Hello everyone,
First of all: I’m not sure if there is already a thread like this, but nevertheless, I would find it very interesting to gather opinions, ideas, tips, tricks, etc., shortly before or during the construction phase, in order to avoid possible “sources of errors” that some homeowners made out of lack of knowledge.
These should mostly be “small details” that can be relatively easily changed or adjusted and don’t disrupt the entire plan.
We are not talking about:
--> I wouldn’t build a basement anymore
--> I would definitely get a garage in the future
But rather things like:
--> Make sure to install a conduit for the photovoltaic system
--> Wire your front door electrically to allow for technical upgrades later on
--> Install enough power outlets at certain spots to...
--> Have a water connection installed for an additional shower to create more options later
They can really be small things that bothered you afterward, that you would have done differently, but no longer have the chance to change, or that caused additional costs later on.
Topics related to kitchen, bathroom, or similar are also welcome.
We want to think of as many things as possible (which is of course nearly impossible and always depends on individual circumstances) — but surely some tips could still be helpful.
Looking forward to your input 🙂
First of all: I’m not sure if there is already a thread like this, but nevertheless, I would find it very interesting to gather opinions, ideas, tips, tricks, etc., shortly before or during the construction phase, in order to avoid possible “sources of errors” that some homeowners made out of lack of knowledge.
These should mostly be “small details” that can be relatively easily changed or adjusted and don’t disrupt the entire plan.
We are not talking about:
--> I wouldn’t build a basement anymore
--> I would definitely get a garage in the future
But rather things like:
--> Make sure to install a conduit for the photovoltaic system
--> Wire your front door electrically to allow for technical upgrades later on
--> Install enough power outlets at certain spots to...
--> Have a water connection installed for an additional shower to create more options later
They can really be small things that bothered you afterward, that you would have done differently, but no longer have the chance to change, or that caused additional costs later on.
Topics related to kitchen, bathroom, or similar are also welcome.
We want to think of as many things as possible (which is of course nearly impossible and always depends on individual circumstances) — but surely some tips could still be helpful.
Looking forward to your input 🙂
KEVST schrieb:
What kind of ideas do people come up with? If you have spent months working on the floor plan and the fittings, everything should be clear by then, right? Why? Fittings only come after the shell construction in solid construction methods.
superzapp schrieb:
It’s very important—if the principle of finality that @11ant mentioned is not strictly followed—to ask about the “price tag” attached to every change or order! I interpret the title and the phrase “shortly before/during the construction phase” as the stage when “all stamps are dry, the concrete mixer is about to start,” which is definitely beyond the point of material sampling decisions. Looking ahead, the only remaining question here is the tiler’s preference for grout lines: whether to align them parallel or diagonal to the walls. I consider everything else settled—hence the reminder that it should stay that way now. Once the wounds from compromises have scabbed over, I wouldn’t reopen them. Contractions don’t come any faster if the expectant father paces anxiously outside the delivery room. There are phases during construction when, as a homeowner, you’re only on the sidelines (and you shouldn’t offend the referee if you don’t want to be sent off). You just have to get through those times.
https://www.instagram.com/11antgmxde/
https://www.linkedin.com/company/bauen-jetzt/
S
Seven198419 Mar 2021 06:43The point is, things look quite different on 2D or 3D drawings compared to actually standing in the finished rooms, experiencing the feel, look, and acoustics. Naturally, you come up with ideas, discard some, and revisit others. If you then have the option to soften the finality of the detailed planning, that’s a good thing.
The crucial question, of course, is how you build.
If you have signed everything and are working with a general contractor, you should avoid making changes afterwards. That can become extremely expensive and usually won’t be cost-effective unless there are serious planning errors.
However, if you plan for these small details in advance, it’s a different story. In that case, it’s definitely worth investing a lot of thought beforehand, and it’s perfectly legitimate and helpful to ask questions in forums or consult friends and acquaintances.
Just like when you’re building yourself, you can always add a supply line to a floor box later. It will cost some time and perhaps a little money for cable plus the desired box.
Another change we made was that we wanted a pellet stove in the open living area. Adding a chimney afterwards isn’t so easy, so we had to go with a stainless steel external chimney. However, we sized the flue so that, if needed, we could connect a real fireplace later if we wanted to.
We ended up building by chance, so to speak. We only had about 4.5 months from negotiating the price for the failed existing project until starting our build. Our floor plan was basically finalized in about three weeks.
We are very satisfied with our (hopefully soon) finished house, but would deciding on every little detail in advance have worked out? That would have been a disaster. With enough thought, though, you can probably achieve an 80% to 90% solution. Even large IT projects today are built using agile methods.
The crucial question, of course, is how you build.
If you have signed everything and are working with a general contractor, you should avoid making changes afterwards. That can become extremely expensive and usually won’t be cost-effective unless there are serious planning errors.
However, if you plan for these small details in advance, it’s a different story. In that case, it’s definitely worth investing a lot of thought beforehand, and it’s perfectly legitimate and helpful to ask questions in forums or consult friends and acquaintances.
Just like when you’re building yourself, you can always add a supply line to a floor box later. It will cost some time and perhaps a little money for cable plus the desired box.
Another change we made was that we wanted a pellet stove in the open living area. Adding a chimney afterwards isn’t so easy, so we had to go with a stainless steel external chimney. However, we sized the flue so that, if needed, we could connect a real fireplace later if we wanted to.
We ended up building by chance, so to speak. We only had about 4.5 months from negotiating the price for the failed existing project until starting our build. Our floor plan was basically finalized in about three weeks.
We are very satisfied with our (hopefully soon) finished house, but would deciding on every little detail in advance have worked out? That would have been a disaster. With enough thought, though, you can probably achieve an 80% to 90% solution. Even large IT projects today are built using agile methods.
KEVST schrieb:
Is it common for the owner to want to make many changes during the construction phase? Sure, that is actually more the rule than the exception... or has everyone already forgotten the BER again?S
saralina8719 Mar 2021 07:08Seven1984 schrieb:
The point is that 2D or 3D drawings look very different compared to actually standing in the finished rooms, experiencing the feel, appearance, and acoustics. It’s natural to have ideas, discard old ones, and reconsider things. If you then have the option to slightly adjust the final detailed planning, that’s a good thing.
The crucial question, of course, is how you build. If you have signed everything and are building with a general contractor, you should avoid making later changes. That can become extremely expensive and usually won’t be worth the effort unless there were really major planning errors. (...) We stumbled into building almost by accident. We had only about 4.5 months from negotiating the price for an existing failed construction project to our actual start of construction. Our floor plan was basically finalized in about 3 weeks. We’re very satisfied with the (hopefully soon) finished house, but would having decided every little detail in advance have worked out? That would have been a disaster. With some effort, you can probably get an 80% to 90% solution... Even big IT projects today use agile methods 😉 Although we are building a solid wood house, small changes were still easy to make once the shell was up, without extra cost. It really depends on the company—so my tip is: choosing the general contractor is absolutely crucial. And also how you work with them. Occasionally bringing cake or some drinks might increase their willingness to make minor adjustments.Regarding the construction details, it’s hard to say much given the subjectivity. Besides, I believe a 100% solution doesn’t really exist, or at best is only valid for about ten years. Tastes and personal needs usually change significantly over time.
Similar topics