Investment as equity capital, how much should be kept as reserves?

Exactly! And anyone who doesn't drive a Mercedes shouldn't build a house either! If you have a Golf, at most an apartment. Anything below that should better remain a renter, what else could come of it?!

How elitist we are again today.

Whoever "has to" buy a washing machine for €300 from Candy or something (there are also Privileg and other brands) should perhaps reconsider building a house. And a Miele doesn’t just come off the monthly income for everyone on the side.

I consider your statement to be a generalization. We earn above average and also don’t buy the most expensive of the most expensive.

On the one hand, we have 2 small children for whom it hurts if a Benz suit gets scratches, but not an Ikea one.

On the other hand, everyone has their preferences. For "white goods," you can also take the cheap option and buy the newest most economical model every 5 years.

I also like to go to Deichman and buy 30 € slippers for the bench. My colleague goes to the shoemaker and has them sewn.

To each their own

Whoever "has to" buy a washing machine for €300 from Candy or so (there are also Privileg and other brands) should maybe reconsider building a house. And a Miele simply doesn't come off the monthly income for everyone just like that.

Well... now some people will be surprised at me... BUT: I have learned that quality is not dependent on price. I don't judge anyone who buys a washing machine for just a few hundred euros. We also have significantly more expensive appliances (Miele etc.) and have already spent enough on repairs. Our dishwasher cost almost €2000 ten years ago. It broke down 3 times and I put about €600 into it. So much for that topic. And it was about "if necessary a new washing machine," in that case, one for €300 is enough. It also cleans the laundry properly.

Regards, Steffen

PS: Two weeks ago I actually broke down with my 100k A6 on the highway. So I could still drive at 60 to the next workshop. Error in the air suspension... followed by a list of consequential errors...

buy yourself a new one although dacia works too we trust too much in names and status

Exactly! And anyone who doesn't drive a Mercedes shouldn't build a house either! If you have a Golf, at most an apartment. Everything below that should better remain renters, what else could come out of it?!

How elitist we are today again.

That should definitely not be understood that way. I just wanted to say that anyone who otherwise “has to” buy everything cheap because of the house and preferably even finance it, shouldn’t build a house.
My car is also 15 years old and has almost 250,000 km. However, I would be stupid to buy a new one as long as I have to haul material from the hardware store several times a week.

And about the topic of rather buying new every 5 years but cheap: I just say typical throwaway society. That this waste of resources will hit us hard very soon doesn’t seem to matter to some...

No consumer plans to throw away the cheap washing machine after 5 years. If it lasts longer, that's great.

But why spend five times the money? Does the Miele wash five times better or five times more efficiently? Does it have five times the warranty?
The latter is the biggest joke of all, because Miele naturally has a very short warranty, even though the price (from buyers!) is regularly justified by the quality. The only warranty Miele actually provides is for excessive repair costs.
THIS will eventually backfire on this manufacturer, because you can't live forever off an image from 1900.

But anyway, your point was that the average homebuilder shouldn't give his last shirt for the house. I can agree with that, even though it depends on individual priorities and life planning. One can also, for all I care, free oneself from having to pay off a house completely...