Some ancillary costs are also incurred during and after the shell construction phase
Now we can finally get started: The construction site has been set up and the building ground has been prepared accordingly. For these preparations, you as the client already had to shoulder a number of additional costs. But even during the shell construction phase, there are additional construction costs, even if you have purchased a prefabricated house at the all-inclusive price. Outdoor facilities such as paths and greenery are almost never included. But nobody wants to see the mud left behind by construction vehicles for long or have to wade through it. Even if you want to turn your garden into a slow-growing hobby, you should also plan a little capital for immediate measures.
Checklist: Builders should think about these ancillary construction costs
Development costs and house connections
insurances
independent construction supervision
Extensions such as carport or garage
Terrace depending on construction and material
outside ways
Greening of the outside areas
Shell construction phase: House connections still have to be laid, a garage built and the property greened
House connection costs and development costs
Without gas, fresh water and waste water connections and electricity, life in the new dream house will probably be rather uncomfortable. The connection costs for telephone and Internet, cable television and residents’ contributions for road construction are also due. The costs for this vary depending on the municipality in which it is built.
In general, you can count on connection costs in the range of 10,000 to 15,000 euros, which can also be higher. The decisive factor is above all the distance to the next connection point, which is why the connection costs can vary considerably in one and the same building area. Some building plots are already partially developed when they are sold, which of course results in lower costs for the builder. The general rule is: as a builder, you have to bear 90 percent of the costs of public development. Officially, one therefore also speaks of a development contribution, not of development costs.
Here is a checklist of the specific numbers:
Gas connection 1,000 euros
Electricity connection 750 euros
Fresh water connection 1,000 euros
Telephone 500 euros
Waste water connection 1,500 euros
Cable TV 500 euros
possibly additional costs for sewage pumping station or pit 5,000 euros
construction insurance
If you save on insurance, you are taking a very high risk. A fire during the shell construction phase or heavy rainfall that floods your new house can cause a great deal of financial damage. Without the right insurance, this would ruin many builders.
Builder liability insurance
Builder’s liability insurance protects you against costs arising from liability damage during the shell construction phase . If, for example, the construction site is not properly secured and a passer-by is injured as a result, you have to pay for it. Likewise, if you proudly want to show your friends and relatives the first progress on the construction site and they injure themselves in the process. A normal builder’s liability insurance, which costs around 100 to 150 euros per year , covers the amount for the damage incurred. Caution is advised, however, if you do your own work and hire construction helpers from your private circle of acquaintances. Normal liability insurance does not apply to them. As a builder, however, you have the same responsibility towards your helpers as a professional building contractor and you are even subject to reporting to the BG BAU (construction trade association).
construction insurance
Home construction sites can also be affected by vandalism, theft or damage caused by natural disasters. Construction insurance protects you against the costs incurred as a result. Construction insurance costs about 150 to 250 euros per year.
fire shell insurance
In addition, fire shell insurance is recommended and often required by many credit institutions for the granting of financing loans. This insures against the risk that your shell will burn down in whole or in part, for example after flying sparks during welding work or as a result of a lightning strike. The prices for fire shell insurance vary between 100 and 250 euros .
Independent construction supervision
Even if you choose planners and construction companies carefully and trust their competence, you must not forget: Mistakes happen in the construction industry too. You should therefore always commission an independent building inspection authority for your house construction, because: Trust is good, control is better! The local construction supervision monitors all processes on the construction site, controls the quality of the individual work steps and acts exclusively in your interest . The costs for professional construction supervision of around 1,500 to 2,500 euros are comparatively low when you consider that structural damage during the shell construction phase can quickly drive up the ancillary construction costs to unplanned heights. The avoidance of construction errors and the resulting damage justifies the additional financial expenditure in any case.
Outdoor facilities and garden
Don’t forget that just erecting the house is not enough. When the actual shell construction phase is over, the final interior work and the construction of the outdoor facilities begin – and of course that costs money.
Construction costs for garage or carport
The construction of a garage or carport is particularly important in order to be able to store your car and other equipment safely and dryly. As a realistic figure, you can estimate 2,000 to 3,000 euros for a reasonable carport and 10,000 euros for an average garage.
costs for the terrace
A beautifully designed terrace as a transition area between inside and outside is a must for many builders. Since the work is often carried out by oneself and the possibilities are very diverse, only an approximate guideline can be given here.
A wooden deck with a substructure and average quality wood costs around 60 euros per square meter and a paved terrace made of concrete blocks costs around 75 euros per square meter with a substructure. With natural stone terraces, you have to reckon with 100 to 250 euros per square meter depending on the material and type of installation.
Costs for outdoor facilities: paths and greenery
Of course, the house, garage, patio, sidewalk and other areas on and around your property also need to be connected with paved paths . Here, too, the price depends heavily on the type of path, but a flat rate of around 75 euros per square meter can be expected.
You should make certain investments in the garden as soon as possible after moving in so that you don’t just look out onto a bare ground from the new living room window. Beautiful outdoor areas and the loving creation of your own garden are usually very low on the list of priorities. That’s why – and because the garden is usually designed by yourself – the costs for outdoor areas are often forgotten in the ancillary costs. But even if the garden is not a high priority, the new homeowners usually want at least a sizeable plot of land as quickly as possible. And that means, above all, to cover the muddy tracks left by the construction vehicles and the turf of the construction road with grass. However, a reasonable lawn also costs money. In many cases, a correspondingly fertile soil must first be supplied and distributed before the lawn seed can then be planted. Count on around 1500 euros, whereby the size of the property naturally plays a role. If you want to have it green quickly, you can also use rolled turf for about 8 to 11 euros per square meter.
Checklist of ancillary construction costs during and after the construction phase
Development costs and house connections (electricity, site electricity, gas connection, water, waste water, telephone) approx. €10,000 to €15,000
Insurance (builder’s liability & construction insurance) approx. 300 to 400 € per year
independent construction supervision approx. €1,500 to €2,500
Carport or garage approx. €2,000 to €10,000
Depending on the construction and material, terrace approx. €60 to €250 per sqm
Outside paths approx. €75 per sqm
Rolled turf approx. €8 to €11 per sqm
Tips for correct calculation
If you calculate too generously, there may be some left over from your construction loan. You should therefore agree with your bank that money that is not required can be repaid free of charge, or that no “non-acceptance fee” is due up to a certain amount. It is usually not possible to use the remainder of the building loan for other purposes. If the money is not put into the house construction, there is also no corresponding value of the house, which is available for the bank as security. Therefore, the favorable terms of construction financing are linked to residential use.
The be-all and end-all when it comes to construction financing is a well-developed financing plan and a sufficiently large financial buffer. It is better to plan generously – this way you avoid nasty surprises with the additional costs for your house construction. An additional buffer of at least €10,000 is recommended, because if you calculate incorrectly, you will have to pay expensively for additional financing in the worst case.
Sarah Völkl hat Architektur studiert und ist seit Jahren das Gesicht von a better place. Mit ihren Videos ist sie bei YouTube vielen Personen schon länger bekannt. Sarah teilt Ihr Wissen jetzt auch bei den Bautipps von Almondia.
