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

I prefer to work and pay a skilled worker who has learned the trade, uses the latest materials and techniques, and not just because Grandpa did it that way.

Here in the countryside, many build with a general contractor, the outdoor area is done by themselves

I see it differently. Every cosmetic defect then leads to a defect. Anyone who finds a defect complaint too stressful should reconsider whether building is right for them.

For me, that means stress, because the contractor often relies on the tolerances; for me, it is still not proper.

That's how people build here in the countryside, with very few exceptions. We rather laugh at those who have a house built for a fortune and can't even manage to paint their walls during a 3-week vacation to be able to move in.

Ditto

I prefer to work and pay a skilled worker who has learned the trade

I understand the basic idea, but unfortunately "skilled worker" does not automatically mean that something is done better or more properly.

I prefer to work and pay a skilled worker who has learned the trade, ...t

But that only makes sense if A) you can work almost unlimited hours in your job and get paid accordingly, and B) the net hourly wage exceeds the gross wage of a "skilled worker."

This is probably the case for very few people.

By the way, no one is saying that unskilled private builders should replace skilled workers. They are still needed. But a skilled worker usually comes with one or more laborers/helpers. And exactly these can be saved if you simply pitch in yourself. I just don’t like to pay >40 euros per hour for handing over the stones and cleaning the tools.

You can only save on the skilled worker if you have a skilled worker in your family/friend circle.

The least stressful option is a relatively new property or one completed by the developer. After that, I would say move-in ready from the general contractor and just let them do it. This results in a functioning house; how well it fits is questionable. For many, this would be an unsatisfactory situation. It is also a reason why many builders – even those working with a general contractor – are on the construction site daily, checking things and familiarizing themselves with the trades at least enough to clearly express their wishes.

For some, personal labor is not stressful but rather a kind of satisfaction. For Readytorumble, presumably not taking care of it would be more stressful than working on the site for several hours each day.

I understand, but you should still deal with the topic more thoroughly

But a skilled worker usually comes with one or more assistants/helpers. And you can save these exactly by just pitching in yourself. I’m just reluctant to pay over 40 euros per hour for handing over the stones and cleaning the tools.

Or cleaning up the construction site in the evening. Just the fact that the masons can work through until quitting time without having to clean up for another hour afterwards saves, for example, a four-digit sum in the shell construction.

1 year (52 weeks) of construction time until moving in. After moving in, there were still "little things" + outdoor facilities to be done.
Every weekday 4-6 hours, Saturdays 10-12 hours, Sundays often mornings
Holidays except Christmas 5-12 hours
approx. 50 vacation days (from 2 years) with 10-12 hours

My partner in total somewhat less.

That is a tight schedule. For me, I can say, never! I would accept the additional cost, but destroying myself like that for a house is out of the question. But that is not a criticism, everyone should do as they please.