ᐅ Shell construction – final inspection – what questions should we still ask?

Until when are changes to exterior and interior walls possible, and when does the general contractor need the kitchen connection plan?

For example, I am annoyed that I allowed myself to be brushed off during the final discussion regarding the design of the underfloor heating. My wish was to have underfloor heating in rooms X/Y/Z with a supply temperature of 30°C (86°F) according to the specifications of DIN 12831.

However, I was dismissed with assurances that everything would be taken care of and that I didn’t need to worry. The heating contractor presented his standard solution but definitely did not provide any calculations.

Basically, we still managed to negotiate a few extras, such as plastered exterior walls in basement rooms intended for residential use, and also managed to reduce the costs by a small percentage.

I should add that I had already worked out all ancillary costs very precisely and in detail, and I also obtained quotes from the craftsmen and wholesalers. This allowed us to estimate upgrades for doors, bathrooms, and electrical installations quite accurately. However, I had completely underestimated the cost of the built-in housings for the recessed ceiling spotlights—they easily cost around 2,000 euros and don’t even include the light bulbs.

We then received a detailed schedule outlining “who must do or decide what and when” to prepare for the first meeting with the site manager.

I would like to see the schedule and all drawings: if there are no more beyond those included in the building permit / planning permission documents, then the subcontractors—especially those working with this method for the first time—will each handle the details according to their respective immersion method. This often results in lots of drywall bumps appearing everywhere.

Nordlys schrieb:

The three of us then stand up, shake hands on what was said, and that’s it. I will now prepare the building permit / planning permission application; please come next Tuesday to sign it. Both of you. K.

When I think of the particular favorite of @Hausbau2019 (or even just about Heinz von Heiden @fach1werk), I have some cautious remaining doubts that the general contractors are all strictly modeled after the honorable Holstein horse trader pattern.

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Nordlys schrieb:

This is how our final appointment went.

Sounds pretty smooth and straightforward.

Strahleman schrieb:

I would ask...

Great, that’s exactly the kind of thing I meant!

The question about the start date is a good one since I also need to plan the sale of our current house!

I’m also noting the additional responsibilities of the builder!

I really wouldn’t have thought about whether you’re allowed to change trades!!

opalau schrieb:

For me, these questions don’t really fit with a final appointment.

Sorry, maybe “final” wasn’t the right word. I wanted to update the title right after posting, as I thought it might cause some confusion. Unfortunately, I couldn’t change the thread title anymore.

We had several talks with the general contractor, but never a clear “we’ll build with you” since we were still in discussions with two others.

Tomorrow we want to give the green light that we’ve chosen the general contractor. We have the cost for the house, and the construction manager already verbally prepared us for the additional building-related costs. But nothing else has been finalized yet, and that should happen tomorrow.

OWLer schrieb:

I’m annoyed, for example, that

I’ll also make a note about the lead-in temperatures. If tomorrow is too early for that, I’ll know for next time!

The tip about the pre-selection appointment is great, I’ll ask if that’s possible.

Yaso2.0 schrieb:

I’ll make a note about the supply temperatures as well. If it’s too early to address that tomorrow, at least I’ll have it in mind for next time!

The tip about the preliminary selection is great too—I’ll check if that’s possible.

It’s never too early to discuss this topic. If you’re building with a heat pump, it’s especially important. For example, see the current discussions in the heating section. The same issues come up everywhere: bathrooms that are too cold, heat pumps cycling on and off, or extremely high energy consumption. This often points to a problem with the design of the heating circuits. In such cases, it’s essential to specify that a room-by-room heating load calculation is conducted and provided to the homeowner, followed by a proper design of the heating circuits. Everything should be done according to DIN 12831, with a supply temperature of around 30°C (86°F), for example.

Preliminary selections are definitely doable. Why shouldn’t they be? The only risk for the general contractor is that you negotiate the additional costs into the overall house price — which happened in our case, at least partially. Without this option, I would have made it clear to our general contractor that there are other options available.

For me, "final" means that the house, the fittings, the general location on the plot, and the price have already been clarified beforehand. Both the client and the builder attend this meeting knowing that the contract is effectively awarded. Now it’s about the details: start date, application, masonry plan for the kitchen installer with connections, and so on. These points are settled at this stage. Building without a written contract, based on a handshake, is certainly not the norm in 2020, but it still exists in rural areas; it’s a question of honor to stick to what was agreed. This applies to both parties.