ᐅ General Procedure for a Construction Project in the Potsdam Area
Created on: 6 Jul 2021 17:38
T
Tim-SrsHello everyone,
We are at the beginning of our house building project and have already signed for the plot of land. We plan to build a townhouse with a basement on it.
We are currently considering the overall approach. We expect potential cost savings by managing the following tasks ourselves:
For a general contractor (GC), we want to hand over everything from the top of the basement upwards, including heating, electrical, and plumbing.
My current plan is as follows:
Then, I see three possible options:
Or
Now I have the following questions regarding the two options:
Best regards, Tim
We are at the beginning of our house building project and have already signed for the plot of land. We plan to build a townhouse with a basement on it.
We are currently considering the overall approach. We expect potential cost savings by managing the following tasks ourselves:
- Earthworks (we have a good connection to the local civil engineering contractor)
- Precast concrete basement
- Interior finishing such as flooring, painting, and interior doors (which we also want to partly do ourselves)
- Photovoltaic system
For a general contractor (GC), we want to hand over everything from the top of the basement upwards, including heating, electrical, and plumbing.
My current plan is as follows:
- Work together with an architect to develop the design.
- Plan with the architect through design phase 3 (preliminary design).
- Request quotes from the civil engineer, basement provider, GCs, and photovoltaic providers based on the preliminary design documents.
- Simultaneously with the preliminary design, start a building enquiry (the plot is located in an unplanned inner area under §34 of the German Building Code).
Then, I see three possible options:
- Carry out all further planning and contracting of the construction manager with the architect.
Or
- Based on the preliminary design, handle all further planning and construction management with the GC.
- Have the architect do all further planning and appoint the best GC for execution.
Now I have the following questions regarding the two options:
- In option 2, does the GC provide the planning documents for the basement to the basement builder I have contracted?
- In option 3, do I risk paying double fees for the contracts (once to the architect and again to the GC who subcontracts)?
- Is it possible to design the preliminary plans in such a way that both solid masonry builders and timber frame builders (e.g., Kampa) can be asked for quotes?
- Have you built in a similar way and can you share any tips?
- How do you see this planning approach — do you notice any major flaws in my explanation?
Best regards, Tim
I would define the preliminary design phase as the stage where decisions about the construction method are clarified – and also the phase when the building permit application or planning permission request is submitted.
I wouldn’t specifically select a general contractor (GC) right away but would prepare the tender documents together with the architect, making sure not to exclude a GC as an option. Whether the shell contractor handles the foundation themselves or sources it as a module from a supplier can then be left to their discretion. The connection between foundation and shell ("OKKD") is a sensitive interface, so I wouldn’t take any risky chances with it.
The architect’s initial assessment will already show whether the desire for the "urban villa" house style can be pursued further. By the way, I would always have the architect also act as the construction manager, as a GC employee called "site manager" or similar has a very different scope of responsibilities.
https://www.instagram.com/11antgmxde/
https://www.linkedin.com/company/bauen-jetzt/
I wouldn’t specifically select a general contractor (GC) right away but would prepare the tender documents together with the architect, making sure not to exclude a GC as an option. Whether the shell contractor handles the foundation themselves or sources it as a module from a supplier can then be left to their discretion. The connection between foundation and shell ("OKKD") is a sensitive interface, so I wouldn’t take any risky chances with it.
The architect’s initial assessment will already show whether the desire for the "urban villa" house style can be pursued further. By the way, I would always have the architect also act as the construction manager, as a GC employee called "site manager" or similar has a very different scope of responsibilities.
https://www.instagram.com/11antgmxde/
https://www.linkedin.com/company/bauen-jetzt/
We are from the Potsdam-Mittelmark area and submitted our building permit / planning permission application over six months ago.
Working with an architect for the design is a very good idea; unfortunately, we did not do this ourselves, even though we are very satisfied with the result.
Here is how we proceeded:
1. Purchased the plot about 3.5 years ago with a lot of luck at a good price. Size: approximately 73m (240 feet) long and 20m (65 feet) wide.
2. From the start, it was clear that we wanted a bungalow. The maximum building width allowed was 14m (46 feet) (20m (65 feet) minus 2 x 3m (10 feet) building setback from neighbors).
3. Set the maximum floor area at about 140 square meters (1,507 square feet). The house was also to have a covered terrace. This resulted in a building footprint of 13.5m x 13.5m (44 feet x 44 feet).
4. Rooms were arranged according to orientation: living room/bedroom/children’s room in the south, kitchen/utility room in the north, etc.
5. We browsed Polish project magazines (2.5€ for about 200 house plans) and assembled our house design from those.
6. Contacted about 10 building contractors and asked them to create floor plans tailored to our requirements.
7. Incorporated their plans into our project and selected the builder whose a) construction specifications matched our needs and b) we felt most comfortable with.
8. Signed a planning contract with the builder. Up to the application / permit stage, this entailed paying 5% of the total construction cost. This amount is deducted from the final construction contract.
9. Reviewed and optimized the basic sketch with the builder’s planner.
10. During the building permit process, selected all the finishes. Interior and exterior doors, bathroom, and kitchen will come from Poland; the rest from the general contractor.
11. We are now waiting for the building permit.
If you want to build more expensively, go to Kampa. That was our first builder. He said it would hardly be possible for less than €3,000 at the time.
Working with an architect for the design is a very good idea; unfortunately, we did not do this ourselves, even though we are very satisfied with the result.
Here is how we proceeded:
1. Purchased the plot about 3.5 years ago with a lot of luck at a good price. Size: approximately 73m (240 feet) long and 20m (65 feet) wide.
