Good morning dear colleagues,
I am in the fortunate situation of having found our personal dream plot for our first own house. However, I only decided to start building four weeks ago and began searching two weeks ago – and now I need to act quickly, or the plot will be gone! I’m a bit overwhelmed because everything is moving so fast; I’ve already made one mistake and would therefore be extremely grateful for professional help and experience.
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1. Question about the builder:
We would like to build with TAFF-Haus, or rather have to, because the broker involved was until two weeks ago still part of the management team and since February has been an independent broker (during the viewing we were told he only works for the owner… which was true at that time but already feels a bit questionable). Now, there is no information or reviews about TAFF-Haus or the other companies in the parent group "Uwe Köhn Unternehmensgruppe," such as ALLEGRO-Haus (only two negative reports about ALLEGRO here in the forum). This is perhaps not surprising, considering the following from the commercial register regarding the entire company structure:
So, there is practically no experience in housebuilding! Or am I mistaken?
Fortunately (?), TAFF does not handle the construction itself but hires a large number of local subcontractors for the individual trades. You could almost say that they only organize. But I’m not certain about that; the walls are patented (prefabricated house/timber frame construction).
That doesn’t worry me too much yet, although I would prefer a company with many years of experience. But I probably just have to make sure that every tiny detail is documented in writing from the start – as it should be for contracts involving such sums.
-> What do you think? Can TAFF-Haus be trusted?
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2. About my mistake:
I, a naive fool, of course told the seller my budget. Quite surprisingly, our desired house now fits exactly into that budget – what a wonderful coincidence!
To partly fix this and to create a basis for negotiation, I’m considering, as mentioned above, asking for a detailed breakdown of every single item and comparing them online. It would be best to also get reference projects with addresses/contact details and compare prices with those. It can’t be too long since they built those...
-> What should I absolutely pay attention to now?
Is there a checklist or something similar in this forum? I will definitely read the section "Buyer assistance before signing the contract" here in the housebuilding guide, but maybe there is more or something that fits my situation.
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3. Alternative for the brave:
The plot is a dream, and we really want to have it. I have managed to find the owner and am seriously considering making him an offer. In the worst case, I’d pay the “hidden” broker’s commission but would then own the plot and no longer be tied to TAFF. We would also like to change some things about the house, which TAFF with their fixed floor plans cannot offer us.
-> Would you consider this option in my situation? Are there risks?
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Normally I’m someone who research many things extensively myself, but in this case I simply don’t have the time. I am grateful for any answer because the next meeting with TAFF is still this week, when the house is supposed to be planned. Feel free to bombard me with helpful links (as far as allowed) or similar topics, as I simply don’t have time to search and sort – mea culpa!
I am in the fortunate situation of having found our personal dream plot for our first own house. However, I only decided to start building four weeks ago and began searching two weeks ago – and now I need to act quickly, or the plot will be gone! I’m a bit overwhelmed because everything is moving so fast; I’ve already made one mistake and would therefore be extremely grateful for professional help and experience.
-----
1. Question about the builder:
We would like to build with TAFF-Haus, or rather have to, because the broker involved was until two weeks ago still part of the management team and since February has been an independent broker (during the viewing we were told he only works for the owner… which was true at that time but already feels a bit questionable). Now, there is no information or reviews about TAFF-Haus or the other companies in the parent group "Uwe Köhn Unternehmensgruppe," such as ALLEGRO-Haus (only two negative reports about ALLEGRO here in the forum). This is perhaps not surprising, considering the following from the commercial register regarding the entire company structure:
- VSC Vertriebs Service Consult GmbH has existed since January 2006.
- Meißner Bau Management GmbH, like Allegro-Haus GmbH, was founded in December 2012.
- TAFF-Haus GmbH has only existed for two years, since May 2015.
So, there is practically no experience in housebuilding! Or am I mistaken?
Fortunately (?), TAFF does not handle the construction itself but hires a large number of local subcontractors for the individual trades. You could almost say that they only organize. But I’m not certain about that; the walls are patented (prefabricated house/timber frame construction).
That doesn’t worry me too much yet, although I would prefer a company with many years of experience. But I probably just have to make sure that every tiny detail is documented in writing from the start – as it should be for contracts involving such sums.
-> What do you think? Can TAFF-Haus be trusted?
-----
2. About my mistake:
I, a naive fool, of course told the seller my budget. Quite surprisingly, our desired house now fits exactly into that budget – what a wonderful coincidence!
To partly fix this and to create a basis for negotiation, I’m considering, as mentioned above, asking for a detailed breakdown of every single item and comparing them online. It would be best to also get reference projects with addresses/contact details and compare prices with those. It can’t be too long since they built those...
-> What should I absolutely pay attention to now?
Is there a checklist or something similar in this forum? I will definitely read the section "Buyer assistance before signing the contract" here in the housebuilding guide, but maybe there is more or something that fits my situation.
-----
3. Alternative for the brave:
The plot is a dream, and we really want to have it. I have managed to find the owner and am seriously considering making him an offer. In the worst case, I’d pay the “hidden” broker’s commission but would then own the plot and no longer be tied to TAFF. We would also like to change some things about the house, which TAFF with their fixed floor plans cannot offer us.
-> Would you consider this option in my situation? Are there risks?
-----
Normally I’m someone who research many things extensively myself, but in this case I simply don’t have the time. I am grateful for any answer because the next meeting with TAFF is still this week, when the house is supposed to be planned. Feel free to bombard me with helpful links (as far as allowed) or similar topics, as I simply don’t have time to search and sort – mea culpa!
P
PowerBauer16 May 2017 14:08They manufactured greenhouses but did not process the metals themselves. On one side, there is a neighbor with vegetable beds, and on the other side, overgrown gardens. Otherwise, it is a purely residential area.
Taff Haus advertises rock-bottom prices but has a somewhat unusual way of presenting itself. They use an informal tone, similar to Ikea, but there it feels more professional. You get access to a house configurator that gives you a great price, but there is no information about how or by whom the house will be built. Be cautious and consider hiring an engineer as a consultant for a fee.
I wouldn’t be too worried about the land either. You can include a clause in the notary contract ensuring that the plot is not contaminated.
I wouldn’t be too worried about the land either. You can include a clause in the notary contract ensuring that the plot is not contaminated.
C
Caspar202016 May 2017 14:49PowerBauer schrieb:
They manufactured greenhouses but did not process the metals themselves. On one side, there is a neighbor with vegetable beds, and on the other, overgrown gardens. Otherwise, it is purely a residential area.Um, a purely residential area is defined as follows:
2) Permitted are
1. Residential buildings,
2. Childcare facilities that serve the needs of the residents in the area.
(3) By exception, the following may be permitted
1. Shops and non-disruptive craft businesses that meet the daily needs of the residents in the area, as well as small accommodation businesses,
2. Other facilities for social purposes as well as facilities serving the residents’ needs for religious, cultural, health, and sports purposes.
(4) Residential buildings permitted under section 2 as well as §§ 2, 4 to 7 also include those that are wholly or partly used for the care and support of their residents.It is less about your personal impression and more about the legal status. In other words, if the area is not classified accordingly, something could be built there again, for example next to your property.
C
Caspar202016 May 2017 17:26Nordlys schrieb:
This will be a mixed-use area.... so what, it’s actually interesting to have someone nearby who can do welding, not so sterile and dominated by WPC decking.Then move there... But I don’t think the original poster is really aware of that.
P
PowerBauer16 May 2017 21:06I now have the scope of work description and the completed offer. Am I allowed to share this publicly here?