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Faktus201021 Sep 2010 22:12Hello!
Does anyone have experience with franchise companies?
We received a "good" offer from a graduate architect who probably works through a franchise. We are a bit skeptical because we lack references... only many planning offers available online. What do you think?!?
Does anyone have experience with franchise companies?
We received a "good" offer from a graduate architect who probably works through a franchise. We are a bit skeptical because we lack references... only many planning offers available online. What do you think?!?
B
Bauexperte22 Sep 2010 10:12Hello,
First of all, some basics:
There is no architect who builds by themselves, unless they own a construction company and therefore have permanently employed craftsmen for all the relevant trades involved in building a house. Usually, architects collaborate with contractors they know, starting from the structural work and ending with finishing trades such as tiling. The model you described is rather unlikely, since franchisors—at least the reputable ones—usually have their own architects; it is likely that over time a cooperation has developed between franchisor and architect, which in itself does not have to mean anything negative.
Regarding franchisors—there are hardly any companies operating nationwide that do not work with franchises. Despite all criticism, this business model—provided the franchisor is a reputable provider—offers a useful service to the homeowner, who is usually completely overwhelmed by the house-building process. The healthy companies in the industry are therefore usually not negatively represented in this or other forums, exceptions notwithstanding.
The risks of this business model arise—also with few exceptions—from the approach of those homeowners who focus solely on price rather than on a balanced price/performance ratio. As in every industry, there are so-called "black sheep" in the market for prefabricated or solid houses, who specifically target the "cheapest is best" type of homeowner. Their salespeople encourage potential clients in their belief that EVERYTHING can be obtained cheaper; in the end—and this is the problem with construction—this wishful thinking resets to normal levels, since even the most frugal builder cannot get something for nothing anywhere.
Therefore, every homeowner must decide in advance what they want:
is continuous support from an architect important to them (bearing in mind that not all architects offer fixed-price proposals)
is it rather a smaller, local construction company
does he want (or can) coordinate and contract all trades himself (for which an architect is also needed)
or does he prefer a franchisor operating nationwide.
The trick is to make the right choice for the individual homeowner. Besides this forum and others, there are numerous ways to make a choice tailored to personal needs, since the above-mentioned models come with different prices for usually different services; ultimately, it is the budget and personal gut feeling that decide. If the homeowner understands that every service comes at a price, they will rarely "get burned," no matter which option they choose; the motivation should not be "cheap" but "good value."
Best regards
Faktus2010 schrieb:
Does anyone have experience with franchise companies?!
Faktus2010 schrieb:
We have a "good" offer from a certified architect, who probably works through a franchise. We’re a bit skeptical because we lack references... only many planning offers found online. What do you think?!?
First of all, some basics:
There is no architect who builds by themselves, unless they own a construction company and therefore have permanently employed craftsmen for all the relevant trades involved in building a house. Usually, architects collaborate with contractors they know, starting from the structural work and ending with finishing trades such as tiling. The model you described is rather unlikely, since franchisors—at least the reputable ones—usually have their own architects; it is likely that over time a cooperation has developed between franchisor and architect, which in itself does not have to mean anything negative.
Regarding franchisors—there are hardly any companies operating nationwide that do not work with franchises. Despite all criticism, this business model—provided the franchisor is a reputable provider—offers a useful service to the homeowner, who is usually completely overwhelmed by the house-building process. The healthy companies in the industry are therefore usually not negatively represented in this or other forums, exceptions notwithstanding.
The risks of this business model arise—also with few exceptions—from the approach of those homeowners who focus solely on price rather than on a balanced price/performance ratio. As in every industry, there are so-called "black sheep" in the market for prefabricated or solid houses, who specifically target the "cheapest is best" type of homeowner. Their salespeople encourage potential clients in their belief that EVERYTHING can be obtained cheaper; in the end—and this is the problem with construction—this wishful thinking resets to normal levels, since even the most frugal builder cannot get something for nothing anywhere.
Therefore, every homeowner must decide in advance what they want:
is continuous support from an architect important to them (bearing in mind that not all architects offer fixed-price proposals)
is it rather a smaller, local construction company
does he want (or can) coordinate and contract all trades himself (for which an architect is also needed)
or does he prefer a franchisor operating nationwide.
