It is always important to speak about the same thing when it comes to ceiling heights. Raw construction measurement or finished ceiling height.
The offer is divided into a section where the services explicitly included, explicitly excluded, and the general construction service description are listed. And the floor plans. The general description states 2.25m for the basement, 2.635m for the ground floor, and 2.57m for the attic as clear raw construction heights. It was discussed with the architect that the basement should definitely have living height (so 2.50m masonry - insulation - floors → over 2.30m). The floor plan also suggests 2.50m masonry. I believe it is really calculated that way, just not listed in the service description – I urgently need to clarify this. There is also nothing about the thickness of the basement insulation.
Since the insulation is in the basement and not under the ground floor, the clear raw construction height there should be higher/correct. So 2.75m masonry. The upper floor/attic all fits.
Your fear of hallways is already neurotic. A good floor plan is not characterized by minimizing hallway area. What matters is that the usable spaces for their intended purpose are optimal. A staircase that opens into the chill room destroys the chill room, since you can no longer chill there if it becomes a thoroughfare for everyone who wants (and needs) to go up and down. Just as an example.
"Okay" and "not so bad" are not exactly adjectives with which you would describe your dream house, right?
Regarding the costs – there are experts who can give you better information. This only really makes sense when you put the construction service description alongside it. So far, the general contractor has planned the basement as unfinished. If you think this is just a misunderstanding, you are wrong. He knows exactly that this is already not sufficient.
It is not fear of hallways. We simply don’t need them if everything in the rooms has its place. I know that currently rooms tend to become more open and hallways bigger. We can’t find anything appealing about that. Then rather one more room which might be harder to reach but everything fits in there. And with the small floor area and interior staircase, hallways are the biggest criterion. But I also want to emphasize that on the ground floor there is basically no hallway or only a tiny one in front of the WC. And we (parents) will mostly stay there except for sleeping and crafting in one of the other rooms. Possibly also the way to the study that is with a staircase and a short hallway but really relaxed. The kids will also eat in the living room or more often in their rooms with interruptions. So we basically plan the whole house around this living area. Hence also the basement for the utility room because it really restricts things if it is upstairs. And in the upper floors/attic that would be rather unusual.
On the topic of the dream house: We wasted about five years looking for our dream house together with friends. It ended with not every party seeing their dream realized. We have not and never had the expectation to live in a dream house. We want to be rather self-sufficient and independent of noisy neighbors in a reasonable environment with (shared) outdoor space and our peace. That has now led to our own home. We are not just satisfied with that! So no dream house but the best we can think of and preferably yesterday.
The only thing we somewhat watch is the resale value, and we certainly don’t raise it much with our floor plan. Perhaps with equipment, location, and size, but still.
It’s just unfortunate when later there are dozens of pages full of tips and then it dawns that it’s not affordable. That’s why a brief reference to the topic is nice. Apparently, not every € has to be watched, and the listing is well calculated.
That’s true, of course, and it actually made me suspicious and a bit angry, as if we wanted to build castles in the air. We have indeed been dealing with the topic for a while, and it is not necessary to turn over every euro. There are good subsidies for families with three children, we both earn decently and have (thanks to our hallway neurosis, which also relates to other investments we consider unnecessary) saved a reasonable amount. The plot is already paid for and there are still some personal funds available.
Thanks for the compliment on the good calculation. That gives courage that we are not overburdening ourselves somehow.
Pay close attention to the exact wording. 2.50m is which measurement in the end? Top of finished floor - ceiling? 2.50m masonry could mean that ceiling + floor buildup is added at the end and you end up at 2m.
I already wrote something about that above.
Listing of the stair price? Probably standard beech... Not to everyone’s taste. If the stair treads are brushed and possibly oiled, that costs another 2-3k.
Sanitary ceramics and electrical work appear to be standard and will also take one or the other € more.
Yes, standard beech. We are rather rustic and good. The oak planks we have on the plot would be enough for me.
Regarding sanitary, I hope to procure some things inexpensively and that the architect clears it that way. We currently plan no crazy electric things. I would like it best if there was a proper empty conduit through the house, then I would do the tech stuff myself.
Connections will be fewer. Removal is always a big question... Watch out that the earthworker doesn’t later charge dubious things.
Thanks for the tip. I just fear that suddenly 20k more will be added there.
“Colors”? Is that supposed to be the painting? If yes, 15k is way off. If a company should do it, then it goes rather toward 20k + 10k for flooring.
Somehow the tiler is missing.
They are interior paints (we only want paint on plaster) + floors (hopefully affordable planks procured for the living area + PVC almost everywhere else in the rooms. Bathrooms tiled). All in own work. Also tiling. That will be the crunch point. I’ve never done that before but have a lot of craft talent and, if necessary, some acquaintances who can help. Time has to be found.
Outdoor area 15k also very sporty. In eastern Germany definitely doable.
Doable, but sporty. I would still keep a nearly mid-five-digit amount in reserve here.
The outdoor area is flat and there isn’t much to do. Fence, bushes outside. One gate for the driveway and one for the entrance. In front of the terrace some topsoil will be piled up and we will build a decent stair from old bricks. All our own work and everything else time will tell. We do not expect to move into a finished garden outside.
In emergencies, additional loans and the in-laws/parents with private loans will have to step in. The hope was to manage with 400k. Now we are at 450k. That is still well feasible, but we don’t want to exceed it because WE would consider that unreasonable (banks would probably see it differently).
THANK YOU FOR THE HELPFUL POSTS!