Possible savings in self-performed structural work

Hello,

An acquaintance told me today that he is paying 100k for materials and 30k for labor for his shell construction (brick, ok I don’t know which one) with 200 sqm of living space plus basement and a brick-built double garage.

They helped with the masonry with 3 people for five weeks and there were 2 people from the shell builder on site.

We paid 170k and didn’t help at all but our house is only 160 sqm plus basement and garage.

Do you really save about 50k if you help out yourself?

Do you really save about 50k if you help out yourself?

Well, that can be calculated:

3 people work 5 weeks each around 40 hours. That is 600 working hours.
Our shell builder charges 38 euros per person and hour (assistant). That would be 22,800 euros gross personnel costs. In addition, there is the usual VAT, so 4,332 euros. That makes a total of 27,132 euros. Therefore, the "savings rate" of 50,000 euros seems very unlikely - unless the 3 assistants work as well as almost 6 experienced assistants on the construction site, which is not to be expected.

How is the trend here? Did you all also help out that much?

What is the trend here? Did you all help that much as well?

For the shell construction, I let all the professionals do everything. My "help" was limited to my contributions to a pleasant working atmosphere in the form of praise and sincere interest in the work.

Shell construction? Let everything be done!

You can only help out in your free time. The 25 + x days of annual leave you have still need to be used for plenty of other appointments/ selections/ self-performed work/ moving. And at least a handful of these days should, in my opinion, be spent far away from the construction site so you don’t go crazy.

Unless you have saved up huge amounts of vacation, can take unpaid leave, or otherwise put your job on hold, it’s quite easy to calculate how well you can already help out for three weeks straight during the shell construction phase.

Shell construction? Let everything be done!

You can only help out in your free time. The 25 + x days of annual leave you have still need to be used for plenty of other appointments/ selections/ own work/ moving. And in my opinion, at least a handful of these days should be spent far away from the construction site to avoid going crazy.

Unless you have saved up huge amounts of vacation, can take unpaid leave, or otherwise put your job on hold, it is quite easy to calculate how well you can already help out for three weeks straight during the shell construction.

Well then he must have told me nonsense or those were net prices, or excavation or something wasn't included....with that calculation I don't believe I would pay 130k all-in if 3 people help out during their annual leave (see calculation above).....

Yes, and you're right, especially also about spending time away from the construction site (-: