Is it possible to build a new building for 900€ per m²?

How can Heinz von Heiden be so cheap for turnkey houses, for example? They want to make money too. I also described the equipment in the initial post, which is already very cost-effective, I can hardly imagine that such a house with that equipment costs 3,000€ per m2

No, it doesn’t cost that much either. Town & Country, which I would say is the main competitor of Heinz von Heiden in the relevant target group, offers the Flair 152 in a mid-price region (Hanover, for example) starting at 1,800 EUR/m². Specifically, that’s 272,500 EUR for 152m², turnkey, without special requests.

Why it can be so cheap is simple. On the one hand, such “volume manufacturers” have significantly better terms in wholesale than the small craftsman next door, simply because they handle volume. If I go to the wholesaler and want to buy 10 pallets of bricks, I get very different prices than if Town & Country knocks on the door and says “Look, I take you as a supplier and buy, say, 10,000 pallets from you per year. Give me a good price…”

On the other hand, with their market power, they can push suppliers and subcontractors’ prices down to the pain threshold. For the craftsman, this has the advantage that he hardly has to worry about his workload. In return, he has to accept cuts in profit.
But that is usual. Large customers / regular customers, who reliably keep employees busy for large parts of the year, also get significantly better prices with us than walk-in customers. Walk-in customers really pay...
And a bigger impact is made when Heinz von Heiden knocks, who build, I don’t know, 100 houses a year in the region, than architect Willibald von Willihausen, who takes care of 2 to 3 houses per year. That’s just how it works.

At least with Town & Country, they have now also focused on drywall construction for the upper floors in city villas. Those who want masonry walls on the upper floor pay extra, and so on.

And last but not least, you have to be aware that with these providers, not everything a builder might wish for in a ready-to-move-in house is included. Those who only want to turn the key or want to completely redesign the floor plan are simply wrong with Heinz von Heiden and Town & Country. Special requests are simply more expensive there than with the competition. Because individual special requests cannot be bought in large volume and it is not intended that an architect completely overturns and newly plans the standard floor plan.

Hello community,

sorry that I’m only getting back to you after 3 months. I recently got back in touch with the builder and he told me that he works as a mason himself and has friends in the various trades, so although everything was done by skilled workers, his labor costs were very low, and he practically only had to pay for materials. My question is: Do you think it is possible to build a house with self-performed work on flooring and painting for 1,700€ per m2 of living space?

Best regards

So the neighbor put in much, much, much more self-performed work than you can and want to. I think the 900€/sqm figure is probably already nicely calculated in some places (there are “only” x euro here and “only” x euro there, which then were not included in the overall calculation. Maybe partly material counted, but not what he handed to the people. Or where he helped someone else in return etc., maybe some things simply “forgotten” when totaling the costs)

Basically, I find your price difficult with only self-performed work on walls and floors. That’s practically nothing in self-performance. (Sorry to say it like that) The guy certainly also has the expertise for processes on the construction site, probably took the construction management himself, etc. He probably has the tools or contacts to borrow something, maybe still owed favors from someone. Maybe he can pick up leftover materials somewhere cheaply. Do you have the time and opportunity to create similar conditions? If I understand correctly, you don’t have this expertise and contacts and would probably have to buy everything. That’s simply a completely different situation.

So my assessment: For someone like me, just a normal armchair dweller with zero contacts in the trades, who is just proud as punch to lay 90 sqm of laminate “somewhat decently,” I do not consider 1,700€/sqm realistic.

Only the helpers do that for the plumber.

Helpers exist with construction contractors and drywall installers; plumbers (GWS like HVAC) have apprentices.

On the other hand, you can press suppliers and subcontractors on price with your market power, right down to the pain threshold. [...]
And it simply carries more weight when Heinz von Heiden knocks, who builds, no idea, 100 houses a year in the region, than architect Willibald von Willihausen, who oversees 2 to 3 houses per year. That’s just how it works.

Oh, at the esteemed Baron von W.’s place, they build in a well-coordinated team instead of constantly changing new signings from third-league players, payment is punctual and not at the pain threshold. Good craftsmen can keep the discount subcontractor exploiters. That’s how it works.

At least at Town & Country, they have now also focused on drywall in the upstairs city villas. Anyone who wants masonry walls upstairs pays extra, and so on.

Anyone who appreciates masonry walls upstairs or in the attic as a quality feature hasn’t read my posts "Lightweight walls in solid houses?" and "Plan change: From concrete ceiling to wooden ceiling" and is a prime target for big names and semi-questionable construction companies.

And last but not least, you have to be aware that with these providers, not everything that the builder might want for the move-in ready house is included. Anyone who just wants to turn the key or completely remodel the floor plan is simply in the wrong place at Heinz von Heiden and Town & Country. Special requests simply become more expensive than with the competition. Because individual special requests cannot be purchased in large volumes and it is not intended that an architect completely overhauls and redesigns the standard floor plan.

Both Town & Country and Gabriele’s favorite Heinz price their products so that the target group of "move-in ready" customers is happy to buy—just naturally not the same as at Viebrockhaus or Baufritz. Special requests in the sense of "opposition to the construction service description" are priced sufficiently discouragingly at all big names, otherwise the volume effects you otherwise correctly describe would no longer work. The "unimprovable" (meaning: only minimally changeable) is precisely the pure form of the model house, which you better not dilute. Anyone whose change and remodeling list exceeds the scope of three times three fairy-tale wishes is better off with an individual plan independent of the provider than by twisting a catalog construction proposal. The right choice of construction company / house manufacturer always begins with not looking for it in the wrong genre. Casting electric guitarists for a symphony orchestra is simply wrong from the start, like launching a boat at an airport. The websites make it easy for customers: just compare the happy building families shown with yourself—and then you know which providers fit.

maybe also get cheap leftover material somewhere.

Leftover tiles for the utility room. You can apply that to every area where there is even potential.

possibly simply "forget" some things when adding up the costs

That is the undisputed number one that most naïve calculations by self-performance and individual contracting dreamers have in common. Number two is the version: "we can save a bit at points x, y and z—then we treat ourselves to a few more square meters" (preferably as a double garage attached to the slab house, from the money "saved" on the basement).

Thank you for the answers, now I am sure that a new solid construction house by an architect is not an option for me. Regarding Heinz von Heiden, if I understand correctly, Heinz von Heiden is a good option if one is satisfied with inexpensive building materials and has no (major) customization requests. Is this correct? Is there also the option to downgrade? For example, for the cheapest bungalow with over 100m2, the Unverbesserlichen B760, a small photovoltaic system does not make financial sense. My uncle works as a carpenter and has already offered to install the windows for me at material costs plus a small fee. I don't really need things like roller shutters either.

For example, with the cheapest bungalow with over 100m2, the incorrigible B760, a small photovoltaic system doesn’t make sense financially, my uncle works as a carpenter and has already offered to install the windows for me at material cost and a small fee. I also don’t really need anything like roller shutters.

There’s definitely something possible. But if you get credited €1,000 for the photovoltaic system and €5,000 for the windows, the windows for €8,000 might perhaps not be worth it.