Land in Sight -> Construction Planning Experiences

Hi,
How nice that there is such a forum:

In the past, we have been looking for used houses in a certain location. However, for various reasons, we did not make any progress there.
Now we have a plot of land that we can buy for about 300k. Size: just under 600sqm. It is not far from a body of water. Behind it is a small slope with single-family houses.

Permitted construction: 8 by 12 meters, basement, ground floor, upper floor, 40% roof pitch. Next to it, a driveway including a garage.

Right next to the plot stands a huge beech tree.

Budget: 600k (excluding land purchase)

We: family with 2 very small children.

I need a separate office (so not on the upper floor).

We find wooden facades very beautiful. We are not sure yet whether it will be a wooden house.

Due to the development plan, it will be difficult to reach more than 130-140 sqm of living space. That means we want a livable basement with lots of daylight. We don’t know what height is allowed. Also, how far it can protrude from the ground is unknown. Nor if it is allowed to excavate something in front of it.

Groundwater problems have been an issue nearby several times (water comes from the slope).

Currently, we face questions:
- Is our budget sufficient?
- Should we buy the plot?
- What are the risks?
- What about the water situation?
- Wooden house or solid construction, prefab or not?
- Where could we save some money on important trades and maybe improve or replace later? For example, carport instead of garage, gravel instead of paved driveway.

Alternatively, a project developer has offered us a house. But we don’t know the plot yet. The pictures of the houses look more like prototypes. Seems rather like a broker who finds plots and suitable buyers? Is that an alternative? Or do you pay more for that? (Roughly 135 sqm on 420 sqm for 800k.)

How do you approach such a project? Is there a good checklist or procedure somewhere? How do you choose the right architect? Which phases of service should be supervised by him? Which prefab house company is the right one? Or which general contractor or construction company? How do you decide between wood and solid construction (is there a checklist for that)?
(Is there a good magazine you can recommend?) How do you ultimately decide whether to start the project with the offered plot? There is also some time pressure since the plot may be taken quickly.

I appreciate all input. I have already browsed the forum a bit but I would also be glad if you link me the 2-3 most important posts. Everything helps me in this current phase.

- is our budget enough?

For a well-planned house with 140sqm and everything around it? Yes.
Including a basement? It could be tight or a close call.

Alternatively, a planner has offered us a house.

So, do I understand correctly that you have two projects? One is the plot by the water, the other a house project where it is not even clear if the plot exists at all?

due to the development plan

We don’t know what height is allowed. Nor how far it may protrude out of the ground.

Could it be that you don’t know how to read a development plan or what means what?

That means we want a livable basement with lots of daylight.

Others want a house with lots of daylight…

It is located not far from a body of water.

That would already be a sign for me not to build with a basement.

Currently we face questions: - is our budget sufficient? - should we buy the plot? - what are the risks? - what about the water? - wooden house or solid house, prefab house or not?

Unfortunately, others cannot answer these questions for you.

where could we save some money on the important trades and maybe improve or replace it a little later? For example, carport instead of garage. Gravel instead of paved driveway.

I think: first get on the same page about the project before you try to improve what is not yet planned or save on features that are not even significant yet.

Can you upload sketches and texts about the development plan and the property? Then we could take a look at what is possible at most.

Currently, we are facing questions:
- Is our budget sufficient?
- Should we buy the plot of land?
- What are the risks?
- How does it look with the water?
- Wooden house or solid house, prefab house or not?
- Where could we save some money on the important trades and maybe improve or replace later? For example, carport instead of garage. Gravel instead of paved driveway.

I appreciate all inputs. I have already browsed the forum a bit but would also be happy if you could link me the 2-3 most important posts. Everything helps me in the current phase.

Whether the budget is sufficient depends on many factors. With wishes like a wooden facade and a basement, it will definitely get very tight. What exactly should be included in the budget? Also incidental construction costs, outdoor area, garage, kitchen, photovoltaic, etc.? Otherwise, of course, it depends on where you are building, with whom, what requirements you have regarding equipment/quality, what extra costs there are, and of course how much DIY work you can and want to contribute. Price-wise, certainly not impossible, but also far from a "wish for anything" scenario.

Whether you should buy the plot you have to decide yourselves. Many factors are involved. If you have been looking in the area for a while, you probably know best whether you will find something better in the foreseeable future and how to assess the price. Whether you find the plot appealing yourself, you will know best. We could only say if we personally would like the plot (but then many points are missing like neighboring buildings, location, noise, garden orientation, layout, etc.).

