Question about basement costs

Hello dear forum community,

I have to ask something and I hope you can help.

We are building a house measuring 8.84 x 10.64 m, so we have an area of 85 sqm on the ground floor. My husband really wants to have a basement . Our prefabricated house manufacturer has already told us that it should cost at least €50,000 (WU concrete, purely usable basement). My husband does not want to accept the costs as they are and is currently looking for a regional basement builder on site who will build the basement together with him on a DIY basis. So someone to assist with that.

I do not want this basement. Either we can afford the one from the prefabricated house manufacturer, or we forego it. Any discussion with my husband leads to an argument

I have now researched on the internet and have repeatedly read that with DIY construction you can save at most 20%, but I fear that the regional basement builder will take less after all.

Can you please give me a realistic assessment whether it is possible to build a WU basement of this size with a budget of €25,000 in EL? I could just sleep better if we talk about a price of €30,000 to €40,000 because then the basement is definitely off the table.

Thank you,

Julia

Without a soil survey, no one can answer this question. Do you need a white tank? Drainage? If yes, it will even get more expensive. Expect around €50,000, it won’t be much less. Own effort is nice and all, but do you have the time for it? This time also costs money if you are renting. On the other hand, a usable basement is really something nice. And maybe a partial basement is enough for you. Or as we planned it: an extension to a garage or carport. But as I said, get a soil survey done first, before that no basement provider can give you a proper offer.

Hello there,

just so we don’t misunderstand each other: I DO NOT want this basement because I am aware of the above-mentioned points (longer payment of rent, higher costs, etc.).

The soil survey is currently underway, but we will receive results in 1 - 2 weeks. Considering the excavation of our neighbor, it is also clear to me as a layperson that the soil is clay soil. Therefore, waterproof concrete around the basement. Water might be a problem to the extent that the property is slightly on a slope and water (during rainfall) runs down from above and could press against our basement.

For the price my husband has considered of €20,000 to €25,000, one could build a large carport with an extension there. And additionally a garden shed and probably advance the outdoor facilities faster. For bicycles and garden furniture / tools, we need additional parking spaces outside the house anyway. So double paid.

My question would be: Is it possible to save so much with EL at a assumed price of €50,000 (roughly estimated by the house builder) that my husband gets to the direction of €25,000?

50,000 is quite a sum for just a utility basement, even if you don't know the soil conditions.

My colleague is building a basement, partly finished for residential purposes, for 79,000 EURO, size 10x12 m. And the price also includes the shell of a solid garage measuring 6x7 m.

By the way, earthworks too.

What does your construction company say about building a house on a (not built by you) basement? Keyword warranty?

Thank you for your answers.

Especially because of the warranty, I don’t want the basement. And the not insignificant costs are giving me gray hairs. But my husband is absolutely resistant to advice.

I can already see that I have to wait for the "offer" from the local basement builder in order to possibly then dissuade my husband from the (sorry) silly idea.

We have a large house, a utility room of 12 sqm, the option of an extension at the carport, the (although with 1.20 m quite low) attic, but my husband still thinks we don’t have enough space.

And he doesn’t even have a hobby that he could pursue in the basement. We actually only need a storage room. We have one now as well. In the rental house we have a basement room of about 15 sqm and a bit of "junk" in the garage.

That’s enough for me!