Would you build yourself again or use a developer?

These costs were estimated far too low.

From the Nubbel, from the Holy Spirit, or who planned and estimated the costs?

I bought a house from a developer and only one year after handover I have a house burnout. The developer usually has poor service after the sale (and good salespeople before the purchase). Everything drags on, nobody is responsible, all invoices have already been paid. For example, I still don’t have window sills 13 months after handover, but I do have water penetrating in three places. Mistakes happen everywhere. The best way is probably where the weapons are evenly distributed on both sides, so you can actually get something done. As a, um, how do you say it best, "customer" of a developer, you can’t do that. For that, you have peace during the construction period.

I myself would only build with an architect and self-award. Possibly with a general contractor, if I know the general contractor personally or through family or friends. However, I would advise many to go with a property developer, but give them many tips along the way. Most likely, I would recommend an older existing house without renovation backlog, but this would definitely include the commissioning of a good expert before purchasing.

we did everything ourselves (with the support of a construction supervisor who advised us on some things, had contacts to good companies and also coordinated them). And we would do it that way again and again. This way, you at least have direct influence on what is happening. I don't want to plan a house that is then organized and built by someone else, have to ask for permission to visit the construction site and then not even be allowed to intervene directly when visible mistakes occur, in the worst case I have to watch as it goes wrong.

Please tell me a bit more precisely where the 40k€ or 80-90k€ come from. Sure, earthworks can quickly cost a bit more, but that much? Connections come from the municipal utilities, so there shouldn’t be any surprises.

We have a hillside location. The street is 2m below. That means our basement is at street level.
The general contractor estimated the earthworks at 20k€. In the end, with disposal and backfilling, it cost 57k€.
The electricity and water connection now costs 16k€. The estimate was 8k€.

It’s also irrelevant where the extra costs come from.
It just keeps getting more and more.

There is hardly any information or reviews on small general contractors. Even with mass providers there are good and bad experiences. That doesn’t help.
It is not comparable to a car!

Numbers from the internet are useless because they only show standard numbers without hillside locations.

We are laypeople and expect a general contractor to be able to calculate, since they build 30-50 houses a year.

We have a 200sqm plot and are building a 150sqm semi-detached house (6m × 12m).

We are quite satisfied with the actual execution, but the surrounding matters and just holding out the wallet is becoming exhausting. At the moment, I hardly have any sense of what it will cost. That frustrates me.

We are in our early 30s and with small children we found the location and timing optimal rather than waiting another 5 years.

Maybe in a few years I can laugh about it.

I would no longer build new but buy an existing house, then renovate or refurbish it.

I would never buy and refurbish an existing property. At most for demolition and new construction. With new construction, you have all the cards in your hand.