ᐅ Building an End-Terrace House as a Self-Managed Project with a General Contractor
Created on: 27 May 2019 10:48
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goalkeeper
Hello everyone,
some of you might have already followed one of my threads about us having to or being allowed to build our end-terrace house on our own responsibility – depending on how you look at it. This means that we are buying an end-terrace plot (215 sqm (2315 sq ft)) in a new development area in the Rhein-Neckar district and will be building on it ourselves – but in coordination with our two terrace neighbors.
The municipality, which sold the plots through a local resident model, ideally wanted applicants to apply as a complete housing group with several families and then build accordingly with a general contractor, construction manager, or architect. Of course, that didn’t really work out, so now there are only individual applicants and also homeowners.
After we were awarded the plot, the addresses of the other terrace neighbors were shared to discuss certain matters, such as roof style, whether or not to have a basement, etc. It was immediately clear that everyone preferred to do their own thing. However, we were still able to agree that the housing group will have a gable roof with a pitch of 35 to 40 degrees (within this 5-degree range).
As the end house, we will build without a basement, while the middle house and the other end house will have basements. This obviously presents a challenge as we would have to make a deep foundation or simply skip it, and the middle house would have to support us, as we will start construction first. The current agreement with the middle house is that we will build a deeper foundation at his expense, as supporting our house later on would be considerably more expensive for him.
We are currently close to signing with the construction manager, the notarization appointment for the plot is at the end of June, and we hope to start construction in the fall of this year. Meanwhile, several other freely planned housing groups are being built around us, which might get in the way with their cranes.
I will document the progress here from time to time – such a self-planned terraced house doesn’t come along very often.
some of you might have already followed one of my threads about us having to or being allowed to build our end-terrace house on our own responsibility – depending on how you look at it. This means that we are buying an end-terrace plot (215 sqm (2315 sq ft)) in a new development area in the Rhein-Neckar district and will be building on it ourselves – but in coordination with our two terrace neighbors.
The municipality, which sold the plots through a local resident model, ideally wanted applicants to apply as a complete housing group with several families and then build accordingly with a general contractor, construction manager, or architect. Of course, that didn’t really work out, so now there are only individual applicants and also homeowners.
After we were awarded the plot, the addresses of the other terrace neighbors were shared to discuss certain matters, such as roof style, whether or not to have a basement, etc. It was immediately clear that everyone preferred to do their own thing. However, we were still able to agree that the housing group will have a gable roof with a pitch of 35 to 40 degrees (within this 5-degree range).
As the end house, we will build without a basement, while the middle house and the other end house will have basements. This obviously presents a challenge as we would have to make a deep foundation or simply skip it, and the middle house would have to support us, as we will start construction first. The current agreement with the middle house is that we will build a deeper foundation at his expense, as supporting our house later on would be considerably more expensive for him.
We are currently close to signing with the construction manager, the notarization appointment for the plot is at the end of June, and we hope to start construction in the fall of this year. Meanwhile, several other freely planned housing groups are being built around us, which might get in the way with their cranes.
I will document the progress here from time to time – such a self-planned terraced house doesn’t come along very often.
G
goalkeeper23 Mar 2020 18:20I had a phone call today with our painter about the wall and ceiling finishes.
In the contract, we agreed on a single-layer machine-applied plaster and a medium-grade textured wallpaper.
However, we would prefer a smooth fleece finish – you all know the extra cost for that. Our painter said he would go through the house once with a power sander and then apply the smooth fleece. According to him, this is perfectly fine for standard requirements, and fully skim-coating and sanding the entire surface would just be a way to take more money from people.
Our general contractor will, of course, get written confirmation that we won’t complain later if we don’t like the result.
What are your opinions, experiences, or recommendations regarding this?
In the contract, we agreed on a single-layer machine-applied plaster and a medium-grade textured wallpaper.
However, we would prefer a smooth fleece finish – you all know the extra cost for that. Our painter said he would go through the house once with a power sander and then apply the smooth fleece. According to him, this is perfectly fine for standard requirements, and fully skim-coating and sanding the entire surface would just be a way to take more money from people.
Our general contractor will, of course, get written confirmation that we won’t complain later if we don’t like the result.
What are your opinions, experiences, or recommendations regarding this?
Winniefred23 Mar 2020 18:55Well. Are you the type of person who carefully examines their wall in every light and gets stressed if there’s even a slight unevenness anywhere?
For example, we’re not like that at all; a normal standard of smoothness is perfectly fine for us.
For example, we’re not like that at all; a normal standard of smoothness is perfectly fine for us.
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Pinkiponk23 Mar 2020 19:05goalkeeper schrieb:
What is your opinion/experience/recommendation regarding this? This won’t help you right now: I would need to see both in person to form an opinion and provide a recommendation.
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goalkeeper23 Mar 2020 19:26Pinkiponk schrieb:
This doesn’t really help you: I would need to see both in person to form an opinion and give a recommendation.No problem... I’ll leave the house key in the temporary power box at the construction site – you can just come by to take a look...
There is good-looking Q2 and not-so-good-looking Q3. Some people still complain even after the third layer of filler.
Light grazing is a real challenge! You simply can’t completely avoid it.
In my opinion, this issue is greatly overrated. In everyday life, it hardly shows. The first chip in the plaster will appear, walls get dirty, and even wallpaper can tear.
Have a test area done. Q2 or Q3, with paint on it. Then you can decide whether the wall needs more treatment and/or covering.
Light grazing is a real challenge! You simply can’t completely avoid it.
In my opinion, this issue is greatly overrated. In everyday life, it hardly shows. The first chip in the plaster will appear, walls get dirty, and even wallpaper can tear.
Have a test area done. Q2 or Q3, with paint on it. Then you can decide whether the wall needs more treatment and/or covering.
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