The trick is to make the right choice for the individual homeowner. Besides this forum and others, there are numerous ways to make a choice tailored to personal needs, since the above-mentioned models come with different prices for usually different services; ultimately, it is the budget and personal gut feeling that decide. If the homeowner understands that every service comes at a price, they will rarely "get burned," no matter which option they choose; the motivation should not be "cheap" but "good value."
Best regards
Hello,
I would like to start with my questions here:
1. Which franchise builders can be considered reliable and affordable, so not at the level of Town & Country? But they also shouldn’t be among the high-priced ones like Viebrockhaus. Viebrockhaus already has its price range...
2. And above all, I have been wondering for some time now how to find regional construction companies in the Cologne-Bonn area that build almost turnkey?
3. Is there a price difference between "turnkey" and "self-coordinated" construction? With self-coordination of trades, you can look around at local craftsmen and choose your partners on site. Maybe this also allows for certain personal contributions to be incorporated better, but I assume it makes no difference.
Regards
K-BN
I would like to start with my questions here:
1. Which franchise builders can be considered reliable and affordable, so not at the level of Town & Country? But they also shouldn’t be among the high-priced ones like Viebrockhaus. Viebrockhaus already has its price range...
2. And above all, I have been wondering for some time now how to find regional construction companies in the Cologne-Bonn area that build almost turnkey?
3. Is there a price difference between "turnkey" and "self-coordinated" construction? With self-coordination of trades, you can look around at local craftsmen and choose your partners on site. Maybe this also allows for certain personal contributions to be incorporated better, but I assume it makes no difference.
Regards
K-BN
B
Bauexperte19 Oct 2010 12:41Hello,
Whatever you decide, one thing should be the top priority with all available options: talk to your bank about checking the creditworthiness of the contractors or preferred provider if you opt mainly for turnkey construction.
Best regards
K-BN schrieb:I already referred to the well-known forums in the last paragraph of the previous post. Another option is to visit new development areas and ask the homeowners there about their experiences with their builders. I am only somewhat convinced by consumer advice centers, as their management plans too much “on paper,” which rarely reflects reality; however, they are quick to learn if there are discrepancies with providers of different construction methods => Barometer.
1. Which franchisees can be considered reliable and affordable, so not on the level of Town & Country? But they shouldn’t be among the high-priced ones like Viebrockhaus. Viebrockhaus does have its prices...
K-BN schrieb:As described in the first paragraph. I also do not see why reputable regional builders would refuse to accommodate the wishes of potential clients who do not want to purchase the full service package. Of course, it depends on what you understand by “almost turnkey.” If you cannot find anything, feel free to contact me by email, and we can discuss your cadastral map, development plan, and written provisions without obligation.
2. And above all, I have been wondering for some time now how to find regional construction companies in the Cologne-Bonn area that build almost turnkey?
K-BN schrieb:A clear “yes and no.” If you want to contract the interior trades yourself after the shell construction—which I would not go below—this requires a lot of basic knowledge and, above all, time. Also, a well-trained site manager should not be missing; alternatively, hiring a sworn expert is recommended. The savings largely depend on the desired standard and your ability to detect construction errors early.
3. Is there a price difference between “turnkey” and “self-coordinated” building? With self-coordination of the trades, you can look around for local craftsmen and choose your partners on site. This might also allow you to contribute some of the work yourself, but probably doesn’t make a difference.
Whatever you decide, one thing should be the top priority with all available options: talk to your bank about checking the creditworthiness of the contractors or preferred provider if you opt mainly for turnkey construction.
Best regards
A franchise system is definitely a reputable concept, but of course, it always depends on the individual partners. The biggest issue I see is the quite varying quality of franchisees, so in one region you might find a very reliable and capable partner, while in another region you could end up with someone you’d rather not do business with.
Hello!
@wabe:
That’s exactly what I mean— even if a franchisor has a pretty good reputation, the experiences can vary greatly by region due to different franchisees. That’s my challenge, to find out what it’s like in my area. 😉
@Bauexperte:
But is it risky to assume that if there’s no information about a general contractor / main contractor in the relevant forums, they must be unreliable— especially if the company doesn’t operate nationwide? Smaller companies might simply not appear as often in online forums.
First of all, thank you for your offer— I might get back to you.
