Questions & Answers

1. Is the price per m² the same for every flat?

First of all, a clarification at this point: Since this is a property development cooperative, you do not buy your flat. Therefore, you do not pay a price, instead you build your flat together with the other joint partners. Thus, we are always talking about costs here, not prices. At this point in time, we assume total costs of approximately 6,250 €/m² living space for the project. However, these costs are not fixed but are based on a cost calculation made by the project management. They may change during the course of the project. Not included are the ancillary costs (land transfer tax and notary fees), which must be paid individually by each developer and account for approximately 8% of the total cost of the flat.

And now to your actual question: No, the costs are not the same for every flat. The construction costs per m² of living space are assessed on the list of flats with different additions and deductions depending on the location and size of the flat. This creates a balance between different qualities of the spaces. For example, flats on the upper floors are more expensive than those on the lower floors because they are better lit and have a better view, more distance to the street, etc. This is the basis for establishing the cost allocation, according to which the group of developers divides all the costs between themselves during the construction phase. The list of flats is currently being compiled and will be available on the website shortly.

2. Is each building a separate development?

No, a total of four cooperatives will be formed – an independent property development cooperative for each of the four construction phases, each in the legal form of a general partnership (Gesellschaft bürgerlichen Rechts, GbR).
However, there will be issues, such as the design of the staircase or façade, etc., that will be discussed and decided within the building community.

3. What financing options are available? (KfW)

We aim to construct the buildings as KfW Efficiency Building 40 with sustainability class.

www.kfw.de/inlandsfoerderung/Privatpersonen).

Funding is provided for a maximum loan amount of 150,000 euros per residential unit (*No responsibility is taken for the correctness of this information, please ask your bank).

4. Are the flats eligible for financing assistance?

See here:

www.service-bw.de/zufi/leistungen

5. What happens if several interested parties want the same flat?

A flat will not be bindingly reserved until:

1.) Your ‘application for admission to the property development cooperative’ was approved by the project management and the planners

2.) The membership fee of 2,000 euros has been paid for your housing unit.

3.) The property development cooperative’s Articles of Association were signed. Until then, we will of course note your interest in a specific flat and inform you if there are other parties interested in the same flat. We will proceed chronologically where possible. However, reservations are always non-binding. No formal claim can be derived from them.

6. Will there be a road on the east side?

A private footpath and cycle path is planned along the eastern side between Neunlindenstrasse and Eugen-Martin-Strasse.

7. Are the flats subsidised by the city of Freiburg?

No, these flats are not subsidised by the city of Freiburg.

You can get financial support in the form of a KfW loan. Our current knowledge shows that financing up to €150,000 can be obtained through KfW.

8.  They are appointed as project controller and managing director and also effectively outsource other planning and control work to themselves but have no equity invested and are remunerated at a flat rate. Is there any incentive for you to negotiate efficiently at all?

The property development cooperative Nestbau 3 Nord GbR currently consists of the founding partners Andreas Stahl and Donat Kühne. The GbR has acquired the property. The acquisition is financed exclusively by private equity from Mr Stahl and Mr Kühne as well as a loan from the UmweltBank. Thus, these two persons are currently the only two private individuals to bear the full risk of the entire project.

Both will remain involved in the project with at least 1 flat. Other partners of the pro.b Group (Andreas Mollenkopf, Michael Wiefelspütz, among others) will participate in the project with their own residential units. From our point of view, there is therefore no doubt that the pro.b group is interested in the successful completion of the project.

pro.b group’s stewardship in aspects of project control, construction documentation and management will ensure the maximum planning and cost security. This is what we stand for, having successfully managed over 50 property development cooperatives in the past 20 years. Of course, before the other specialist planners were commissioned, invitations to tender were issued and the contracts negotiated before they were awarded. However, we usually limit the circle of companies approached at this point to those with whom we have been working successfully for a long time. From our point of view, this fundamental arrangement is the basis for the successful and effective implementation of our projects so far.

If you have doubts about this configuration, because too much responsibility is concentrated in one hand, then this property development cooperative may not be the right choice for you. Trust is an indispensable basis for a successful property development cooperative project. It should be noted at this point that the aforementioned control and planning services, which have already been contracted out in advance, only account for about 10% of the total production costs.

Apart from the cost of land, the decisive costs are the construction costs (cost category 300 construction costs and cost category 400 building services) covering approx. 40%. These performances will be awarded starting the middle of next year and presented transparently in each property development cooperative meeting.

9. Why is cost category 900 not integrated into the target costs?

There is no cost category 900. In accordance with DIN 276, the construction costs are divided into 8 areas:

• 100 Parcel of land
• 200 Preparatory measures
• 300 Building/building structures
• 400 Building/technical installations
• 500 Outdoor facilities and open spaces
• 600 Furnishings and works of art
• 700 Ancillary building costs
• 800 Financing

10.  I’m sure you have other pre-financing interest in addition to ‘occupancy risk interest’ for lizards, planning, etc.

That is correct. All ongoing work and the purchase of the land are being pre-financed through loans. Only Mr Stahl and Mr Kühne have contributed equity capital to the GbR so far. That is why it is enormously important that other partners join the GbR as soon as possible and bring along equity capital and their own financing. The interest on these loans is part of the total construction costs.

