NeuerBauherrHE
2023-08-21 09:50:52
- #1
Hello everyone,
our house construction has been dragging on for 2 years and we are about to move in. Since February, I have been actively working on the interior finishing (installing bathroom fittings, laying the floor, installing interior doors, fixing other small stuff) because our general contractor went insolvent.
Now the interior is almost finished and we are thinking about the outdoor area. In front of the house, we want to leave the paving to the landscape gardener. In the back garden, 40cm high L-stones have to be set because the neighbor’s property is higher. Otherwise, preparations for the terrace include graveling (36 sqm) and putting topsoil on (25cm high for 40 sqm).
Since we now have over €100,000 in additional costs, we are considering whether we should do the graveling and topsoil filling ourselves to save €10,000.
The problem is that we have a sloping site and when the landscape gardener finishes in October, it will no longer be easy to get up with a wheelbarrow because there is only a staircase leading up to the garden on the side. The rest of the soil will be retained by 80cm high L-stones.
If it were up to my parents, we should do it ourselves with 4-5 people and somehow carry the soil and gravel up and do everything ourselves to save money. But I don’t know if we as laymen can manage it well. And how long it will take is uncertain.
But I am tired of constantly finishing work at 5 p.m. and being on the construction site on weekends, neglecting my wife and my 2 children (under 3 years).
Since we will have to do additional financing anyway, the question here is whether we should also take out a loan for the €10,000 for the landscape gardener?
Advantages:
- More time for work and family
Disadvantage:
- Less money (€100 more monthly burden)
What are the experiences here with doing your own work during house construction with small children?
our house construction has been dragging on for 2 years and we are about to move in. Since February, I have been actively working on the interior finishing (installing bathroom fittings, laying the floor, installing interior doors, fixing other small stuff) because our general contractor went insolvent.
Now the interior is almost finished and we are thinking about the outdoor area. In front of the house, we want to leave the paving to the landscape gardener. In the back garden, 40cm high L-stones have to be set because the neighbor’s property is higher. Otherwise, preparations for the terrace include graveling (36 sqm) and putting topsoil on (25cm high for 40 sqm).
Since we now have over €100,000 in additional costs, we are considering whether we should do the graveling and topsoil filling ourselves to save €10,000.
The problem is that we have a sloping site and when the landscape gardener finishes in October, it will no longer be easy to get up with a wheelbarrow because there is only a staircase leading up to the garden on the side. The rest of the soil will be retained by 80cm high L-stones.
If it were up to my parents, we should do it ourselves with 4-5 people and somehow carry the soil and gravel up and do everything ourselves to save money. But I don’t know if we as laymen can manage it well. And how long it will take is uncertain.
But I am tired of constantly finishing work at 5 p.m. and being on the construction site on weekends, neglecting my wife and my 2 children (under 3 years).
Since we will have to do additional financing anyway, the question here is whether we should also take out a loan for the €10,000 for the landscape gardener?
Advantages:
- More time for work and family
Disadvantage:
- Less money (€100 more monthly burden)
What are the experiences here with doing your own work during house construction with small children?