House Construction Cost Overview, 2024, Experiences and Summary

Hello everyone

We finished the house construction (without the outdoor area) in winter 24/25. I am summarizing the story here with some details and information about costs and the process. Also as an experience and information for those planning a house build. I would also like to hear your opinion on the construction costs so far (see below) and maybe your experience for comparison. Honestly, I don’t know whether we paid a fair price or if we were somewhat ripped off.

We built a turnkey, sustainable, and QNG+ certified prefabricated house with a construction company from Lower Franconia, KfW40+, not a show house, but individually planned, yet not an architectural masterpiece. Wooden structure, 142m2 living space, 2 full floors, hipped roof, attic as storage space but not expandable

As said: turnkey, since we are both employed and have no clue about house building in a self-performance regime.

Construction start 04.2024, completion 10.2024 with handover of keys (actually fast)
The company praised the quality as medium to high.
Here are some details:
142 living space, 3 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms
Floor slab included in the price
Ventilation system from Fr. Wolf
Heat pump also Wolf
Photovoltaic system with battery storage 10.5kW
Windows: floor-to-ceiling elements in all rooms, triple glazing, security windows RC2, windows total approx. 39m2 area
In the basement blinds with raffstore, in the upper floor roller shutters, electric
The basement is tiled, 60x60 cm tiles, price: €58.5 / m2
In the upper floor laminate, medium wear resistance level
Bathrooms: basement approx. 10 m2, tiles 60x60cm and 120x60 for €58.5 /m2 respectively €90 /m2 (shower), the shower is barrier-free 1x1.5m area, shower partition made of glass
Bathroom upper floor also approx. 10m2, tiles 60x120cm full height, shower as above + bathtub
No recirculation system
No smart home
Wooden staircase: oak, wooden handrail, staircase wall glass
Interior doors standard white
Front door: solid wood

House price: 506,000
The construction company also took care of the drainage system up to the sewer, cost €6k
Architect and structural engineer 8.5k, whereby the floor plan was practically sketched by an architect in the family circle who lives abroad, therefore the official signature from an architect in Germany was needed.

Total house build costs (without outdoor area, other earthworks, carport/garage, land, further incidental costs, etc.) 520k, thus approx. €3600/m2 in the year 2024.

The price was indicated to us as average, I still find it high, and despite above-average income, barely affordable with current interest rates. Prices around €3000/m2 for construction are repeatedly mentioned.

Now comes the outdoor area, and I am optimistically calculating that in the end we will land at approx. €5k/m2 (here with house, outdoor area, incidental costs, land, and hopefully carport) and all this in the Rhön.

Regards

Thank you very much for your objective and focused report.

Prices of around 3000/m2 for construction are repeatedly mentioned.

Yes, exactly. On average. So the average price per square meter - of course does not reflect the north-south disparity.
Your equipment is already above the average standard: many window surfaces, venetian blinds, large tiles that make installation expensive.
In this respect, your costs fit the picture very well.

We were told that the price is average, but I still find it high and, despite above-average incomes, barely manageable with the current interest rates. Prices of around 3000/m2 for construction are repeatedly mentioned.

These are pure construction costs - cost groups 300/400. So only the construction + technology. You are at +/- 3,000€/sqm, which is quite appropriate since you have built better than average with KfW 40 QNG.

The additional construction costs - architect, planning, etc - come on top of the 3000€/sqm.

The price is fine, the equipment good. You are including things in there that the others at 3000tsd/qm don’t have, such as Photovoltaik, Speicher, RC2 windows, large tiles, oak staircase with glass railing, etc...

Moin! First of all, congratulations on the build! Sounds like a well thought-out and properly planned house project. That you’re wondering whether the price was “okay” is absolutely understandable, probably most builders feel the same.

If you look at it soberly: your project is definitely not a run-of-the-mill house. Custom planning, KfW 40+, QNG certification, large window areas with RC2, photovoltaic system with storage, high-quality tiles and an oak-glass staircase, that’s simply an upscale finish, even if you don’t call it an “architectural masterpiece.” Many of these extras noticeably drive the price up, but rightly so.

That the house price is at 506k results in about €3,560/m² for 142 m² of living space. Including incidental costs, you’re looking at around €3,660/m² – that is definitely at the upper end of the scale, but still within the range currently asked for higher-quality prefabricated houses. And knowing that you’re building in the new development area in the Rhön (so not big-city prices, but not somewhere in the middle of nowhere either), that doesn’t sound over the top for 2024.

The often cited €3,000/m² is mostly the price for standard equipment without photovoltaic, without storage, without RC2 windows, etc. You really can’t use that as a benchmark when you want to build more high-quality and sustainable like you do.

All things considered, I think: you haven’t scored a bargain, but you also haven’t paid an exorbitant price. With your equipment, that fits. And if in a few years it still looks like it does today, then it was probably exactly the right decision.

I’d be interested to know if looking back you would do anything differently?