Turnkey vs. ready to move in, own contribution

Good morning,

we are currently calculating the costs for building a Kern house.

For us it is clear: personal contribution in the sense of "we finish this ourselves" makes no sense. We are extremely unskilled in craftsmanship, we will not be able to manage it timewise, and we pay such high rent that it probably doesn't pay off if a construction project is not finished for months because one has overestimated oneself regarding personal contribution.

The house price quoted to us refers to the turnkey level. The following services would still have to be provided by us as builders, specifically concerning the completion of the house:

- Filling and sanding of ceiling element or panel joints and seams, thus creating a surface suitable for wallpapering the ceiling
- Final treatment of the roof truss with glaze or topcoat
- Grouting of the separation joints of plasterboard areas with joint compound
- Floor tiles in kitchen, utility room, and hallway
- Floor coverings
- Color design of the steel structure of the staircase
- Generally painter and wallpapering work on walls/ceilings

(I hope I have not forgotten anything here; I am referring to the equipment description of our targeted equipment line)

We were preliminarily calculated that if we really have everything finished and do not want to do anything ourselves anymore (ready to move in?), we should add about 35,000 euros.

Now my question: In your opinion, is this a realistic amount to reach the move-in ready status? We are talking about a single-family house of 160 sqm, gable roof, no basement. Is 35,000 set too high, would it make more sense to contract these items out to a company ourselves? Or might 35,000 euros possibly not be nearly enough for this?

What should generally be considered when building "move-in ready"? Which services are perhaps often forgotten in the contract by the builders? Thank you for any information!

- Final treatment of the roof frame with glaze or topcoat

Sure? You probably mean the roof soffits? Rhineland regards

We were pre-calculated that if we really have everything finished and don’t want to do anything ourselves anymore (ready to move in?), we should add about 35,000 euros.

Now my question: In your opinion, is that a realistic amount to get to the ready-to-move-in status? We’re talking about a single-family house of 160 sqm, gable roof, no basement. Is 35,000 set too high, would it make more sense to assign these items to a contractor yourselves? Or will 35,000 euros possibly not be nearly enough for it?

The question is what you want. Laminate flooring for €1.95/sqm or exotic wooden planks for €200/sqm, it’s the same with tiles. Should the ceiling be wallpapered or possibly only painted (how are you doing the walls?) – the quality of the putty/sanding depends on that. With the budget, you will definitely get the house finished (maybe it can be done cheaper). Certainly, it can be more expensive if you want.

is right as usual. Of course, it depends on what you want. Wallpaper or plaster? Tiles, parquet, or laminate. This list can be extended quite a bit. If you really don't want to do anything else, you should also consider how it looks around the house after construction. Most of the time, it's just mud or clay soil there. Therefore, you should also factor in the costs for the civil engineer and landscaper who will design your outdoor area.

Yes, and sometimes a sum can quickly add up.

So far, we have finished the driveway, entrance area, and everything else at the front. Now the two terraces, a wall, and laying the lawn are next.

All together, we are currently at about €30,000, and surely a few other items will be added.

Thank you for your answers!

Since we are still relatively at the beginning and have not yet visited a sample exhibition, I can only answer very roughly now.

So, plain plaster on the walls is out of the question, I personally find that visually not appealing at all. In our current rental apartment, we have ceilings and walls wallpapered with a normal white wallpaper with some texture, nothing high-end, something like that is what we imagine...

Flooring: Since we still have small children who will probably remain small for about 10 years, we don’t want to install anything extremely expensive and then regret it later when Bobby cars, sharp little stones, and the like leave their marks. So real wood doesn't have to be in the living room, but a good wood look is desired; otherwise, I find light, grained-glossy tiles quite nice. Children's room floors will be equipped with something functional.

Is that roughly realistic?