ᐅ Looking for a General Contractor in the East Berlin Area – Are the Requirements Realistic?

Hello,
we have purchased a small plot of about 380m2 (20x19m) in East Berlin and are now looking for a general contractor for a single-family house.

We are planning a footprint of approximately 8.5x9.5 meters (28x31 feet), with exterior walls of 30cm+ (12 inches) aerated concrete and solid interior walls made of calcium silicate bricks. On the ground floor, we want a toilet, a study, and an open living-dining-kitchen area (plus a utility room, of course). On the upper floor, there should be two children’s rooms with a dormer (centered), a bathroom with a bathtub and walk-in shower, and a bedroom with a small walk-in closet. No basement, but electric roller shutters throughout. Bathrooms, utility room, and kitchen tiled, all interior walls smoothed to Q2 level.

This is roughly our idea so far, and we have contacted Heinz von Heiden and Town & Country (to whom we sent detailed plans).

Heinz von Heiden seems quite inflexible regarding special requests, whereas Town & Country operates in Berlin as an independent building company and basically a franchisee and appears more flexible. We plan to work fully with our own construction expert during the build and want to have the service offers reviewed externally in detail later.

I have a few questions:

- Can you recommend local builders in Berlin & Brandenburg who are more similar to Heinz von Heiden than Viebrockhaus?
- Does the exterior wall design we described make sense? Heinz von Heiden wants to sell us a 40cm+ (16 inches) exterior wall with hollow bricks and insulation, Town & Country offers 24cm (9.5 inches) aerated concrete.
- Do solid interior walls on the upper floor make sense? Town & Country says they do them but don’t recommend them due to frequent cracking. They suggest double-layer gypsum boards instead.

Apart from needing to be extremely careful with the specifications, Town & Country seems very professional because they are a building company here (just Town & Country branded). However, Town & Country generally seems to have a bad reputation. So far, I feel more like I am negotiating with a local builder rather than a rigid large player. What do you think?

I am looking forward to your thoughts.

Best regards!

IMM0rtalis schrieb:

- Does the exterior wall make sense as described? Heinz von Heiden wants to sell us an exterior wall over 40cm (16 inches) thick with hollow bricks and insulation, while Town & Country offers 24cm (9.5 inches) aerated concrete.

Choose the wall type that the builder can actually construct and don’t force them into an unusual and therefore potentially error-prone building method.

IMM0rtalis schrieb:

Do solid interior walls on the upper floor make sense? Town & Country says they do it, but they don’t recommend it because of frequent cracks. Better to use double-layered drywall or something similar.

Solid walls are just as reasonable as stud walls. Both can have the same properties. One isn’t inherently better than the other, just different.

IMM0rtalis schrieb:

Apart from having to be extremely careful with the scope of work, Town & Country seems very reliable since this is directly a construction company (just Town & Country branded). However, Town & Country apparently has a bad reputation overall. So far, I rather feel like I’m negotiating with a local builder than with an inflexible big player. What do you think?

Town & Country operates in the lower-cost segment. They tend to be inflexible, and every change on top of the basic package costs extra. Since it’s always a franchise, you have to separate the executing company from the constraints and specifications of the franchisor. You may get a top company with motivated, customer-oriented staff or you might end up with poor quality.
And yes, the detailed scope of work is crucial. Please get independent advice and have it reviewed.

IMM0rtalis schrieb:

Can you recommend local builders in Berlin & Brandenburg,

How about starting with an architect’s plan? Local builders will build whatever you want, no matter how nonsensical your layout might be. Mostly, they are construction companies, not planners.

@11ant will probably add something on this.

IMM0rtalis schrieb:

Can you recommend local construction companies in Berlin & Brandenburg?

East Berlin // Brandenburg?
The best way is to use Google Maps and the nearby search function to scan everything within a 100 km (62 miles) radius.
There are also smaller, less prominent companies that might meet your requirements.
However, it’s usually better to visit new development areas in person and speak directly to the homeowners. Surely, there will be some who know more about your Town & Country franchisee. Seeing an active construction site can also make an impression – or not.

IMM0rtalis schrieb:

Does the exterior wall make sense as described in the continuous text?

Only what the general contractor installs and is familiar with makes sense. They’re usually not willing to be quoted by a layperson, and it doesn’t work that way anyway.