I think I wasn’t very clear about what I meant by “almost turn-key.” I was referring to a company (franchisee, general contractor, or main contractor) that builds the house completely, including most trades. I would do some of the partial work myself, like possibly installing empty conduits for electrical wiring and maybe pulling cables, installing electric roller shutter motors, setting up an alarm system, and integrating its wiring during the rough-in stage before the walls are plastered, etc.— apart from wallpapering and flooring (outside the bathroom). Most companies I spoke with don’t generally exclude the possibility of client self-performance. Then you have to consider whether the granted “discount” is reasonable.
I’m just wondering how to find local (I guess I should say general contractors instead of main contractors) who build turn-key, offer reasonable prices, and deliver quality work. You read a lot about larger franchised companies working across regions, but finding smaller local providers seems somewhat harder.
So, this could realistically only be managed effectively with an architect who at least prepares the tender documents. You could then obtain bids, select, and coordinate the internal trades yourself? The architect would need to perform detailed inspections of the construction; I might be able to do rough error checks. Possible savings from selecting the individual tradespeople would probably be quite limited.
Thanks, I’ll keep that in mind.
You seem quite familiar with what’s happening in the Rhineland area; maybe you have some suggestions or warnings regarding franchisors and their franchisees in the Cologne-Bonn region in the mid-price range? And also regarding local providers for turn-key construction? Feel free to message me.
Regards,
K-BN
@wabe:
That’s exactly what I mean— even if a franchisor has a pretty good reputation, the experiences can vary greatly by region due to different franchisees. That’s my challenge, to find out what it’s like in my area. 😉
@Bauexperte:
Bauexperte schrieb:
In the last paragraph of my previous post, I already referred to the well-known forums. Another option is to visit new housing developments and ask the homeowners there about their experiences with their builders.
But is it risky to assume that if there’s no information about a general contractor / main contractor in the relevant forums, they must be unreliable— especially if the company doesn’t operate nationwide? Smaller companies might simply not appear as often in online forums.
Bauexperte schrieb:
As described in the first paragraph, I wouldn’t know why reputable local construction companies would refuse to accommodate potential homeowners who don’t want to buy a complete package. Of course, it always depends on what you mean by “almost turn-key.” If you don’t find what you’re looking for, feel free to email me and we can review your land registry extract, zoning plan, and written conditions together informally.
First of all, thank you for your offer— I might get back to you.
I think I wasn’t very clear about what I meant by “almost turn-key.” I was referring to a company (franchisee, general contractor, or main contractor) that builds the house completely, including most trades. I would do some of the partial work myself, like possibly installing empty conduits for electrical wiring and maybe pulling cables, installing electric roller shutter motors, setting up an alarm system, and integrating its wiring during the rough-in stage before the walls are plastered, etc.— apart from wallpapering and flooring (outside the bathroom). Most companies I spoke with don’t generally exclude the possibility of client self-performance. Then you have to consider whether the granted “discount” is reasonable.
I’m just wondering how to find local (I guess I should say general contractors instead of main contractors) who build turn-key, offer reasonable prices, and deliver quality work. You read a lot about larger franchised companies working across regions, but finding smaller local providers seems somewhat harder.
Bauexperte schrieb:
It’s a definite “maybe.” If you want to manage the interior finishing trades yourself after the shell is closed up— and I wouldn’t go any earlier than that— it requires a lot of basic knowledge and, above all, time. A well-trained construction manager should not be missing; alternatively, hiring a certified surveyor is recommended. The savings depend heavily on the desired standard and the ability to spot construction errors early.
So, this could realistically only be managed effectively with an architect who at least prepares the tender documents. You could then obtain bids, select, and coordinate the internal trades yourself? The architect would need to perform detailed inspections of the construction; I might be able to do rough error checks. Possible savings from selecting the individual tradespeople would probably be quite limited.
Bauexperte schrieb:
Whatever you decide, one thing should always be top priority: a discussion with your bank about verifying the creditworthiness of the contractors or preferred provider, especially if you’re opting mostly for turn-key construction.
Thanks, I’ll keep that in mind.
You seem quite familiar with what’s happening in the Rhineland area; maybe you have some suggestions or warnings regarding franchisors and their franchisees in the Cologne-Bonn region in the mid-price range? And also regarding local providers for turn-key construction? Feel free to message me.
Regards,
K-BN