Hello dear community,
I am about to become a homeowner soon, but I still have some questions that my previous research has not satisfactorily answered.
Rough plan:
- Construction of a solid 1.5-story single-family house (approx. 140sqm (1507 sqft)) in the 03XXX area
- Installation of a ground source heat pump with boreholes
- Plot of land (905sqm (9740 sqft)) found and a notary appointment already scheduled
- A zoning plan (building plan / planning permission) is available for the plot, allowing two-story construction
- Other restrictions of the zoning plan do not hinder our planned development
- This was confirmed to us by the lady from the urban planning office; my wife and I also work in local government (so she probably won’t want to upset us 😉 )
The plot is the last available one in a new development area.
We also had a brief conversation with a planner, who immediately tried to convince us to build a house “one size bigger,” which again reassured me that the zoning plan restrictions will not be an issue for us.
So if we proceed with purchasing the plot soon, there should be nothing standing in the way of building “our dream home.”
However, as a layperson, I am still unclear about the exact process of building a house. What happens next?
1. Find plot – done
2. Own idea of the house – done
3. Check building feasibility – done
4. Purchase plot – almost done
5. Select planner – done
6. Have planner design floor plan – open
7. Submit application for building permit / planning permission – open
8. ???
But what happens after the building permit / planning permission is granted?
Are the contracts awarded, and everything proceeds as planned?
No. ?. Soil excavation and foundation slab construction
No. ?. Borehole drilling for geothermal probes and laying pipes to the house
No. ?. Laying utilities to the house (connections are available in the street)
No. ?. Building up the walls of the house
No. ?. Installation of underfloor heating and heat pump
No. ?. Construction of the roof frame / roof covering
No. ?. etc.
My goal is to avoid mistakes so that later on, nobody says we could have done this earlier and now need to redo it. I also want to avoid any delays on site because I forgot to apply for something and the builders can’t continue until it is done.
The sequences I have found on the internet all read like this:
Find plot, buy, design, building permit / planning permission, build house, move in, done...
I am about to become a homeowner soon, but I still have some questions that my previous research has not satisfactorily answered.
Rough plan:
- Construction of a solid 1.5-story single-family house (approx. 140sqm (1507 sqft)) in the 03XXX area
- Installation of a ground source heat pump with boreholes
- Plot of land (905sqm (9740 sqft)) found and a notary appointment already scheduled
- A zoning plan (building plan / planning permission) is available for the plot, allowing two-story construction
- Other restrictions of the zoning plan do not hinder our planned development
- This was confirmed to us by the lady from the urban planning office; my wife and I also work in local government (so she probably won’t want to upset us 😉 )
The plot is the last available one in a new development area.
We also had a brief conversation with a planner, who immediately tried to convince us to build a house “one size bigger,” which again reassured me that the zoning plan restrictions will not be an issue for us.
So if we proceed with purchasing the plot soon, there should be nothing standing in the way of building “our dream home.”
However, as a layperson, I am still unclear about the exact process of building a house. What happens next?
1. Find plot – done
2. Own idea of the house – done
3. Check building feasibility – done
4. Purchase plot – almost done
5. Select planner – done
6. Have planner design floor plan – open
7. Submit application for building permit / planning permission – open
8. ???
But what happens after the building permit / planning permission is granted?
Are the contracts awarded, and everything proceeds as planned?
No. ?. Soil excavation and foundation slab construction
No. ?. Borehole drilling for geothermal probes and laying pipes to the house
No. ?. Laying utilities to the house (connections are available in the street)
No. ?. Building up the walls of the house
No. ?. Installation of underfloor heating and heat pump
No. ?. Construction of the roof frame / roof covering
No. ?. etc.
My goal is to avoid mistakes so that later on, nobody says we could have done this earlier and now need to redo it. I also want to avoid any delays on site because I forgot to apply for something and the builders can’t continue until it is done.
The sequences I have found on the internet all read like this:
Find plot, buy, design, building permit / planning permission, build house, move in, done...
Masipulami8 Oct 2014 10:45Basti2709 schrieb:
Then that is probably the next step after the building permit / planning permission No, in my opinion that should happen before your step 6.
For example, what if it turns out that you have very high groundwater levels and therefore might not be able to build a basement. With your sequence, the planning might have to be completely redone in the worst case, and a new building permit / planning permission would have to be applied for.
B
Bauexperte8 Oct 2014 11:04Hello,
In a typical building project—contracted through a general contractor (GC)—the contractor essentially oversees themselves only during the shell construction phase; beyond that, most trades are subcontracted. If your designer is also hired as the construction manager, they not only control the tendering process (which they could influence without you noticing) but also supervise all the trades during construction. If even one of the subcontractors is a company they frequently and willingly work with, it opens the door to possible collusion. This doesn’t have to happen, but it can…
Best regards, Bauexperte
Basti2709 schrieb:In general, I am not in favor of one-stop shops, no matter the area of life. So far, this approach has always worked well for me.
