Sewer connection fee (wastewater only) surprisingly high

Hello,

we have a hillside location and route our wastewater through a property below us to their street.
We receive water from above, from our street.

Since the development area is only gradually being developed and not fully yet, a new pipe was laid specifically for both of us (the lower neighbor and us) up to the transfer point.
For this, we notarized a cost-sharing agreement between both parties according to the plot size.
At that time, the sewer was already laid.

The agreement specifies a previous cost amount, determined by the person responsible at the city civil engineering office, of €3,415, which, as mentioned, is to be divided.

Now we have received a notice about the sewer connection fee.
There a rate of €7,453.80 is set, individually for us.

The letter states: "... for the wastewater-related development of your above-mentioned property, the city’s wastewater works have laid a sewer to which the connection can be made."

From this, I read that this is really only about the wastewater connection.
Accordingly, I assume we will also receive a notice about the costs of the fresh water development, in addition.

What I have not yet found out is whether the above-mentioned €3,415 is added on top.

I have done some research and found that a sewer connection fee with a rate of about €6 per calculated/factored area is usual; for us it would be €6.06.

On the following page, costs of €3,000 are stated, which would accord with the above value. Furthermore, it is stated that in some cases a “construction cost surcharge” of €4 - 6 is charged.

Is it correct that a base amount (about €3,000) and often additionally a construction cost surcharge are charged? And am I correct in understanding that here we are still only talking about wastewater?

As part of the planning, we spoke with many providers and often secondary cost calculations were also made. I have incorporated these benevolently with a little extra buffer into my own calculation. From the countless providers, I was told development costs of a total of €5-6,000.

What are your experiences, what costs came up for you?

Best regards

Hi,
the topic of development and [costs] is in my humble opinion by far the most complex and complicated when it comes to building.

Often for historical reasons, it is fragmented in such a way and divided among different responsibilities that as a layperson you really hardly see through it.

There are then several cost items that sound almost the same but have different backgrounds.

In our case, there were two different items each for water and wastewater plus a general water contribution, which was calculated based on the size of the plot. That was also called construction cost subsidy in our case.

So it may well be that things are getting mixed up for you right now.

Tip: Get on the phone and go there and have it explained to you comprehensively. It is also quite possible that someone forgot to split up the costs.

By the way: I consider €5000–6000 for development costs to be more than just optimistic. In the end, we were at just under €13k and that on a flat plot! And here in the forum, I have mostly read amounts between €10k and €15k.


Best regards,

Andreas

Is it true that a base amount (approx. €3000) is charged and often also an additional construction cost surcharge? And am I correct in understanding that we are still only talking about wastewater here?

This varies greatly from municipality to municipality.

In general, however, there are 3 cost blocks related to the property:
- The creation/installation of the wastewater connection from the sewer (your €3400)
- The construction cost surcharge for the upstream infrastructure (e.g. new flood retention basins/or also the main sewer in a new development area)
- The sewer connection fee (often based on the size of the property as well as the number of floors (a multi-family house simply has to pay more).

But this is often forgotten by home builders; meaning many construction companies mention only the development costs that arise on the property up to the property boundary.

And yes; it is only wastewater. That is handled by the "city".

Drinking water comes from the waterworks. However, here the cost item already includes the pipe into the house (usually with a maximum of 10m pipe), plus often a construction cost surcharge for the upstream infrastructure.

By the way, the same applies to electricity/gas as it does to water

And Telekom also wants around 1000...

I’m bringing this up again.
We are still currently in the evaluation phase regarding the plot of land. I am now also looking into the issue of connection costs, or more precisely the construction cost subsidy (for upstream infrastructure). In many compilations, the connection costs are listed as €5000 placeholder.
For a now more concrete plot of land, I came across completely different figures when compiling the costs. Just the wastewater connection (sewer connection costs plus construction cost subsidy) alone is already €10,000 (excluding own costs). When I add my own costs of €3500 as well as the water connection costs, electricity, and telephone connection costs, I am looking at an amount well beyond €15,000, probably tending strongly towards €18,000.
Is that "normal" in this price range today?

For certain cities, this can be normal.