Hello everyone,
You probably can’t make this decision for me, but I still want to ask and hear your opinions. I want to emphasize that this is not about the additional costs involved with hiring a building inspector / construction expert!
We have signed a planning contract with a local general contractor and have started selecting the fittings for the kitchen and bathroom. The building permit / planning permission has been approved, and the general contractor has asked if we are ready to sign the construction contract. I have postponed this for now, as we are still waiting for the financing agreement from the bank. Our relationship with the general contractor is very good, and they are helping us in every way. The general contractor’s standard package is good and they only use quality materials. The contractor is well-known in the region, highly praised, and honestly has a reputation to uphold if mistakes occur. The contractor has its own construction team that handles the shell construction and roof work. For the remaining trades, the same local specialist companies are always hired.
So I’m wondering whether it’s really necessary for us to have a building inspector / construction expert involved. For a large homebuilding chain, I wouldn’t hesitate to hire one, but since this is a local company and they work only with local subcontractors, I have my doubts.
What do you think?
You probably can’t make this decision for me, but I still want to ask and hear your opinions. I want to emphasize that this is not about the additional costs involved with hiring a building inspector / construction expert!
We have signed a planning contract with a local general contractor and have started selecting the fittings for the kitchen and bathroom. The building permit / planning permission has been approved, and the general contractor has asked if we are ready to sign the construction contract. I have postponed this for now, as we are still waiting for the financing agreement from the bank. Our relationship with the general contractor is very good, and they are helping us in every way. The general contractor’s standard package is good and they only use quality materials. The contractor is well-known in the region, highly praised, and honestly has a reputation to uphold if mistakes occur. The contractor has its own construction team that handles the shell construction and roof work. For the remaining trades, the same local specialist companies are always hired.
So I’m wondering whether it’s really necessary for us to have a building inspector / construction expert involved. For a large homebuilding chain, I wouldn’t hesitate to hire one, but since this is a local company and they work only with local subcontractors, I have my doubts.
What do you think?
I have just asked the local original poster for clarification on the current construction status of their project.
Since you are building with Heinz von Heiden, I recommend reading the threads by @fach1werk ;-)
By the way, I hope I am misunderstanding your question: do you seriously intend—especially if you suspect your general contractor might be tricky—to save money by skipping an experienced expert and try to check critical points yourself?
https://www.instagram.com/11antgmxde/
https://www.linkedin.com/company/bauen-jetzt/
Bauherr2023 schrieb:
Are there any general tips/tricks/key points for the final building inspection where you almost always find something, maybe not immediately obvious?
I also want to avoid a situation shortly before the inspection appointment where something is superficially improved with an "anti-mold paint" or the like, or openings/casings are closed off, only for me to discover issues years later...
Since you are building with Heinz von Heiden, I recommend reading the threads by @fach1werk ;-)
By the way, I hope I am misunderstanding your question: do you seriously intend—especially if you suspect your general contractor might be tricky—to save money by skipping an experienced expert and try to check critical points yourself?
https://www.instagram.com/11antgmxde/
https://www.linkedin.com/company/bauen-jetzt/
Gregor_K schrieb:
Regarding the final inspection I find the wording a bit confusing. Ultimately, you are the one who approves the work, not your expert. They have been hired by you to supervise and advise. You are the one who gives approval. They won’t come every week; you will probably have 5 to 7 appointments where they can identify the most significant issues. Not more than that. Either you pay close attention and take photos yourself, or however you prefer. If they find any defects, they will provide you with a report listing the issues. Then it is your responsibility to communicate with the general contractor.
W
WilderSueden12 Dec 2023 22:08Bauherr2023 schrieb:
Are there any general tips/tricks or focus points for the building inspection where you almost always find something, maybe not immediately obvious?You’re too late for the final inspection. Have the expert visit regularly; they will tell you when it makes the most sense. Most issues are not hidden deliberately but are simply covered later by plaster or tiles. For example, the waterproofing of the shower needs to be checked beforehand, and so on.Bauherr2023 schrieb:
Are there any tips, tricks, or key points for a building inspection where you almost always find something, possibly not very obvious?
I also want to avoid a situation where, just before the inspection date, something is dressed up with an "anti-mold paint" or similar, or openings/coverings remain closed until years later.....The ongoing quality control during construction simply knows a lot more than you do yourself. Therefore, I strongly recommend not to skip a building expert. It costs quite a bit more money, but it is 100% worth it. Unfortunately, as the client, I am often not taken seriously, while with the ongoing quality control there is less arguing. 😉
Construction defects vary from project to project, depending on who does the work and what kind of house you are building. I can already tell you that the investment in ongoing quality control was the best decision.
Gregor_K schrieb:
The basement is completed, as is the ground floor, and currently the upper floor is being built. Gregor_K schrieb:
That costs a lot more money, but it is definitely 100% worth it. Could you describe how it has been so far – what has he delivered, and what were your expectations of him in the first place?
https://www.instagram.com/11antgmxde/
https://www.linkedin.com/company/bauen-jetzt/
11ant schrieb:
Could you describe how things have gone so far – what has he delivered, and what were your expectations? @11ant Good point. I’m sure some people can learn from my experience. There are quite a few points, so I’ll focus on a few important ones.
1. In the construction contract, we agreed on design principle A and usage class A for the basement. I hadn’t been aware of that.
2. We now have a ring ground conductor instead of just a foundation earth electrode. The house includes lightning protection preparation, which means it can be equipped with a lightning protection system later.
3. The site manager arranged for us to connect water, wastewater, and rainwater to the Uponor shaft before compaction.
4. We improved the insulation for the U-shaped formwork. See also the post here...
U-Shaped Formwork Insulation
5. For the basement walls, we specified a lime-cement plaster; the general contractor would have used a gypsum plaster.
We also had a few defects that I did not expect. As a layperson, you simply don’t notice those things.
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