ᐅ Prices excessively high for ventilation system and electric aluminum roller shutters (roller blinds).
Created on: 17 Sep 2022 09:31
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DominicHannoveD
DominicHannove17 Sep 2022 09:31Hello, we have received what we consider a quite good house construction offer from a developer for a single-family home with 161m² (1,733 sq ft) of living space. However, we are puzzled by three items that seem completely overpriced to us:
- Installation of a central comfort ventilation system in the utility room, brand: Zehnder “ComfoAIR Q350 TR,” with highly efficient heat recovery for €17,300
- Cladding of the main building up to the eaves height, with the gable of the pitched roof remaining plastered, for €19,900 (would brick slips be cheaper to apply afterward?)
- Installation of a lifting/sliding door (brand: Rehau 80 Synego or equivalent, 5-chamber system with steel reinforcement) instead of the standard patio door element, approximately 2.76 x 2.32m (9.1 x 7.6 ft), for €4,120
- Installation of a total of 19 aluminum roller shutters (three of which are wider in the living-dining area) with electric roller shutter motors, color freely selectable, for a total of €23,190
Do you see any potential to save here? Is it possible to contract the above work separately? What have you paid for similar items?
Thank you and best regards
- Installation of a central comfort ventilation system in the utility room, brand: Zehnder “ComfoAIR Q350 TR,” with highly efficient heat recovery for €17,300
- Cladding of the main building up to the eaves height, with the gable of the pitched roof remaining plastered, for €19,900 (would brick slips be cheaper to apply afterward?)
- Installation of a lifting/sliding door (brand: Rehau 80 Synego or equivalent, 5-chamber system with steel reinforcement) instead of the standard patio door element, approximately 2.76 x 2.32m (9.1 x 7.6 ft), for €4,120
- Installation of a total of 19 aluminum roller shutters (three of which are wider in the living-dining area) with electric roller shutter motors, color freely selectable, for a total of €23,190
Do you see any potential to save here? Is it possible to contract the above work separately? What have you paid for similar items?
Thank you and best regards
DominicHannove schrieb:
Do you see potential for savings here?For example, not every window needs roller shutters. The main reason for roller shutters nowadays is sun and heat protection… so you can exclude north- and east-facing windows, as well as utility rooms. For privacy, you can exclude utility rooms, window bands, and rooms facing the garden, and for deterrent burglary protection, you can exclude the visible entrance side and upper floors. Also, not every roller shutter needs to be electrically operated (bedrooms?).
The aluminum material naturally makes them more expensive.
As for the other items, I don’t know how to save money except by omitting them 😉
Perhaps decentralized ventilation is possible? Although a central system is a good option.
DominicHannove schrieb:
Houseconstruction offer from a developerIt’s probably not a developer but a general contractor?! You buy from a developer, but you have a general contractor build for you.
Anyway, they can of course charge astronomical prices. Usually, you lose warranties if you subcontract trades. Personally, I would exclude this for heating/ventilation and windows, and only subcontract for interior finishing.
Otherwise, as always: big wishes = big prices. The only solution is to adjust your wishes to your budget.
Are the prices gross or net?
For central ventilation, we are looking at about 200m2 (2,150 sq ft) of ventilated area at €12,500 net. It’s not Zehnder but Tecalor.
A lift-and-slide door of a similar size costs roughly the same for us, but includes electric operation. External venetian blinds.
I can’t say much about roller blinds. For us, they are included in the window price. What is the total cost for windows plus roller blinds, and how many square meters of glass area do you have in total? I don’t think you can contract roller blinds separately without the windows, so the total price should be the deciding factor.
For central ventilation, we are looking at about 200m2 (2,150 sq ft) of ventilated area at €12,500 net. It’s not Zehnder but Tecalor.
A lift-and-slide door of a similar size costs roughly the same for us, but includes electric operation. External venetian blinds.
I can’t say much about roller blinds. For us, they are included in the window price. What is the total cost for windows plus roller blinds, and how many square meters of glass area do you have in total? I don’t think you can contract roller blinds separately without the windows, so the total price should be the deciding factor.
If this is supposed to be proper cavity wall masonry with facing bricks, the price seems very low to me. Additionally, the transition from the facing brickwork at the bottom to the plastered triangular gable would be structurally interesting. If the price is only for the eaves sides, it is still within the normal range.
About 1.5 years ago, I budgeted just over 9,000 net for a Maico system for about 130m² (1400 sq ft) of living space (the system in the other semi-detached house covers around 160m² (1720 sq ft)), but I installed the ventilation ducts myself from the air distributor onwards. I estimate the savings from doing it myself at around 2,000. In my opinion, that’s still below the “rip-off” threshold. Does that include the enthalpy exchanger?
Note: I looked at tilt-and-slide doors and was initially impressed (it would have been 2.5m (8.2 ft) wide). But everyone else advised against it and recommended the standard tilt-and-turn combination facing the terrace. That turned out to be the right choice. You can open a hinged door faster and more easily than the complex tilt-and-slide type. Also, @11ant might advise you to choose (expensive) aluminum units in that area due to heavy mechanical stress. Tilt-and-turn doors can remain cheaper plastic units.
I don’t have roller shutters but have Venetian blinds everywhere, which were significantly cheaper than your prices. Why roller shutters and not Venetian blinds?
Note: I looked at tilt-and-slide doors and was initially impressed (it would have been 2.5m (8.2 ft) wide). But everyone else advised against it and recommended the standard tilt-and-turn combination facing the terrace. That turned out to be the right choice. You can open a hinged door faster and more easily than the complex tilt-and-slide type. Also, @11ant might advise you to choose (expensive) aluminum units in that area due to heavy mechanical stress. Tilt-and-turn doors can remain cheaper plastic units.
I don’t have roller shutters but have Venetian blinds everywhere, which were significantly cheaper than your prices. Why roller shutters and not Venetian blinds?
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