ᐅ Are additional work items during house construction reasonable and fairly priced?
Created on: 3 Nov 2022 22:00
D
DominicHannove
Good evening,
We have received an offer from a general contractor and are wondering whether the following additional items are reasonably priced and make sense:
1. Compensation for fittings and sanitary fixtures when purchased by the homeowner (warranty only covers up to the rough installation stage; concealed installations remain our responsibility):
Compensation for ground floor WC: Hand basin including faucet, WC including flush control (flush tank remains our responsibility)
Compensation for attic bathroom: 1 washbasin including faucet, WC including flush control (flush tank remains the responsibility of Bösteinhaus), shower faucet and shower set including rail (connections remain our responsibility)
Compensation: €2,420.00
The sanitary fixtures included would be: Brand Vigour series “Derby” or “Derby Style”, alternatively brand Geberit series “Renova Plan” or brand Villeroy & Boch series “O.Novo”; faucets: brand Vigour series “Derby”, alternatively brand Hansgrohe “Talis S” or brand Hansa series “Hansapinto”
2. Removal of the fixed central mullions on double casement windows, replaced by installation of special flush profiles
Additional cost: 3 windows x €160.00 = €480.00
3. Installation of a secondary entrance door as a wooden door to the utility room, offset against the omitted window, including security fittings and insulation matching the front door, solid door leaf, including locking system matching the front door
Additional cost: €2,020.00
4. Installation of a skylight in the attic hallway, approx. 78 x 118 cm (31 x 46 inches), compliant with the energy saving regulations, brand Velux type GGU MK 06 Thermo (pivot window)
Additional cost: €1,360.00
5. Supply and installation of rough tongue-and-groove boarding, 24 mm (1 inch) thick, made of Nordic spruce or fir, dried, staggered installation with screws onto ceiling joists or collar beams
Additional cost: €1,840.00
6. Concrete staircase, white plastered, with beech steps and risers made of washable white Forex panels, with railing according to building specifications and steel handrail or alternatively masonry railing with internal handrail, with storage room and door under the stairs including light outlet and socket
Additional cost compared to standard staircase: €4,800.00
This “standard” staircase would be: A nicely shaped open staircase with solid wood steps in laminated beech, with continuous railing made of modern round tubing
7. Installation of an additional shower in the guest WC as a flush-floor, tiled design approx. 90 x 150 cm (35 x 59 inches) with installation of one floor drain and required large-area sealing, wall enclosure up to 2.10 m (6 ft 11 in) height according to drawing, shower area tiled to 2.10 m (6 ft 11 in) height; shower faucet and shower set including rail to be provided by homeowner
Note: a shower partition must be installed by the builder on-site
Additional cost: €1,990.00
8. Creation of a tiled niche in the shower in the ground floor WC, approx. 30 x 60 cm (12 x 24 inches)
Additional cost: €340.00
9. Creation of a masonry and tiled shelf behind the washbasin in the ground floor WC, height 1.20 m (4 ft), approx. 0.8 linear meters
Additional cost: €200.00
10. Installation of an additional cold water connection in the ground floor WC next to the toilet (for future installation of a bidet spray by the builder)
Additional cost: €290.00
11. Creation of a tiled shelf next to the bathtub according to drawing, height approx. 50–60 cm (20–24 inches)
Additional cost: €190.00
12. Installation of a laundry chute from the upper bathroom to the utility room (ground floor), 300 mm (12 inches) spiral seam pipe with laundry bag and secured flap for inserting laundry
Additional cost: €1,160.00 (alternative: laundry chute as homeowner’s own work, we provide only ceiling opening 350 x 350 mm (14 x 14 inches), additional cost: €180.00)
13. Installation of all switch boxes in deep form for retrofitting wireless smart home systems by own work
Additional cost: €560.00
14. Installation of AEROPAC SN (Siegenia AUBI) demand-controlled ventilators. Draft-free and whisper-quiet operation, individual air regulation, dust filter function, including core drilling and socket
Additional cost: number of bedrooms 4 x €1,100.00 each = €4,400.00
What do you think?
