you’d have to plan a sample buffer here...

Definitely!

Furthermore, we are unsure whether we should build with a developer or with an architect.

Here, it does not mean Bauträger (that only refers to those who sell plots with houses – not those who build on the client’s own plot), but rather a general contractor; and your question is therefore whether you should hire such a contractor as a general contractor, or leave the construction management in "individual contracts" to an architect. If the plot itself does not present any special demands (sloping site, pentagonal or the like), I see no necessity to plan an "architect’s house" – given the described size and features, it will more or less be an off-the-shelf design anyway, in this case aka Flair 113. The only "challenge" will be to reconcile wishes/requirements and house size: for example, I see the separate dressing room for the third bedroom on the chopping block, possibly also the corner bathtub. Library gallery, open space, conservatory, straight single-flight staircase, etc., are also clearly things that won’t be included, i.e. the "non-golden" faucets here can only symbolically represent a longer "list of reason."

Town & Country is of course also found in the low-price segment, which means it does not have to be bad, but anything that deviates from the standard costs money.

If you are already talking to Town & Country, an architect with individual contracts will always be more expensive.