IMM0rtalis schrieb:

However, Town & Country apparently has a generally bad reputation

There is a Town & Country group on Facebook where you can also look for your preferred option.

ypg schrieb:

East Berlin // Brandenburg?
The best way is to use Google Maps and do a radius search within 100 km (60 miles) around the area.
There are also smaller, less noticeable companies that might meet your requirements.
However, it’s better to visit new development areas in person and talk to the homeowners. Surely there is at least one who knows more about your Town & Country franchisee. Also, an active construction site leaves an impression, right?

East Berlin, exactly (so, ultimately the plan is to build in Mahlsdorf).

We even looked at a house just one street away from the headquarters of the franchisee MBB Massivhäuser für Berlin-Brandenburg GmbH and, as laypeople, we didn’t see anything questionable there. We would be building relatively close to the franchisee’s office as well.

I think I’m simply afraid that something could go wrong or that I’ll make the wrong decision – after all, it’s a decision for life, financially even more critical than getting married, I’d say 😀. No matter where I read, you can have bad luck anywhere. The question is: how can I minimize the risk?

ypg schrieb:

There is a Town & Country group on Facebook where you can also search for your preferred option.

Do you mean the "official" one that seems connected to Town & Country?

nordanney schrieb:

Solid (masonry) construction is just as reasonable as timber framing. Both can have the same properties. There is no better one per se, just different.

Does that also apply to things I might want to hang on the wall in the future? For example, a pull-up bar or similar?

nordanney schrieb:

How about starting with a design from an architect?

I considered that briefly, but our project advisor doesn’t necessarily see that as the way for us, and reading online I often come across one opinion or another. Especially, I read that it can even be more expensive in the end than Heinz von Heiden or similar companies.

Good luck

IMM0rtalis schrieb:

I find it even more critical than getting married 😀 (at least financially).

Nope. A divorce can really hurt. A house—as long as the location isn’t terrible and/or the house doesn’t have niche appeal—has never been a financial problem. I’m currently living in my sixth property (moved into my first condominium 30 years ago). Whether a planned sale or a forced one, it has never been an issue or caused losses.

IMM0rtalis schrieb:

It’s a decision for life after all.

It’s "just" an expensive item for use. Everything else happens only in your gut feeling and your imagination.

IMM0rtalis schrieb:

How can I minimize the risk?

Plan and calculate carefully, thoroughly review the construction specification, don’t agree to any shady payment plans, and get expert advice. With that, buying a house is just as straightforward as buying a smartphone or car. Although, many people probably put more thought into buying a phone or car than a house.

IMM0rtalis schrieb:

Does this also apply to things I might want to hang on the wall in the future? For example, a pull-up bar, etc.?

Basically yes. But maybe not everywhere, or you have to think it through in advance (see risk minimization – planning is everything). For example, kitchens hang on the framing just like in solid construction (without additional structural reinforcements).

IMM0rtalis schrieb:

I also briefly considered that, but our project consultant doesn’t necessarily see that as the way forward for us.

Who exactly is "our" project consultant? Someone you hired and who is on your payroll? Or is it "your" salesperson from the home builder, who of course only has your money in mind?

IMM0rtalis schrieb:

I especially read that it can even end up being more expensive than Heinz von Heiden or similar.

Then you’ve probably also read that the Earth is flat *irony off*. We come back to risk minimization.
If you buy a simple standard house and it fits your needs, go for it. It’s like off-the-rack clothing. But beware if the sleeves are too long, the pants too short, the waist too wide, and the shoulders too narrow—then having those alterations done by the tailor can be more expensive than buying a made-to-measure suit right away. The same can apply to a house. A perfectly planned home tailored to your needs, which might be about 15m² (160ft²) smaller than a standard one, can save you roughly €50,000 (around $55,000) in construction costs for the same utility. Just as an example.

nordanney schrieb:

Who exactly is "our" project consultant? Did you hire them directly and are they on your payroll? Or is it "your" sales representative from the building company, who of course only has your money in mind?

Yes, we hired them separately. We successfully completed another very complex project with them (not construction), which is why we "trust" them. They advise us on financing and generally on what to watch out for (for example, questioning the construction company that came indirectly with the plot). They support us in a coaching role but will refer us to other specialists for performance specifications and contract reviews.

They were not completely opposed in principle but see more risks regarding warranties, scheduling coordination, and the stress involved for us.

Currently, I am already contacting construction companies with a floor plan and requirements that seem interesting to us so far. But up to now, mainly with somewhat larger companies.