Are there items that are overpriced?
What would you include and what not? (I know some are very individual. For these, I’m more interested if the additional cost is reasonable.)
Are there individual items I should better leave out initially and commission later with the respective specialist?
We would appreciate any advice.
Best regards
We have received an offer from a general contractor and are wondering whether the following additional items are reasonably priced and make sense:
1. Compensation for fittings and sanitary fixtures when purchased by the homeowner (warranty only covers up to the rough installation stage; concealed installations remain our responsibility):
Compensation for ground floor WC: Hand basin including faucet, WC including flush control (flush tank remains our responsibility)
Compensation for attic bathroom: 1 washbasin including faucet, WC including flush control (flush tank remains the responsibility of Bösteinhaus), shower faucet and shower set including rail (connections remain our responsibility)
Compensation: €2,420.00
The sanitary fixtures included would be: Brand Vigour series “Derby” or “Derby Style”, alternatively brand Geberit series “Renova Plan” or brand Villeroy & Boch series “O.Novo”; faucets: brand Vigour series “Derby”, alternatively brand Hansgrohe “Talis S” or brand Hansa series “Hansapinto”
2. Removal of the fixed central mullions on double casement windows, replaced by installation of special flush profiles
Additional cost: 3 windows x €160.00 = €480.00
3. Installation of a secondary entrance door as a wooden door to the utility room, offset against the omitted window, including security fittings and insulation matching the front door, solid door leaf, including locking system matching the front door
Additional cost: €2,020.00
4. Installation of a skylight in the attic hallway, approx. 78 x 118 cm (31 x 46 inches), compliant with the energy saving regulations, brand Velux type GGU MK 06 Thermo (pivot window)
Additional cost: €1,360.00
5. Supply and installation of rough tongue-and-groove boarding, 24 mm (1 inch) thick, made of Nordic spruce or fir, dried, staggered installation with screws onto ceiling joists or collar beams
Additional cost: €1,840.00
6. Concrete staircase, white plastered, with beech steps and risers made of washable white Forex panels, with railing according to building specifications and steel handrail or alternatively masonry railing with internal handrail, with storage room and door under the stairs including light outlet and socket
Additional cost compared to standard staircase: €4,800.00
This “standard” staircase would be: A nicely shaped open staircase with solid wood steps in laminated beech, with continuous railing made of modern round tubing
7. Installation of an additional shower in the guest WC as a flush-floor, tiled design approx. 90 x 150 cm (35 x 59 inches) with installation of one floor drain and required large-area sealing, wall enclosure up to 2.10 m (6 ft 11 in) height according to drawing, shower area tiled to 2.10 m (6 ft 11 in) height; shower faucet and shower set including rail to be provided by homeowner
Note: a shower partition must be installed by the builder on-site
Additional cost: €1,990.00
8. Creation of a tiled niche in the shower in the ground floor WC, approx. 30 x 60 cm (12 x 24 inches)
Additional cost: €340.00
9. Creation of a masonry and tiled shelf behind the washbasin in the ground floor WC, height 1.20 m (4 ft), approx. 0.8 linear meters
Additional cost: €200.00
10. Installation of an additional cold water connection in the ground floor WC next to the toilet (for future installation of a bidet spray by the builder)
Additional cost: €290.00
11. Creation of a tiled shelf next to the bathtub according to drawing, height approx. 50–60 cm (20–24 inches)
Additional cost: €190.00
12. Installation of a laundry chute from the upper bathroom to the utility room (ground floor), 300 mm (12 inches) spiral seam pipe with laundry bag and secured flap for inserting laundry
Additional cost: €1,160.00 (alternative: laundry chute as homeowner’s own work, we provide only ceiling opening 350 x 350 mm (14 x 14 inches), additional cost: €180.00)
13. Installation of all switch boxes in deep form for retrofitting wireless smart home systems by own work
Additional cost: €560.00
14. Installation of AEROPAC SN (Siegenia AUBI) demand-controlled ventilators. Draft-free and whisper-quiet operation, individual air regulation, dust filter function, including core drilling and socket
Additional cost: number of bedrooms 4 x €1,100.00 each = €4,400.00
What do you think?
