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
PowerBauer17 May 2017 08:46Caspar2020 schrieb:
At the home improvement store? Or during the selection process with Taff? Don’t forget that almost every home builder charges you more than just the raw material costs. Yes, at the home improvement store. Prices might differ between NRW and Saxony, though...
Caspar2020 schrieb:
What stands out to me about your costs is that, for example, the utility connection fees seem very tight. Depending on local conditions, you will also have either rainwater infiltration or sewer connection fees. That’s probably not included. I’m almost done with the contract, and it states, for example, that the downspouts end 1.25m (4 feet) above ground level – and that’s it. We would like to use the rainwater, but it won’t exceed one ton, and the overflow must still go somewhere. Roughly, what costs can I expect for that?
Caspar2020 schrieb:
What about the security of the windows and doors? Are there mushroom-head locks installed? No. I haven’t looked into burglary protection yet. I believe there is some KfW funding related to that.
We have a video surveillance system and LED floodlights with motion sensors, and the location is relatively low risk. Still, it is something to consider, that’s for sure.
Caspar2020 schrieb:
What about the garden and outdoor areas? Terrace? Entrance steps? So far, you can only get into the house via two European pallets. Garage? Carport? That's our own work, and we want to do it ourselves because we have clear ideas that don’t fit within the (affordable) offers from companies. I don’t see it as critical or decisive, and it doesn’t need to be done right away.
Caspar2020 schrieb:
Lighting inside the house? Connections will be installed; we will bring our own lamps.
Caspar2020 schrieb:
Kitchen? Separate budget of €10,000 (about $11,000), but we only need appliances like a dishwasher, cooktop, oven, and extractor hood. We are bringing our own microwave, freezer, and fridge. We don’t want any additional gadgets.
Caspar2020 schrieb:
Contingency buffer? So, after land, acquisition costs, and house price, is there about €60,000 to €85,000 (about $66,000 to $94,000) left in the budget? There is a buffer (after everything mentioned above), but it’s nowhere near that much. However, we live very carefully and frugally, have kept detailed household budgets for years, and financially, we should be well in control. As I said, I also feel very well advised by Dr. Klein.
You have to separate appearance from quality. Duravit does not mean cheap toilets, but they are not exactly stylish either. We found and sampled good quality tiles priced between 19.90 and 25.90, in a 60 by 30 cm (24 by 12 inches) format.
Offering the staircase like that is bold and does not inspire trust in the provider. What else might they be hiding?
We can live well with smooth white interior doors, for example. Today, all windows have mushroom head locks, or so I claim.
Connection and garden... well, I also wondered if that is sufficient. Overall impression: it is mixed. Karsten
Offering the staircase like that is bold and does not inspire trust in the provider. What else might they be hiding?
We can live well with smooth white interior doors, for example. Today, all windows have mushroom head locks, or so I claim.
Connection and garden... well, I also wondered if that is sufficient. Overall impression: it is mixed. Karsten
I don't believe that their windows come with mushroom-head locks, at least not without an additional charge. Apparently, everything there comes with an extra cost. Personally, I don't mind, as the homebuyer can save on some items that are not important to them or that they don't prioritize.
However, the base price should result in a functional house—or at least include the current standard and typical series features. The base price for a shell construction home is not exactly cheap.
We are looking at 289,000 without the costs for selections. This includes underfloor heating embedded in the slab and walls that are sheathed on one side. Additional costs mean dealing with a poorly thought-out budget.
@PowerBauer has unfortunately been forced into a position where he feels the need to defend this homebuilder aggressively. This is not good, as it leads him to side with Taff and no longer objectively considers our concerns.
This builder addresses customers informally and even suggests buying materials from Polish suppliers to reduce costs.
Seriously???
@PowerBauer
You need a reality check!
Regards, Yvonne
However, the base price should result in a functional house—or at least include the current standard and typical series features. The base price for a shell construction home is not exactly cheap.
We are looking at 289,000 without the costs for selections. This includes underfloor heating embedded in the slab and walls that are sheathed on one side. Additional costs mean dealing with a poorly thought-out budget.
