ᐅ Comparison of the Scope of Construction Work: What Should We Prioritize?
Created on: 3 Feb 2014 15:16
K
kochones
Hello!
I have already read a lot here, but unfortunately many use abbreviations like WU basement or similar… I can’t really tell what they mean. But that’s not the only issue.
The starting point is that we want a basement. We have a sloping site, the street level is at 0 m (0 ft), the building envelope starts at about -1.5 m (-5 ft) and ends around -2.7 m (-9 ft). We want a partial separate apartment, about one-third of the total size… approximately 35 m² (375 sq ft)! The rest of the basement will not be living space and should be completely underground.
The fact is, we own a building plot and we don’t know who we will be building with, as it’s not possible to compare offers. One construction company writes in their building and scope of work description about strip foundations and steel fiber reinforced concrete, poured concrete exterior walls… others specify a reinforced concrete slab with 15 kg/m² (3 lb/sq ft) steel reinforcement or masonry with hollow clay bricks.
Since there are semi-detached houses from the 1960s in the neighborhood, I have taken a closer look at them. Some have cracks in the basement exterior walls. Now I don’t know which type of basement or which construction materials we should choose.
Thank you in advance for your experiences and suggestions!
I have already read a lot here, but unfortunately many use abbreviations like WU basement or similar… I can’t really tell what they mean. But that’s not the only issue.
The starting point is that we want a basement. We have a sloping site, the street level is at 0 m (0 ft), the building envelope starts at about -1.5 m (-5 ft) and ends around -2.7 m (-9 ft). We want a partial separate apartment, about one-third of the total size… approximately 35 m² (375 sq ft)! The rest of the basement will not be living space and should be completely underground.
The fact is, we own a building plot and we don’t know who we will be building with, as it’s not possible to compare offers. One construction company writes in their building and scope of work description about strip foundations and steel fiber reinforced concrete, poured concrete exterior walls… others specify a reinforced concrete slab with 15 kg/m² (3 lb/sq ft) steel reinforcement or masonry with hollow clay bricks.
Since there are semi-detached houses from the 1960s in the neighborhood, I have taken a closer look at them. Some have cracks in the basement exterior walls. Now I don’t know which type of basement or which construction materials we should choose.
Thank you in advance for your experiences and suggestions!
W
wadenkneifer6 Feb 2014 19:32Hello,
for the topic of "damage after moving in," there is the warranty period. This can be secured through a warranty bond. This bond comes into effect if the construction company becomes insolvent during the warranty period and can no longer fulfill the warranty obligations. However, it can sometimes be very difficult to make a claim on this bond because there are often disputes about whether the issue qualifies as a warranty case.
Best regards
Michael
for the topic of "damage after moving in," there is the warranty period. This can be secured through a warranty bond. This bond comes into effect if the construction company becomes insolvent during the warranty period and can no longer fulfill the warranty obligations. However, it can sometimes be very difficult to make a claim on this bond because there are often disputes about whether the issue qualifies as a warranty case.
Best regards
Michael
So, here I am again......
I have now received building performance descriptions from others, and there are really significant differences.
I even have one builder who constructs without a soil survey. They said that if we want one, we have to pay extra.
Basically, this developer takes full risk or are they just very confident in their construction methods? They are considered one of the best, if not the best, in the surrounding area.
What I’m curious about is:
We want an air-source heat pump with underfloor heating. Would we then need full thermal insulation and at least triple glazing?
We were actually thinking of 36.5 or 38.5 cm (14 or 15 inches) thick bricks without insulation, with Weru double glazing and a U-value of about 1.0, plus an air-source heat pump with underfloor heating throughout the house.
Now, however, the general agent says that we would need full thermal insulation and triple glazing with a U-value of 0.7 (thermal transmittance 1.1), and that the attic and basement should be better insulated.
But the difference comes to nearly €20,000 compared to a standard setup with gas and a solar system, and only about €5,000 compared to the option without full insulation and without attic and basement insulation. Is that possible?
Furthermore, they are charging us €12,000 for owner-performed tasks such as interior painting and tile work in the bathroom and kitchen. Does that calculation make sense? I mean, does a tiler usually work for around €60 per square meter (including tiles and materials)? Or am I wrong?
As always, I thank you in advance for your help and support!!!
I have now received building performance descriptions from others, and there are really significant differences.
I even have one builder who constructs without a soil survey. They said that if we want one, we have to pay extra.
Basically, this developer takes full risk or are they just very confident in their construction methods? They are considered one of the best, if not the best, in the surrounding area.