Why do you recommend hiring an external construction manager?
In a typical building project—contracted through a general contractor (GC)—the contractor essentially oversees themselves only during the shell construction phase; beyond that, most trades are subcontracted. If your designer is also hired as the construction manager, they not only control the tendering process (which they could influence without you noticing) but also supervise all the trades during construction. If even one of the subcontractors is a company they frequently and willingly work with, it opens the door to possible collusion. This doesn’t have to happen, but it can…
Basti2709 schrieb:I understand that; being somewhat informed never hurts. On the other hand, building a single-family home is largely based on trust. From this perspective, you have surely chosen your designer carefully. They should therefore be able to provide you with the necessary level of understanding in a clear and comprehensible way.
And even if the designer is responsible for that, it still eases my mind to approach the matter not completely naively.
Best regards, Bauexperte
Masipulami schrieb:
No, in my opinion, that should happen before your step 6.
For example, if it turns out that you have very high groundwater levels and therefore might not be able to build with a basement. With your sequence, the planning might have to be completely redone and a new building permit / planning permission applied for in the worst case.That’s a good point.
And these are exactly the kinds of issues I mean to avoid mistakes upfront. Although in our case this won’t apply, since we plan to build without a basement (which I hadn’t mentioned before).
01. Search for plot – done
02. Own concept for the house – done
03. Check buildability – done
04. Purchase plot – almost done
05. Choose architect/designer – done
06. Have geotechnical survey done – pending
07. Have floor plan designed by architect – pending
08. Submit application for building permit / planning permission – pending
09. Survey setting out of foundation slab ???
10. ???
Bauexperte schrieb:
Hello,
In a typical construction project—contracted through a general contractor (GC)—the builder usually supervises only the shell construction; beyond that, the remaining trades are generally subcontracted to other companies.
Your explanation makes sense to me.
We originally did not want to hire a general contractor because we plan to do a significant amount of work ourselves and are not building turnkey. The real estate agent tried to bring us on board with him and his sister-in-law (who leads one of the largest construction companies in the area). He repeatedly emphasized that doing parts ourselves would not be a problem... although we had heard otherwise. In that case, the company hired by the GC was extremely expensive, and the homeowner wanted to use a different company, which supposedly was no problem. But when this "new" company started working on site, the other subcontractors began causing trouble against them... criticizing everything, saying they could not continue their work, etc. — resulting in a standstill on the construction site.
Ultimately, it came down to: take the company I recommend, or you’ll have problems... more behind-the-scenes maneuvering. Unfortunately, this was not an isolated case.
We already know almost all the companies and people to whom we want to award the contracts:
Uncle with a carpentry and sawmill business = roof framework
Acquaintance with a roofing company = roof covering
Cousin who is a mechanical technician for sanitary, heating, and air conditioning systems = underfloor heating installation + purchase and installation of geothermal heat pump, as well as installation of sanitary facilities
Cousin trained as a painter and decorator = painting and wallpapering work
Father, a carpenter with 40 years of experience + myself (also fairly skilled) = floor installation and small finishing tasks
I can also get an electrician from the village where I come from at a reasonable rate.
What would you do if you had so many more cost-effective options? (And they really are; I experienced this last year during the renovation of my brother’s attic—cost savings were substantial compared to the other contractors we checked).
B
Bauexperte8 Oct 2014 12:17Hello,
Seriously though – you have to decide that for yourself. But one thing you should always consider: can the relationship with family members or close friends handle the pressure (fixing defects – supervision by an external expert)? That will certainly come, just like night follows day! Can these friends or relatives carry on the construction continuously and complete it properly?
The main savings will probably be on the hourly labor rate, and because of that, it might be possible to install higher-quality fixtures; in any case, you must ensure everyone is insured through the statutory accident insurance (BG). Saving money is always good – but in my opinion, this is a trade-off that only you can decide on. And if you agree to this approach, then definitely only with external expert supervision 😉
Best regards, Bauexperte
Basti2709 schrieb:I wouldn’t build your house 😉
What would you do if you had so many more affordable alternatives?
Seriously though – you have to decide that for yourself. But one thing you should always consider: can the relationship with family members or close friends handle the pressure (fixing defects – supervision by an external expert)? That will certainly come, just like night follows day! Can these friends or relatives carry on the construction continuously and complete it properly?
The main savings will probably be on the hourly labor rate, and because of that, it might be possible to install higher-quality fixtures; in any case, you must ensure everyone is insured through the statutory accident insurance (BG). Saving money is always good – but in my opinion, this is a trade-off that only you can decide on. And if you agree to this approach, then definitely only with external expert supervision 😉
Best regards, Bauexperte
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