2. From the start, it was clear that we wanted a bungalow. The maximum building width allowed was 14m (46 feet) (20m (65 feet) minus 2 x 3m (10 feet) building setback from neighbors).
3. Set the maximum floor area at about 140 square meters (1,507 square feet). The house was also to have a covered terrace. This resulted in a building footprint of 13.5m x 13.5m (44 feet x 44 feet).
4. Rooms were arranged according to orientation: living room/bedroom/children’s room in the south, kitchen/utility room in the north, etc.
5. We browsed Polish project magazines (2.5€ for about 200 house plans) and assembled our house design from those.
6. Contacted about 10 building contractors and asked them to create floor plans tailored to our requirements.
7. Incorporated their plans into our project and selected the builder whose a) construction specifications matched our needs and b) we felt most comfortable with.
8. Signed a planning contract with the builder. Up to the application / permit stage, this entailed paying 5% of the total construction cost. This amount is deducted from the final construction contract.
9. Reviewed and optimized the basic sketch with the builder’s planner.
10. During the building permit process, selected all the finishes. Interior and exterior doors, bathroom, and kitchen will come from Poland; the rest from the general contractor.
11. We are now waiting for the building permit.
If you want to build more expensively, go to Kampa. That was our first builder. He said it would hardly be possible for less than €3,000 at the time.
11ant schrieb:
I would assign the preliminary design phase to the stage where you finalize decisions about the construction method – and also to the stage when you submit the building permit / planning permission application. That’s definitely a good suggestion, I will take it as is.
11ant schrieb:
I would leave it up to the shell construction contractor (general contractor) whether they want to build the basement themselves or obtain it as a module from a subcontractor. The interface with the basement waterproofing (OKKD) is a delicate point where I wouldn’t want to take risks. Since the planning comes from the architect anyway, I guess it shouldn’t make much difference whether I directly contract the basement builder (which will probably be a waterproof concrete basement due to groundwater) or the general contractor does that, right? The architect is responsible for the design, and the basement builder takes responsibility for the execution.
11ant schrieb:
By the way, I would always have the architect also act as construction manager, since the general contractor employee who is also called "site manager" has a fundamentally different role. But that means I would have to pay both the architect for design phase 8 and the general contractor’s site manager. Do you think it would also be possible to have a building surveyor assist with the handover phases instead of the architect’s phase 8? I’m a bit worried that otherwise the additional costs will become too high.
Kind regards, Tim
OKKD is an interface where precise fitting is crucial, and blaming each other for issues is almost inevitable. On a site-built solid house, this is somewhat less critical than with a prefabricated house (equally true whether it’s masonry or timber frame).
I don’t want to say that the general contractor’s “construction manager” is your enemy, but they serve a different party, and you shouldn’t be misled by the similarity in titles. If you are building according to architect’s detailed drawings but without architect supervision on site, you urgently need an independent expert. One and the same general contractor will build differently depending on whether they are working with your architect or not. You can believe it or learn it ;-)
https://www.instagram.com/11antgmxde/
https://www.linkedin.com/company/bauen-jetzt/
I don’t want to say that the general contractor’s “construction manager” is your enemy, but they serve a different party, and you shouldn’t be misled by the similarity in titles. If you are building according to architect’s detailed drawings but without architect supervision on site, you urgently need an independent expert. One and the same general contractor will build differently depending on whether they are working with your architect or not. You can believe it or learn it ;-)
https://www.instagram.com/11antgmxde/
https://www.linkedin.com/company/bauen-jetzt/
H
hampshire7 Jul 2021 08:55The option you choose also depends on how much time you are willing to invest and your readiness to familiarize yourself with the subject. The more time and resources you have, the more freely you can collaborate with the architect and construction company to develop solutions. In my view, it is important to arrive at a suitable design, so I would recommend working with a single point of contact for the architecture through detailed planning and obtaining the building permit / planning permission, for example, an architect.
When awarding contracts, it is crucial that the hired companies can cooperate well to minimize the risk of running into interface problems as described by @11ant. The more individual service providers you hire, the more flexibility you have in executing the different trades – but this requires time, commitment, and a significantly increased coordination effort. The latter in particular demands strong project management skills and technical knowledge, so it is beneficial to have a trusted person to carry out or at least support this task. Whether this is the architect, someone from the group of hired companies, or an expert is less important – as long as you do not skimp on paying for this service. In our case, this function was fulfilled by one of the carpenters – a likeable, competent, and reliable person with – it sounds almost old-fashioned – integrity.
There are many ways to reach your goal – what matters more is that the path fits you and your contractors rather than abstractly debating the general pros and cons of one approach or another.
Why you would not want to decide on the construction method of your house during the planning phase is unclear to me. If it is about costs, the comparisons can be estimated with sufficient accuracy in advance.
When awarding contracts, it is crucial that the hired companies can cooperate well to minimize the risk of running into interface problems as described by @11ant. The more individual service providers you hire, the more flexibility you have in executing the different trades – but this requires time, commitment, and a significantly increased coordination effort. The latter in particular demands strong project management skills and technical knowledge, so it is beneficial to have a trusted person to carry out or at least support this task. Whether this is the architect, someone from the group of hired companies, or an expert is less important – as long as you do not skimp on paying for this service. In our case, this function was fulfilled by one of the carpenters – a likeable, competent, and reliable person with – it sounds almost old-fashioned – integrity.
There are many ways to reach your goal – what matters more is that the path fits you and your contractors rather than abstractly debating the general pros and cons of one approach or another.
Why you would not want to decide on the construction method of your house during the planning phase is unclear to me. If it is about costs, the comparisons can be estimated with sufficient accuracy in advance.