@PowerBauer has unfortunately been forced into a position where he feels the need to defend this homebuilder aggressively. This is not good, as it leads him to side with Taff and no longer objectively considers our concerns.
This builder addresses customers informally and even suggests buying materials from Polish suppliers to reduce costs.
Seriously???
@PowerBauer
You need a reality check!
Regards, Yvonne
P
PowerBauer17 May 2017 09:50Nordlys schrieb:
Offering the staircase like that is cheeky and does not build trust in the provider. What else is he hiding?There are a few other hidden things in the contract. For example, the delivery of the ventilation system has to be ordered separately. I have noted everything down and will ask TAFF what the actual final price is once you add it all up...ypg schrieb:
I don’t think their windows have mushroom locks, at least not without an extra charge.I also don’t think mushroom locks are included.ypg schrieb:
Apparently, everything with them is only done for an additional fee. Personally, I don’t mind that, because the homeowner can save on things they don’t care about or value.I agree with that, but you can have a nasty surprise if you just trust the seller and don’t read the contract carefully!ypg schrieb:
@PowerBauer has unfortunately been forced into a position to justify this housebuilder aggressively.
That’s not good because it means he’s siding with TAFF and no longer reads our concerns objectively.No, I don’t think so. As I said, I would prefer to build with someone who has more experience, and I certainly don’t want to justify TAFF. Today I will give the contract to a building surveyor from the Private Homeowners Association and compare it with the requirements in the homebuilding guide.
The question is whether that will help, since TAFF will probably just answer something like: Take it or leave it, there are plenty of others who don’t read the contract and just sign.
P
PowerBauer17 May 2017 10:23ypg schrieb:
We are looking at 289,000 without finishes selection costs. This includes underfloor heating embedded in the slab and walls that are dry-lined on one side only. Additional costs would indicate a flawed budget. I truly see one-sidedly dry-lined walls as a disadvantage, both in load-bearing capacity and sound insulation. Does a prefabricated house supplier even allow modifications here?
ypg schrieb:
The supplier is someone who addresses customers informally and suggests buying from Polish suppliers to reduce costs.
Seriously??? So far, we have never been addressed informally. I don’t trust advertising; advertising generally lies—what matters is what is written in the contract.
The recommendation to consider the Polish suppliers actually came from me
Nevertheless, thank you very much for the criticism. It is tremendously helpful in making a decision, and perhaps we really have to pass up this unique opportunity due to the building company. But I’m not at that point yet; first, the building surveyor should review the scope of work description.
C
Caspar202017 May 2017 11:09Nordlys schrieb:
Nowadays, all windows have mushroom locks. That’s my claim.No. I’ve seen enough offers in the last 6 months where that was not part of the standard.
I also forgot to mention the external connection points for water and electricity. Those often come as an extra-cost feature.
PowerBauer schrieb:
Single-sided drywall is really a disadvantage in terms of both structural strength and soundproofing.According to their website, the exterior wall is constructed as follows:
8 mm (0.3 inch) silicone resin topcoat and basecoat with reinforcing mesh
60 mm (2.4 inches) wood fiberboard
200 mm (7.9 inches) framework made of structural solid wood (KVH)
200 mm (7.9 inches) stone wool for sound and thermal insulation
15 mm (0.6 inch) OSB board, sealed airtight against wind
60 mm (2.4 inches) battens as installation cavity
60 mm (2.4 inches) stone wool for sound and thermal insulation
10 mm (0.4 inch) gypsum fiberboard
Vapor control membrane, airtight sealed
12.5 mm (0.5 inch) gypsum plasterboard
This is fine. It’s double-layered cladding. Does the building specification say otherwise?
Regarding the interior walls: they are only clad single-sided with OSB boards. That’s not great; OSB plus drywall would be better. But OSB has significantly higher load-bearing capacity than drywall alone. Soundproofing mostly depends on what is inside the stud cavity. Another question is how thick the OSB boards are. Does the building specification mention that?
PowerBauer schrieb:
Thanks anyway for the critique. It really helps with the decision-making process, and maybe we actually have to pass up this unique opportunity because of the builder. But I’m not there yet; first the building surveyor should review the building specification.Good idea
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