We have a plot of land in prospect through our city’s allocation system. Specifically, we are basically just waiting for all the plots to be distributed (we were already able to choose our preferred plot) before moving forward with the notary.
We have also approached several general contractors (GCs). I don’t think there’s much need to discuss the behavior of GCs here. Almost everyone tried to pressure us into a preliminary contract, telling us that certain discounts were no longer available, but that they would kindly extend them to us for another two weeks, and so on. One even tried to push a preliminary design plan on us (based on what, I wonder?).
To avoid further time-consuming but not really productive discussions, we would now like to request concrete offers from the GCs. However, the standard house types are hardly comparable. So, my question to the group is:
On what basis can comparable offers be requested?
Should we specifically hire an architect to carry out a feasibility study, preliminary planning, or even a design proposal? How would the architect calculate the costs for the project, on which they would base their invoice according to HOAI (official fee structure for architects and engineers)?
Do freelance architects even have an interest in handling only these initial steps?
I would appreciate some answers, as we are currently a bit at a loss.
If these questions have already been answered, please excuse me. I was unable to find anything through the search.
We have also approached several general contractors (GCs). I don’t think there’s much need to discuss the behavior of GCs here. Almost everyone tried to pressure us into a preliminary contract, telling us that certain discounts were no longer available, but that they would kindly extend them to us for another two weeks, and so on. One even tried to push a preliminary design plan on us (based on what, I wonder?).
To avoid further time-consuming but not really productive discussions, we would now like to request concrete offers from the GCs. However, the standard house types are hardly comparable. So, my question to the group is:
On what basis can comparable offers be requested?
Should we specifically hire an architect to carry out a feasibility study, preliminary planning, or even a design proposal? How would the architect calculate the costs for the project, on which they would base their invoice according to HOAI (official fee structure for architects and engineers)?
Do freelance architects even have an interest in handling only these initial steps?
I would appreciate some answers, as we are currently a bit at a loss.
If these questions have already been answered, please excuse me. I was unable to find anything through the search.
As Lumpi mentioned, an architect can prepare a detailed specification/bill of quantities, which allows for cost comparison. However, this falls under phase 6 of the HOAI, and by then, practically everything except the construction itself is already decided.
The architect calculates their fee for the stages you mentioned based on a more or less accurate cost estimate. This can be detailed by trades or somewhat more general, depending on the architect (experience of your own architect plus reviews).
I would argue that if you want to build a prefabricated house or work with a general contractor, hiring an architect doesn’t make much sense and doesn’t save money.
Comparisons between house types can then only be made roughly by size, floor plan, and level of fittings.
The architect calculates their fee for the stages you mentioned based on a more or less accurate cost estimate. This can be detailed by trades or somewhat more general, depending on the architect (experience of your own architect plus reviews).
I would argue that if you want to build a prefabricated house or work with a general contractor, hiring an architect doesn’t make much sense and doesn’t save money.
Comparisons between house types can then only be made roughly by size, floor plan, and level of fittings.
caddar schrieb:
Comparisons of house types can only roughly be made by size / floor plan / level of equipment. For the single-family home builder, it’s actually about much more than that:
Slab foundation yes/no, batter boards yes/no, surveyor, site setup, temporary construction power, water supply for construction, crane rental, portable toilet...
MayrCh schrieb:
Concrete slab yes/no, batter boards yes/no, surveyor, site setup, temporary power, water supply, crane rental, portable toilet...These are additional construction costs and must be paid by the homeowner.
For a solid masonry house, the concrete slab is included; for a prefabricated house, the price usually covers the slab. However, they often offer it as an optional extra service.
Dear original poster:
The architect will charge according to HOAI (the official fee schedule for architects). It doesn’t matter how much you later pay to a general contractor.
You can compare offers by specifying the square meters, the energy saving standard—such as KfW70 or 55—possibly your preferred heating system, and some must-haves like a Frisian house, city villa with bay window, 125mm (5 inches) sand-lime brick with pitched roof, an average number of windows, colored window frames, average standard, and brick cladding.
Since you should limit the number of companies you request quotes from—say 3 to 5 (although I find 5 a bit too many)—select those who have established a reputation for being competent, confident, and honest. The detailed comparison of their scope of work should then be relatively straightforward. Of course, not all services can be compared one-to-one, but you can weigh them and prioritize according to your needs.
For example, if a company includes a heating dryer in the bathroom, but you don’t want it, you shouldn’t place too much emphasis on the 300€ (a negligible amount) cost difference.
M
Mottenhausen15 Nov 2018 14:17A first step is to compare the construction and specification descriptions.
Besides that, in our experience, all providers seem relatively similar. The additional costs for extra features tend to even out, too. For one company, the windows with foil were more expensive, but the chimney was cheaper; for another, it was the opposite, and so on.
In the end, we had a range within which all offers fell—narrower than expected. Local solid construction builders were mostly at the lower to mid-range. That’s who we went with.
Among the solid builders, Town & Country was the cheapest, and among the prefab houses, Allkauf Haus (in our case). Both prices adjusted for equipment. But not as much cheaper as you might think at first. The rule of thumb with at least 2000€/m² (185 sq ft) of living space worked well for us. In the end, we even stayed a bit below that.
Besides that, in our experience, all providers seem relatively similar. The additional costs for extra features tend to even out, too. For one company, the windows with foil were more expensive, but the chimney was cheaper; for another, it was the opposite, and so on.
In the end, we had a range within which all offers fell—narrower than expected. Local solid construction builders were mostly at the lower to mid-range. That’s who we went with.
Among the solid builders, Town & Country was the cheapest, and among the prefab houses, Allkauf Haus (in our case). Both prices adjusted for equipment. But not as much cheaper as you might think at first. The rule of thumb with at least 2000€/m² (185 sq ft) of living space worked well for us. In the end, we even stayed a bit below that.
Similar topics