11. Is it possible to see your detailed calculation?

Yes, the cost calculation is currently being finalised. Interested parties who have submitted an application to join can view it in the next two weeks.

12. For months we have been hearing about “construction cost increases” from all sides but pro.b seems pretty quiet about it. Why is that?

Construction costs are currently at an extremely high level. We expect the situation to change during the course of next year, since a construction slowdown is already becoming apparent.

13. Are there two-room flats with two different sides exposed to the sun?

No, the 2-room flats always have only 1 side exposed to sunlight.

14. What is the clear ceiling height?

The clear ceiling height in all flats is 2.62 m. It may differ by an additional 70 cm only in ground-floor commercial spaces, which have direct access from the street. This depends on the location of the walkway from the respective building.

15. What happens if the project ‘stalls’ at 90% occupancy?

Construction work will start at 70% occupancy. Experience has shown that occupancy of the remaining flats gains further momentum once construction has begun. In the event that occupancy remains at e.g. 90% by the end of the construction work, the property development cooperative must complete the entire building ‘all the way to the finish’ and co-finance the unoccupied part (see ‘Occupancy risk’ in the shareholder agreement).

16. What about the commercial spaces on the ground floor?

The commercial spaces are also offered to interested parties and are part of the property development cooperative. There are some enquiries from doctors and lawyers.

17. Are there any brokerage fees?

No, there are no fees for brokers. The project management contract shows the costs for acquiring interested parties. These costs are included in the cost calculation for the overall project.

18. What common spaces are planned?

There are currently plans for a common room of approx. 64 m² on the ground floor of building 3 in the 3rd site section. Here, plans include the installation of a kitchen and a barrier-free WC. There will be a roof terrace on the roof of building 3, which will be accessible to all owners of the development.

19. What common charges are expected?

The common charges for our buildings is currently between 2.70 – 3.50 euros/m².

20. Does every building constitute an own property development cooperative?

Yes, each site section forms an independent property development cooperative. After completion of the construction phase, this cooperative will be converted into an owner’s association and also remain the owner of the property.

There is also a neighbourhood agreement in accordance with which the relationships between adjacent property development cooperatives are governed.

21. Are the buildings in the other site sections copies of BA 1?

No, each building is individually planned and designed. A total of 6 different architectural firms have been commissioned to plan 1–3 buildings each within the entire project.

22. Are the structures shown around the boundaries of the nestbau³ development merely hypothetical?

The buildings to the north of buildings 6 and 7 are currently being planned and will one day appear as shown. The buildings to the east and south of Nestbau³ are already there. The buildings to the west of Nestbau³ are a hypothetical representation. However, the ridge height of the buildings is determined by the development plan. This means that the height of the buildings will not exceed the height shown in the drawing.

23. Due to the staggering of the individual construction phases, we expect construction noise “for years” until all work is completed. Do the developers of the 1st site section receive a cost discount to compensate for this?

Each site section is a separate property development cooperative. The property development cooperative of the first site section can therefore not grant itself a cost deduction. Any costs incurred shall be paid 100%.

24. How are majority decisions made?

The Articles of Association stipulate that all decisions are taken by a 2/3 majority of the votes present. All flats (irrespective of the costs and size) have 1 vote each. The voting right may also be delegated to other partners.

25. There are not only good experiences with wood-framed windows. Although these are often seen as high-quality and advertised as such, they result in considerable renovation and maintenance costs over time. Why aren’t plastic frames installed, which are usually cheaper to buy?

It is true that wooden windows are more expensive than plastic windows, but the difference in cost is only about 10%. We recently compared wood and plastic nests in a residential construction project in Tübingen. As far as the qualities are concerned, it can be summarised as follows: wooden windows: ecological, static and better in terms of U-value, window replacement cheaper, repairs possible. Opinions differ greatly on the durability and maintenance costs, wood can be touched up and painted, plastic has to be replaced, the colour of plastic deteriorates over the years, and the replacement of windows on balcony doors is quite expensive. In addition, there are the homely qualities of a wooden window, due to the “warm” building material wood. This reasoning prompted us to choose wooden windows as standard equipment in this project and to install only wooden windows for many years.

26. How can heat regulation be achieved in homes – especially in the summer months – without driving up energy costs?

The buildings are highly thermally insulated with the KfW 40 energy standard. In practice, the thermal insulation of KfW 40 almost corresponds to the passive house standard. This means minimal heat loss through the building envelope in winter, as well as minimal heat input in summer. Adjustable blinds are installed to prevent summer heating through the glazing, which allow optimal regulation of the sun’s rays while at the same time allowing maximum light to enter. With regard to heating, there is an obligation to connect to the district heating network (combined heat and power plant). The apartments are equipped with underfloor heating, and each room can be controlled individually. To ensure sufficient air exchange (both for air quality (CO2) and humidity regulation), the buildings are equipped with a central ventilation system with heat recovery. Due to a heat exchange between the exhaust air and the supply air, approx. 80% of the waste heat is transferred to the cold supply air and thus recovered. Ventilation heat loss is minimized. Active cooling in summer (air conditioning) is only possible on an apartment-by-apartment basis as an individual special request in consultation with the building services planner, but in principle it is feasible.

