Prefabricated house - estimating costs

Hello everyone

I am still thinking about what to do, buy a house/terraced house, build a house, continue renting...

Currently, I am somewhat stuck on a prefabricated house. I just find it very difficult to estimate the costs. Let's assume the following:

- empty building plot available, connected by a road but no "lines" (water/electricity, etc.) on the plot itself yet
- prefabricated house preferably turnkey, basement is a must, 100 sqm living space is the minimum, the plot is large, theoretically one floor would suffice although that is not really certain yet.
- garage should be available, but it does not necessarily have to be directly at the house
- furniture is present except for the kitchen, refrigerator and stove are also present, only the kitchen needs to be new.

Now I looked a little (only Google, haven't seen anything live or so...) and am a bit surprised by the prices. I had actually expected not to get the whole thing under €250,000.

Let's take an example, namely the following:

€132,900 purchase price + €18,060 basement + "garage" + "kitchen" +??? yes + what else is missing now? What costs can I expect? Of course, someone will have to install water and electricity in the house and that probably will not be free. Heating? Does turnkey mean the heating + radiators & co are already all included? Electricity also completely finished? Sanitary things like bathtub, shower, toilet included? What does the government want in taxes?

Unfortunately, I can only find scant information about what "turnkey" actually means. Let's take the example above if you buy such a house "off the shelf without many extra wishes," how much should I then calculate (excluding the plot as stated above).

best regards

Chris

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Hello Chris,

I have removed the link; please observe the forum rules!

Thank you very much
Building expert

Whether something is missing can be said when you know what you are getting. This is indicated by the [Bauleistungsbeschreibung] (possibly standard with your provider: one socket [ProHaus], tiles for 5€ per sqm, living rooms without floor coverings, missing painting work, etc. - this is a bit exaggerated now, but in the end, providers do not differ much in price for the same service. Your provider will probably save on the service.). Otherwise, the incidental construction costs, outdoor facilities, and house connections are missing.

You are definitely more realistic with your 250,000.

Let's be honest: depending on the plot, you'll spend at least 18,000 euros on earthworks alone (can be more, can be less). And for 18,000 a basement, you don't need to be a prophet to know that it won't be complete.

Everyone defines turnkey differently, including missing doors/stairs, etc. Commonly, the famous painting work/floor coverings are added. You also can't expect luxury for that price. Extras should definitely be agreed upon beforehand, as that is where the biggest dangers lie; the money is made on the additional costs.

Caution with the traded prefabricated house prices under 200K! We are building a technically finished house including the foundation slab. The costs for this do not even amount to 60% of the total budget planning! It is dreadful what additional construction incidental costs, outdoor facilities, and earthworks cost. I can hardly imagine that you can complete a decent house (with everything included and a basement) for a total budget of 250K unless you have excellent connections and a pronounced DIY gene.

Hello Chris,

- Prefabricated house preferably turnkey, basement is a must, 100 sqm living space is the minimum,
- Garage should be available, but it does not necessarily have to be directly attached to the house

The solid new build will cost you about TEUR 200, plus costs for the garage and incidental building costs, plus painting and flooring, plus landscaping, plus reserve for unforeseen expenses and extras. If you actually mean a prefabricated house, depending on the provider, you can add another TEUR 20-30 (Huf® and comparable providers excluded).

What approximate costs will I still have to expect?

Unfortunately, I can only find scant information on what "turnkey" actually means.

"Turnkey" mostly means that you will receive the keys upon acceptance of the new build and can then carry out your painting and flooring work.

"Turnkey" also means that "only" the pure construction costs of the house are contractually covered. Everything else, such as utility connections, falls into the category of incidental building costs.

PS: The seemingly "cheaper" an offer is, the more expensive it becomes after signing the contract; Nobody, but really nobody, gives anything away for free!

Rhenish greetings

but in the end, providers don’t differ much in price for the same service.

Right!

This insight is what everyone should discover when reviewing, examining, and deciding on the right company. The price is basically always the same because the largest and most expensive items are almost always labor costs and the state (value-added tax). The cheapest providers then recoup their money elsewhere or offer less.

When deciding which construction company to choose, trust actually plays the biggest role in the end. You have to feel that you are in good hands and that the entire project will turn out well.

Here there is a general price estimate that assumes €1,600 per sqm. In addition, there are €40,000-50,000 for the basement, €15,000 for house connections, €10,000 for the notary, mortgage surveyor, and co, and the obligatory outdoor area. Depending on the size, paving work starts at €4,000 for something small but can easily cost €7,000-8,000 without it being anything special. You must not forget all the great extras that can still be added. Because if you’re already building, you want some luxury, or some things are basically "mandatory." Anyone building a house without shutters (actually, electric ones are already "mandatory") and a ventilation system is definitely saving in the wrong place. An essential budget item is the electrical work, which is usually very sparingly included by every construction company. Some networking, TV connections, a few empty conduits, and 4-5 more sockets in every room and the €4,000 mark is quickly exceeded.
I found when deciding on the extras that prices are hard to calculate and you actually don’t have much choice. Either you swallow the bitter pill or you go without.