What makes a new building expensive?

Good evening everyone,

My husband and I are currently considering whether we should start a new build in 2015 or 2016 and I am diligently reading here to get a feeling for it at all.

The problem is that most people here already have a rough or precise idea of how their desired little house should look.... We somehow still lack that

What I’m actually more interested in is, what exactly are the major cost factors in building a house?

Bay window? Special roof shape? Or asked the other way around: where can I save costs?

Our plot is already available through an inheritance, 550 sqm, building window of 10 m x 13 m. It is already developed, connections are even present on the plot. Fence and shrubs, plants, trees, hedge also present, as it is an old garden plot. Driveway already paved.

But what do we build on it? That’s the big question here?
Basically, we would like to live on one level on the ground floor and give the children a small realm upstairs, basically two children’s rooms, heating room, small bathroom.

I can hardly go to an architect and have him make 10 designs... It would make more sense if I already had a rough idea in advance?

So, which trades make a new build expensive?

Kind regards
Anja

Hello Anja,

If you have found a reasonable architect, he will support you in choosing the house shape by asking you the right questions. Then, in my opinion, maybe three or four reasonable options will remain. From those, you might choose two that you like, and then he will make preliminary designs for you. That way, it is already very well narrowed down for you to be able to decide. I think you probably already have preferences and you can let those guide you. Start talking to architects about a year before the planned start of construction and choose the one you want to work with, and then have fun planning. It is an exciting time!

Regards Joachim

Hello,

you should find out what is allowed to be built. Often the development plan restricts (floors, floor area ratio, roof shape, etc.), then many thoughts or options become unnecessary.

We were told that each corner costs extra. So bay windows, overhangs, etc. Otherwise, of course, it also depends on the needs and the overall package. It is hard to say "a gable roof is always the cheapest..."

Do you already have children? And how old are they? I would always want small children on my floor. Because often they don’t sleep quietly at night, are sick, have bad dreams, need to become dry, etc. So I wouldn’t feel comfortable if the small children were on a different floor. Of course, at a certain age that’s no longer an issue. So I would plan a children’s room on the ground floor (possibly later an office) or "move down" later. That is something I would mention as a condition to the architect for the floor plan.

milkie

Thanks for your feedback!

I will try to address everything.

The development plan has no special restrictions, only flat roofs are not allowed, but are not desired anyway. 30-year-old residential area.

A soil survey was conducted three years ago.

One child is already present, soon school-age. Another one is possibly planned in 4 years, we'll see.
The thing with the different levels would be no problem for us! That's how we currently have it, narrow but over 3 floors. Our daughter sleeps on the 2nd floor and we on the 3rd floor. We think that's great!

: It all still feels so unreal, we have a budget X available and don’t even know what is possible for our money.
Later we plan a bungalow with an extended roof and the architect finds out it's not feasible! But maybe a shed roof, hipped roof and suddenly we start all over again because the floor plan doesn’t fit anymore, the exterior view etc. You could spare the architect that, but also us. Above all,
he wants to be paid for it, rightly so.

Later we plan a life on the ground floor so the kids have a little domain upstairs and then both study and are out of the house at 20 and we are stuck with an empty upstairs.

My husband would like a bedroom on the ground floor, but for me that also means a mini dressing room and bathroom.
That’s not feasible in 10x13, it would be tiny.
Can a building envelope be changed? The building envelope is actually 13x13, but on the left side of the plot we would have to keep at least 3 meters distance. So only 10x13. On the right side we still have 8 meters to the end of the plot.

After you have, as milkie already said, studied the development plan, you simply look at houses that you like and that fit the corresponding scheme. After that, you should think about how much space and rooms you actually need / want. From there, more will become clear, and your budget, which you need to be aware of, will also impose some limitations.

Either the building envelope is 10x13 or 13x13?!? The 3 meters to the neighbor are within the building envelope? Maybe according to the development plan you are also allowed to build your house on the property boundary?