27. They have a detailed building description on the website. I can’t imagine that much under the terms mentioned. Is there a way to look at this somewhere?

Yes, we have an office just a 1-minute walk from the future construction site. Here we can show you on site the standard of construction planned in nestbau³ in the finished state.

28. Heating:

a.) Up to what area does the hallway get warm, even if it is not directly equipped with heating?

From the heating circuit distributor (HKV), the heating coils are routed to the respective rooms. Depending on the location of the heating circuit distributor, the hallway can also be heated if other rooms are heated. Overall, the apartments have such a minimal heating requirement that the hallway is always sufficiently heated.

b.) Can the temperatures within the rooms still be individually changed upwards?

In their project description, it is stated that the rooms are 20°C. 20°C is the minimum temperature for which the heating system is designed for operation in winter. That means it never gets colder. If you want to be sure of the last (approx.) 10 days of this year, the heating coils can be tightened (this acts like an additional radiator), this has been done without any problems and has already been implemented in other properties for a corresponding additional cost.

c.) Is it possible to control and operate the heating remotely via app instead of via the wall controller?

yes, this is possible without any problems for special request costs

29. Can I install retractable ceiling lights and speakers? e.g. in a suspended ceiling? How much would that cost?

It is possible to suspend the ceiling a bit and sink LED lights and/or speakers into it. The special request costs will then be determined on a case-by-case basis.

30. Soil:

If I were to use vinyl instead of parquet, you said that you have to raise the screed. How much would that cost?

The screed only needs to be raised minimally, max. 10 mm., there are no additional costs. PVC (vinyl) is about 15-20% cheaper than parquet, but it is also petroleum-based and not renewable like wood.

31. Supply air:

a.) How strong is the draft? I know this from air-conditioned hotels, that it pulls unpleasantly… can the supply air also be switched off?

The draught is actually not felt in a living room ventilation. The mechanical ventilation of the living space is not comparable to the systems you know from hotels. There you have an air conditioning system, which not only ensures hygienic air exchange, but also controls the temperature. A central ventilation system with heat recovery is planned in our houses. The supply air volume can be individually controlled in each apartment via a 4-stage control. The minimum setting is always the amount of air required for the hygienic minimum air exchange (to remove CO2 and humidity). The air exchange can be increased, e.g. when guests are there or overnight to increase sleeping comfort. Overall, however, the air volumes are low, so that there is no noticeable draft.

b.) Is this also used for cooling in summer?

no, cooling is only possible “overnight” with ventilation if the temperatures are cooler outside than inside. For true cooling, you would need to install air conditioning. This is still possible at this stage of planning. Costs according to planning on request.

32. Where is the nearest primary school for the joint building project?

The nearest primary school is the Tullaschule in Offenburger Straße.

See also: Primary schools in Freiburg provide information

33. Is only KfW funding for “climate-friendly new construction” (loan 298) possible or is an alternative also conceivable?

The loans 298 have been applied for and approved for all apartments, so they are safe and can be used and planned in any case. The loan 300 for families is possible in principle, but must be discussed directly with the savings bank in individual cases.

34. Consent of the partners: It is usually necessary to obtain the consent of the other partners in order to sell the apartment. This should be regulated in the shareholders’ agreement.

The GbR only exists for the construction phase. After completion, the GbR will be transferred to a condominium owners’ association (WEG). In the community regulations of the WEG, the transfer of residential property is regulated as follows: § 13 Transfer of residential property: The sale of residential property does not require the consent of § 12 WEG. In the event of a sale, however, the seller is obliged to inform the administrator by sending the data necessary for the proper continuation of the administrative business, in particular the names and addresses of the purchasers.

35. Right of first refusal of the building cooperative: Many shareholders’ agreements contain a clause that grants the building cooperative a right of first refusal. This means that the other partners have the opportunity to purchase the apartment on the same terms as a potential buyer offers.

After completion, this is not the case, see above, WEG. Only if you want to leave the building cooperative during the construction phase do you have to sell your shares. Then you will receive all payments made (the so-called severance credit) back as soon as the building cooperative has found a successor. In this case, the building cooperative has the right to reduce the severance payment credit by up to 20% to compensate for the company’s disadvantages.

36. Sales supervision procedures: Once you have found a buyer for the apartment, you should first obtain the approval of the shareholders or the building cooperative to ensure that all contractual requirements are met.

See point 35.

37. It is important to carefully review the shareholders’ agreement and, if necessary, seek legal advice to understand the specific terms and requirements for the sale of the apartment.

Of course, you should check the articles of association carefully. You will receive all documents if you provide us with your contact details.