Are there items that are overpriced?
What would you include and what not? (I know some are very individual. For these, I’m more interested if the additional cost is reasonable.)
Are there individual items I should better leave out initially and commission later with the respective specialist?
We would appreciate any advice.
Best regards
DominicHannove schrieb:
Is €17,300 really cheap for a central ventilation system? It’s about a Zehnder system. To me, that seems quite expensive for 162m2 (1,743 sq ft) of living space without a basement... Honestly, I’m not familiar with that company. However, we had an offer where the system for 155m2 (1,668 sq ft) plus a 75m2 (807 sq ft) basement was priced at around €30,000. Window frame ventilators might work for indoor air quality, but in terms of energy efficiency, I find them pointless. But that’s up to everyone to decide.
DominicHannove schrieb:
Construction starts in March 2023. Unfortunately, we won’t receive any subsidies. The only small target we need to reach is energy efficiency class A, because it gives us a better loan interest rate. It’s not about the subsidies, but rather the Building Energy Act standard required from 2023 onward. That will probably correspond to KFW 55.
Hansi H. schrieb:
Honestly, I’m not familiar with the company. However, we had a quote for a system with 155m2 (1675 sq ft) plus a 75m2 (807 sq ft) basement for about €30,000. Window frame ventilation certainly works in terms of indoor climate, but from an energy efficiency perspective, I find it pointless. But it’s up to everyone to decide for themselves. I don’t know what has happened with prices since 2020, but at that time we had a Tecalor THZ504 in the contract. It’s a combined unit with an air-to-water heat pump, hot water storage tank, and central ventilation system, all integrated and installed indoors.
The construction company charged us about €17,000 extra for that unit compared to a gas heating system. So that was for the heat pump plus controlled residential ventilation, including all installation work. That’s why it seems extremely expensive to me.
I know we initially only had a central ventilation system included in the offer, without the heat pump – I think that was around €5,000. But it’s hard to compare since that was an extra cost on top of the Lumos e (decentralized ventilation system), which was included as standard.
If central controlled residential ventilation is too expensive for you right now, you might consider calculating, installing, and insulating the ventilation ducts first. Once things have settled down a bit, you can purchase the controlled ventilation unit yourself and connect it to the duct system. After that, you can either a) measure and balance everything yourself (it’s not complicated) or b) hire a company for maintenance or similar services that will also set the airflows for you.
W
WilderSueden7 Nov 2022 09:28kati1337 schrieb:
I don’t know what happened to prices since 2020, but back then we had a Tecalor THZ504 in our contract. It’s a combined unit of an air-to-water heat pump, hot water storage tank, and central ventilation system, all in one and installed indoors.
The builder charged us about 17,000€ (around $19,000) extra for this unit compared to a gas heating system. So that includes the heat pump plus controlled residential ventilation, including all the installation work. That’s why it seems extremely expensive to me. You got a good deal. Apparently, your first general contractor actually charged for the additional work rather than the full replacement cost of the unit. In 2020, we were being quoted closer to 30,000€ (around $34,000) as an extra charge.
kati1337 schrieb:
I don’t know what has happened with prices since 2020, but at that time we had a Tecalor THZ504 included in our contract. It’s a combined unit with an air-to-water heat pump, hot water storage, and a central ventilation system—all in one, installed indoors.
The construction company charged us about €17,000 (about $18,200) as an extra cost compared to the gas heating system. This covered the heat pump plus the controlled residential ventilation, including all installation work. That’s why it seems extremely expensive to me.
I know that initially only a central ventilation system without the heat pump was offered—if I remember correctly, that was around €5,000 (about $5,400). But even that is hard to compare, since it was an additional cost on top of the Lumos e (decentralized ventilation system), which was included as standard. Sounds like a good price. However, the 30k was the total cost, not an extra charge.
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