How expensive was your conscription / hidden costs?

It may sound crazy, but when the doorbell rings, I go to the door and open it. Why would I need the ability to open the door electrically in a single-family house?

It is actually sometimes practical. My study is on the upper floor, so I can just quickly press the button on the intercom system and, if necessary, open it. It was included as standard by our general contractor, otherwise I wouldn’t have done it either. Most of the time I also forget that we even have something like that ;) The question is also what exactly an electric door opener is. Here we have the electric latch. If the door is locked, it can open all it wants. A completely different thing is a motor lock, which can also unlock locked doors. And of course, that shouldn’t be shared recklessly on the internet.

Something completely different is a motor lock, which can also unlock locked doors. And of course it shouldn't be hanging on the internet with its bare ass.

Nice expression, I didn't know that one yet!

Unreserved agreement in terms of content. Everything that opens the house must be secured at least well enough so that it is the least attractive target in the entire neighborhood.

At the latest when you can unlock the whole place with a simple command, it's interesting to have a few more LAN sockets and, in addition to logical network segmentation, also physical network segmentation.

Of course, it also works without that, please feel free to put everything from the Chinese game console to app-controlled sex toys to the door lock all on the same Wi-Fi – it's just so convenient. But then please don't complain afterwards. Whoever advertises their digital ass on the internet shouldn't be surprised if it eventually itches.

Something completely different is a motor lock, which can also unlock locked doors. And of course, it shouldn't be exposed naked on the internet

It was offered to us as well. I asked the door guy about durability and maintenance, and he said - sure, it has a motor, it can also break down. When he then told me how much it costs to repair something like that, I politely declined (probably would have anyway).

Preaching a life in yesterday as a societal standard does not bring forth any innovations.

I also live in the past. And the so-called innovation is none: it only means anonymity.

This way I can let people in when no one is home but someone rings (video intercom).

Why should you let people in when no one is there? Aunt Trulla would have announced herself; I have been standing in the kitchen since the morning for her. My parents also know that I am working and where. And nowadays, with cell phones, no one just stands in front of a door—you ring first to see if it’s convenient. Our children also register themselves with effort.

I am at work, the child is at the door and forgot the key. Rings, I see the junior on the camera and can open.

If the child has a key, it is also old enough to learn a lesson from it and wait. That’s how it was back then.

There should also be trusted neighbors where you and the child can stay for a few hours.

I am on vacation, my package was delivered to the neighbor but he did not realize we were not home.

You give them the key in advance in confidence so they can water the plants and bring the mail inside. That way you save the expensive upgrade of a parcel box and irrigation system for pots. The neighbors can also take care of the trash bins right away.

The housekeeper is coming a bit later today, but I have an important appointment; she rings, I open remotely.

Then she will surely also be under video surveillance right away? ;) Or is that to be categorized under the rarity of trust?

Example: Although a doorbell is considered in the construction and service description, there is no electric door opener. Might be a small thing, but such things add up...

Well, if that is a small thing for you, then what are the almost indispensable sockets for you?

Meanwhile, upgrades have crept into house construction, for which I can’t even estimate the additional price because we don’t have them:
Children’s bathroom, i.e., a third sanitary facility, everywhere a second window for cross-ventilation, blinds not only electric but also smart-controlled, kitchen as a show kitchen and therefore a back kitchen disguised as a pantry. Naturally, extravagant wishes like an electric door opener also fit in. We don’t even have an innovative electric can opener yet, so I actually can’t really comment :cool:

Except:
Since average houses have different construction service descriptions but don’t include the best or most stylish options—somewhere the general contractor has to make a cut—the following applies:

- For technical things that are more comfort and whose utility is only noticeable when living there, approx. €20,000 (e.g. ventilation, hot water boiler, water filter)

Visible and tangible comfort, but there is no flat cost limit here:
- In the bathroom, e.g., higher-quality sanitary equipment, pedestals, stainless steel corners on the walls…
- Many want a staircase that looks like more than just beech finger-jointed wood.
- The classic: more expensive tiles, larger tiles, which usually mean more expensive installation. Seamless installation or seamless walls
- The classic: more sockets, many sockets, speaker sockets, LAN and co, empty conduits, higher-quality switches, SAT, spots, spots, spots, wall outlets, two-way switches, exterior electricity, outdoor water tap, second outdoor water tap…

- Reinforcement of drywall, elaborate cisterns, roof tiles, paneling in plastic, large window areas, higher ceilings, taller doors, higher-quality doors, flush door frames, flush baseboards, higher quality plaster not in gypsum but with lime, higher-quality window sills, … basically everything in higher quality or more upscale, each general contractor, each prefab house builder takes “their” prices, not those of others. In prefabricated construction, you are bound to the prices anyway; in solid construction, you can conclude contracts with craftsmen on the shell. Magic words are flush and seamless… immediately.
But between you and me: if you identify with this, then you will not be doing any self-work on the splash guard.

Overall, there is no upper limit, only discipline. When the electrician installed the doorbell about a week before handover, we were already broke :D
If you want this or that nice-to-have, you can budget 5-20% of the house price. Everyone sets their own priorities.

you are of course right regarding your reality of life. That is completely fine. Ours just looks different and that is why this feature is relevant.

Last week we had a sampling appointment for the bathroom fittings. They wanted 3500 euros for just one washbasin (130cm, 1 basin) - madness. I had searched a bit on the internet beforehand and found exactly these basins for 1300. Now we furnished 2 bathrooms for the price of one basin from the pharmacist.

Regarding electricity, our general contractor wanted 80 euros for a simple network socket, 160 euros for a double one. When I asked how he justified the surcharge for a double socket and more cables at that price, he mumbled around. I’d rather take a simple one and if needed, a POE-powered switch on the wall. Same for sockets. Either a multi-extension behind the cupboard or, if it really bothers you: core drill, put an in-wall socket next to the existing socket, wire it up, replace the frame, done.

Regarding smart home and electric shutters: offer for KNX in the base version was a 30k surcharge. Declined gratefully - I’m doing it myself now with Shelly/Zigbee/Wifi components. The shutters go up when the smoke detectors trigger. The main water valve closes when a water sensor reports a leak. For me, it’s less about showing my friends that I can switch something on and off with a cool app. Everything has to make sense AND be financially justifiable. At 30k that, in my opinion, is not the case - but I also know how to install and program it myself. Other people see that differently.

Many apparently want to build a house as a show to show what they have when visitors come. Sometimes it looks inside like a furniture store - clean and sterile. You also notice that, as you wrote, in many kitchens. People have steam ovens that even burn pasta water. One wonders why... We stored our 6-year-old Ikea kitchen and are reinstalling it almost exactly as it was - with all the quirks and appliances (but new countertops) :cool:

We also looked at and calculated floors. Parquet, laminate, vinyl, etc. It will now be glued vinyl, also in the bathrooms. Easy to clean, durable and insensitive. We have no tiles in the whole house - the wet areas in the bathrooms and the “tile backsplash” in the kitchen will get a synthetic resin in stone look. No joints, easy to clean. Costs less than tiles plus installation.

I preferred to spend the money on a central ventilation system, a photovoltaic system and a decent heating system - but many others see that quite differently again ;)

I would also like to mention additional costs for burglary protection/security. A higher security level for all windows (including lockable handles) and the front door would be a conceivable investment. Furthermore, an exciting topic: soundproofing. For a detached single-family house, one could apply the same standards as for residential buildings or public buildings. For example, suspended ceilings, soundproof windows, sound-insulated (drain) pipes...