Single house - house with 40m² floor area

With a floor area of 40m² and winterproof, there probably won't be much space left inside. (Wohnfläche <30m²)

Hello,

– and they are certainly not as durable as a solidly built house. (Or a prefabricated house?)

That depends decisively on the quality of the materials used; I can see no reason why a prefab house shouldn't last if quality is taken into account. However, small houses are a niche product in the sector of classic prefab houses and are therefore probably much more expensive than conventional construction.

At the moment we are trying to estimate the cost difference between a log house and a (solidly) built house and whether the additional financial effort is worth it for us. (100K euros is quite a figure here). With how much additional construction cost must we at least reckon?

I still think that you should come in at EUR 90-100K for a conventionally built house; also in Baden-Württemberg. By the way, I already assumed that the attic will be used.

The question of additional construction costs is explained here:

https://www.hausbau-forum.de/ratgeber/bauherrenhilfe.422/bauherrenhilfe-vor-vertragsabschluss.424/bausumme.662/#Baunebenkosten%20und%20Grunderwerbsteuer

You will need less since the land is already in your possession; I would initially estimate EUR 30K. What you should pay attention to is the access to the property. Garden plots are usually connected by very narrow paths. Heavy equipment must reach the construction site, otherwise it will get expensive again.

Kind regards

Hello and thank you for the further feedback!

the link and your assessments are very helpful. An extra thank you for that! Then we will pursue this path further. Speaking of the path... how wide should the driveways be? We can definitely access the property by car. Perhaps a sharp turn for larger vehicles might be problematic.

What knowledge should we acquire before contacting a planner (architect with experience in building single-family homes)? Is attending a trade fair (construction fairs take place at the beginning of the year) useful before an initial meeting?

The forum is definitely very helpful to familiarize oneself with all the terms.

Best regards

Hello,

Speaking of the path... how wide should the access roads be? We can definitely drive to the property by car. Perhaps a sharp turn could be problematic for larger vehicles.

Our documents say the following regarding this:

"A prerequisite for the start of construction is the provision of a building-ready plot, free from building parts, trees, lines, or other obstacles and accessible for heavy construction vehicles." Heavy construction vehicles usually mean that our client must ensure free and firm, load-bearing access to the construction site and building plot for trucks up to 40 tons, cranes, etc. That is why, among other things, we inspect every plot before submitting an offer.

This or something similar is stated in almost all construction contracts; at least in those I know.

What knowledge should we acquire before contacting a planner (an architect with experience in building single-family houses?) Is attending a trade fair (construction fairs usually take place at the beginning of the year) useful before an initial meeting?

A trade fair is always a good start – but beware of giving out your address too much; otherwise, your mailbox will overflow.

Visits to the energy agency, consumer advice center, or lecture series and literature are also recommended – for example, check out the Fraunhofer Institute’s website. And last but not least, and not to be underestimated: go to a new housing development of your choice and talk to the homeowners there. The visit should preferably be on the weekend, when salespeople and builders are usually not around, and honest answers are more than certain!

But free yourself from the idea that you are an expert once you have followed the above recommendations. HOWEVER, it is a good start! When you then gather your first offers, you will no longer feel quite so uncertain. More information can be found here on the HBF or in my albums; also here on the HBF.

Kind regards

Thank you construction expert for the input. Fortunately, we didn't want to start building right away in 2013 anyway.... so we still have about a year to inform ourselves and prepare, so that we don't stand there like a deer in headlights. And don't worry, I don't intend to study architecture and engineering etc. etc. now, I just want to be able to talk to the experts, or rather understand what they are telling me. (That hopefully makes the work easier for both sides).

Best regards

PS. If I can't find the albums, I'll get back to you.