What I’m curious about is:
We want an air-source heat pump with underfloor heating. Would we then need full thermal insulation and at least triple glazing?
We were actually thinking of 36.5 or 38.5 cm (14 or 15 inches) thick bricks without insulation, with Weru double glazing and a U-value of about 1.0, plus an air-source heat pump with underfloor heating throughout the house.
Now, however, the general agent says that we would need full thermal insulation and triple glazing with a U-value of 0.7 (thermal transmittance 1.1), and that the attic and basement should be better insulated.
But the difference comes to nearly €20,000 compared to a standard setup with gas and a solar system, and only about €5,000 compared to the option without full insulation and without attic and basement insulation. Is that possible?
Furthermore, they are charging us €12,000 for owner-performed tasks such as interior painting and tile work in the bathroom and kitchen. Does that calculation make sense? I mean, does a tiler usually work for around €60 per square meter (including tiles and materials)? Or am I wrong?
As always, I thank you in advance for your help and support!!!
kochones schrieb:
I even have one who builds without a soil report. Only if we insist, do we have to pay extra for it. Actually, this developer takes full risk, or are they just very confident in their construction method? They are considered among the best, if not the best, in the local area.No, it would be your risk. A builder’s warranty always includes a clause that releases them from liability. And you are responsible for the building plot. As mentioned earlier: just because something is not specified in the scope of work doesn’t mean it isn’t necessary.
kochones schrieb:
Furthermore, they are charging us for personal labor for interior painting and tiling in the bathroom and kitchen totaling €12,000 (approximately $13,000)... does this calculation make sense? I mean... a tiler doesn’t usually charge around €60 (about $65) per square meter including tiles and materials, right? Or do they???
As always, I thank you in advance for your help and support!!!Usually, it only makes sense to deduct certain trades if you plan to do the work yourself and therefore only have material costs. Tilers and other trades often offer better rates to construction companies because they get regular jobs that provide consistent work. So unless you are experienced in tiling or have a family member who is, but still want tiles, you will likely pay more.
Ah, an island!!!
Thank you, I hadn’t thought of that... he is offering us a soil inspector for 2000€ (about $2200). Is that a lot, a little, or normal?
Yes, regarding the tiler... we have one lined up. You could say he is a good acquaintance. But of course, he’s not going to do it for free... I want to keep some distance from him, because who wants to argue with a good friend... better to argue with the developer or site manager.
Thank you, I hadn’t thought of that... he is offering us a soil inspector for 2000€ (about $2200). Is that a lot, a little, or normal?
Yes, regarding the tiler... we have one lined up. You could say he is a good acquaintance. But of course, he’s not going to do it for free... I want to keep some distance from him, because who wants to argue with a good friend... better to argue with the developer or site manager.
D
Doc.Schnaggls17 Feb 2014 17:12Hello,
Building without a soil survey... I have to say, that’s quite bold. Does the builder guarantee that everything will be fine with the house in the long run, or does the risk then fall on you (water infiltration in the basement, etc.)?
Are earthworks included in the quoted price? Probably not – without a soil survey, this could lead to unexpected additional costs. What will you do if the ground is not load-bearing? Foundations on piles or just a thicker gravel layer do cost a few extra dollars. Or what if solid rock appears 20cm (8 inches) below the surface and might even need to be blasted?
Please send me the name of the builder via private message, I’m really curious to know who it is.
Which type of heat pump are you planning to use? An air-to-air heat pump or an air-to-water heat pump?
I think 36.5cm (14.4 inches) brick walls should be sufficient even without extra insulation, but nowadays almost only triple-glazed windows are installed – we’ll have to see what the new energy-saving regulations bring.
Best regards,
Dirk
Building without a soil survey... I have to say, that’s quite bold. Does the builder guarantee that everything will be fine with the house in the long run, or does the risk then fall on you (water infiltration in the basement, etc.)?
Are earthworks included in the quoted price? Probably not – without a soil survey, this could lead to unexpected additional costs. What will you do if the ground is not load-bearing? Foundations on piles or just a thicker gravel layer do cost a few extra dollars. Or what if solid rock appears 20cm (8 inches) below the surface and might even need to be blasted?
Please send me the name of the builder via private message, I’m really curious to know who it is.
Which type of heat pump are you planning to use? An air-to-air heat pump or an air-to-water heat pump?
I think 36.5cm (14.4 inches) brick walls should be sufficient even without extra insulation, but nowadays almost only triple-glazed windows are installed – we’ll have to see what the new energy-saving regulations bring.
Best regards,
Dirk
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