There are many risks, it depends on what you think about them. But if you read into the topic of house building properly, plan well (preferably with an architect), and realistically assess the costs as well as your own possibilities for DIY work, you have already minimized many risks.

How it looks with the water we certainly cannot say from a distance. I would maybe ask the neighbors how often there are problems caused by the water body and which measures they have taken in this regard. Otherwise, an architect can certainly also give many tips on what is useful and what can possibly be left out.

Wooden house or solid house is ultimately a matter of belief or which advantages and disadvantages you give more weight to, best to inform yourself on that. At least nowadays, one construction method is not generally better than the other and in terms of cost there is usually hardly any difference either, the choice of companies plays a bigger role. In principle, you could then also get offers from providers of both construction methods with your architect and then decide afterwards.
Prefab house or architect-designed house is also a question you have to ask yourselves. Personally, I am clearly pro architect-designed house, as the house can be perfectly tailored to your own wishes and your own plot. But it is usually more expensive than a prefab house from a cheap vendor in a brochure.

Of course, you can always save most on DIY work. But you have to see for yourself what and how much you want to do. And above all realistically assess whether you can do it well. Typical things are floor coverings, painting work, outdoor areas, etc. The big savings come more with the bigger cost points, for which you either should have appropriate experience in the respective field or know someone who can do it together with you or alone for a "friendship price".
I assume you will take out a loan? Then I would always be careful with doing things afterwards. At the beginning, there are many cost items that are not thought of initially anyway, whether outdoor area (a classic example is the entrance platform with a roof), furnishings or other little things. Usually, you do not have the extra 50k saved again as quickly as you imagined at the beginning with an additional loan. Especially if many extras are still missing, which you surely want, that can add up very quickly (garage, terrace with roofing, photovoltaic system, etc.). Then you usually have a very long time with an unfinished house or do without wishes, you should be aware of that in this case.

Permitted construction: 8 by 12 meters, basement, ground floor, upper floor, 40% roof pitch. Next to it a driveway including garage. [...]
Due to the zoning plan, it will be difficult to achieve more than 130-140 sqm of living space. That means we want a habitable basement with plenty of daylight. We do not know what height is allowed. Nor how far it may protrude out of the ground. Or whether something can be excavated in front of it.

That is a very strange zoning plan that allows the house to be so tight and the garage so unspecified and does not specify the number of floors or reference heights, etc. When a slope itself is considered a structure is usually found in the state building code. The budget restricts the house more than the zoning plan.

Currently we face questions:
- is our budget sufficient? [...]
- wooden house or solid construction, prefabricated house or not?
- where could we save money on the important trades and perhaps improve or replace later? For example, carport instead of garage. Gravel instead of paved driveway.

The budget already says that you can afford a gravel driveway even less than a paved one. For everything else use the forum search, I alone have over 22k posts here with many answers to these questions; however, first search for a post by Yvonne with the keyword #fragebogen - the next search keywords would be "Leerverkauf" or "Grundstücksservice":

Alternatively, a project developer has offered us a house. But we do not yet know the plot. The pictures of the houses resemble prototypes. Seems more like an intermediary who finds plots and matching buyers? Is that an alternative? Or does one lose money on that? (Roughly 135 sqm on 420 sqm for 800k.) [...]
(Is there a good magazine you can recommend?) How does one ultimately decide whether to go ahead with the project with the offered plot? There is also some time pressure, since the plot could be gone quickly.

There is absolutely no time pressure behind such plots, see (mostly my) posts on the topic.

How do you approach such a project? Is there a good checklist or procedure somewhere? How do you choose the right architect? Which service phases do you have him accompany? Which prefabricated house company is the right one? Or which general contractor or construction company? How do you make the decision between wood and solid construction (is there a checklist for that)?

If my "House building roadmap, also for you: the HOAI phase model!" is not sufficient yet, just contact us personally. There are also numerous posts here with the keywords "direct award"/"self-contracting" and "Gerddieter." The decision about the construction method is found (here and at the source of the above-mentioned roadmap) with the instrument "setting the course," which you carry out during the "dough rest." If necessary, look deep into my avatar's eyes. You only look for a general contractor if at all in the region and only after – instead of instead of – a tender.

Could it be that you don’t know how to read a zoning plan or what what means?

I certainly will not contradict that.

Personally, I am clearly pro architect-designed house as the house can be perfectly tailored to your own wishes and your own plot.

Definitely on a slope. Of course, only with a " approved" architect.