Stress-free building - Who has tips or experiences on how to do it?

I often can only smile at the information about self-performed hours here.. Either the respective people do not have a job, have a 10-year construction site, or have the possibility to sleep at night and work on the construction site at the same time..

Negligent for people who have not yet started construction and then get a wrong impression. Especially those who have a family with children and a full-time job, I can only strongly warn against massively planned self-performance! Even without planned self-performance, construction can severely restrict family life.

Own effort, in my opinion, leads to even more stress. Some trade then has to wait because a colleague was sick for 2 weeks or because you completely miscalculated during that time. Then the trades have to be completely re-coordinated, which, in my opinion, causes most of the stress. Additionally, there are many things I could do myself but would never do. Everything related to tightness, safety, and electricity. Of course, you can insulate your own basement. But that might save maybe €1000 or €2000, but what if it leaks in 5 years? The same applies to sanitary work. With showers without a shower tray, in my opinion, you pay the extra cost only for the warranty and rightly so, because there are often problems there. With electricity, you should definitely know what you are doing; otherwise, it quickly becomes dangerous, and even with modern heating systems, experience is simply needed. Furthermore, in my experience, trained craftsmen are significantly faster in their trades than oneself. When I see how quickly the carpenter installed windows and doors, I need at least three times as long with a colleague. Even without paying helpers, there is little left for me in the end. It is indeed true that you put more effort in yourself than many craftsmen, but that does not mean it gets better. I have seen many self-tiled bathrooms. Many of them were well done, but not one better than that of a professional tiler, because you also make mistakes yourself.

That's more than 400 8-hour days, so more than 2 full years. How long did you build? :O During that time, I alone would have worked the 120k gross—and still wouldn’t have lifted a finger on the construction site. But I did do a little something. Laid floors and did interior painting. I’d estimate the savings for this at <10k.

1 year (52 weeks) of construction time until moving in. After moving in, there were still "little things" + outdoor landscaping to do. Every workday 4-6 hours, Saturdays 10-12 hours, Sundays often in the morning. Holidays except Christmas 5-12 hours. About 50 vacation days (from 2 years) with 10-12 hours. My partner overall a bit less. Children of course must not be involved, otherwise this doesn’t work. The regular job of course continued, albeit with only about 30 hours instead of 38 hours per week. But one was naturally prepared for this with enough overtime from previous years. This is how we build here in the countryside, with very few exceptions. We rather smile at the people who have a house built for a fortune and can’t even manage to paint their walls in 3 weeks of vacation to be able to move in.

This is how houses are built here in the countryside, with very few exceptions. We rather smirk at the people who have a house built for a fortune and can't even manage to paint their walls during a 3-week vacation in order to move in.

Thanks! Finally someone on my side Although you have contributed above average EL. It's almost a bit of a shame that for today's generation often only the nice stress-free life is in the foreground. This attitude is also reflected in professional life.

It's almost a bit of a shame that for today's generation, often only the nice, stress-free life is in the foreground. This attitude is also reflected in professional life.

I see it the same way.
Besides sleeping, working, and construction during this time, there is simply nothing else, absolutely nothing. But that's OK, you do this for the big dream.

Side story:
Directly opposite our house is the village pub. After work was done, I often had to listen to remarks from the older people like "When we built, no day ended before 11 p.m.!"

PS: This is by no means meant as an accusation against anyone. Everyone is of course free to do it however they see fit.

Unfortunately, I see this as a societal problem, also in relation to jobs and especially volunteer work in clubs,...


You might be a bit extreme, but I really sympathize with your attitude