ᐅ Construction Company – Start of Construction, Communication. Tips, Experiences?
Created on: 23 Jan 2021 11:42
R
Robbs84Hello everyone,
I’m running out of patience dealing with our construction company (general contractor). We signed our building contract in October 2019. Since August 2020, we have had the building permit/planning permission, but we are still waiting for construction to start. Our frustration has been growing because it feels like no one there really cares when our build will begin. Unfortunately, our contract doesn’t specify a fixed start date, only an 11-month construction period guarantee starting from the completion of the foundation slab. So, we are still waiting for any activity on our lot—it's been 15 months since signing and 5 months since getting the permit.
The second issue is related to the first: communication with the site manager and subcontractors. They don’t reply to any emails whatsoever. When we call, they do return the calls, but we’re always given vague phrases like “we’re trying to start soon,” “we’re waiting for good weather,” or “we’ll get to it shortly,” etc. Initially, they said they were waiting for the surveyor, then blamed the weather, then said “it didn’t make sense to start because of upcoming holidays,” and so on. Now we suspect they’ll wait until April due to weather, even though we were told it could start in January. Somehow no one is being honest or straightforward with us!
On the phone, everyone is very polite, and we as homeowners are polite too, but frankly, we feel increasingly ignored and like we’re being fobbed off. Phone calls with polite but firmer requests to improve communication and focus more on our project have made no difference. So we feel powerless and completely at the mercy of the contractor regarding the start of construction—it’s frustrating and really not what we are used to professionally or personally. Is this normal in the construction industry?
Overall, I don’t think the company is unprofessional, but they do seem disorganized and just follow a routine. We try to stay friendly and patient, but it’s starting to wear on us, and we wonder how the actual construction will go.
Thanks for your replies—I’m looking forward to hearing about your experiences.
I’m running out of patience dealing with our construction company (general contractor). We signed our building contract in October 2019. Since August 2020, we have had the building permit/planning permission, but we are still waiting for construction to start. Our frustration has been growing because it feels like no one there really cares when our build will begin. Unfortunately, our contract doesn’t specify a fixed start date, only an 11-month construction period guarantee starting from the completion of the foundation slab. So, we are still waiting for any activity on our lot—it's been 15 months since signing and 5 months since getting the permit.
The second issue is related to the first: communication with the site manager and subcontractors. They don’t reply to any emails whatsoever. When we call, they do return the calls, but we’re always given vague phrases like “we’re trying to start soon,” “we’re waiting for good weather,” or “we’ll get to it shortly,” etc. Initially, they said they were waiting for the surveyor, then blamed the weather, then said “it didn’t make sense to start because of upcoming holidays,” and so on. Now we suspect they’ll wait until April due to weather, even though we were told it could start in January. Somehow no one is being honest or straightforward with us!
On the phone, everyone is very polite, and we as homeowners are polite too, but frankly, we feel increasingly ignored and like we’re being fobbed off. Phone calls with polite but firmer requests to improve communication and focus more on our project have made no difference. So we feel powerless and completely at the mercy of the contractor regarding the start of construction—it’s frustrating and really not what we are used to professionally or personally. Is this normal in the construction industry?
- What are your experiences?
- How was the communication with your contractor, site manager, and tradespeople?
- How long did it take from permit approval until construction started for you?
- Did anyone begin building during winter? Do you really need 2–3 weeks of temperatures above +5°C (41°F), which is unrealistic in a normal winter, or can it be done in stages?
- Did you contact the site manager frequently? Were you considered pushy? We want a good relationship with the site manager since we need him for the project, so we hesitate to “pester” or get too firm in our tone.
Overall, I don’t think the company is unprofessional, but they do seem disorganized and just follow a routine. We try to stay friendly and patient, but it’s starting to wear on us, and we wonder how the actual construction will go.
Thanks for your replies—I’m looking forward to hearing about your experiences.
O
Osnabruecker23 Jan 2021 12:00Do you have a qualified expert on your side? Unfortunately, your construction manager is actually the project manager for the general contractor and therefore may not necessarily have your best interests in mind.
Building permit/planning permission in August means the company probably didn’t wait for you and their schedule is full. Winter will come quickly after that.
Which region are you located in? Is it winter where you are? The temperature issue is valid—given all the rain and frost, earthworks don’t make much sense, and concrete work isn’t feasible in freezing conditions without additional measures.
Communication always varies: sometimes the shell builder returns the day after a defect with an excavator, while the electrician might not show up for four weeks due to a faulty socket...
Building permit/planning permission in August means the company probably didn’t wait for you and their schedule is full. Winter will come quickly after that.
Which region are you located in? Is it winter where you are? The temperature issue is valid—given all the rain and frost, earthworks don’t make much sense, and concrete work isn’t feasible in freezing conditions without additional measures.
Communication always varies: sometimes the shell builder returns the day after a defect with an excavator, while the electrician might not show up for four weeks due to a faulty socket...
Hey,
In September 2018, the contract was signed (general contractor, solid construction) with some reservations, which were lifted in November 2018.
In February 2019, the selection of materials took place.
At the beginning of April, the building application was submitted.
At the beginning of June, the building permit/planning permission was granted, and the general contractor was scheduled with a maximum of 8 weeks.
At the end of August, the initial meeting took place on site with the site manager.
At the beginning of September, the earthworks started.
Construction continued until just before Christmas, then resumed in the second week of January.
The contract included a planned handover date; the house was expected to take 8 months to build (1 month longer due to underfloor heating). Ultimately, the completion was about 3 weeks delayed due to schedule disruptions on other trade sites. Because of the delay, a fixed compensation was agreed upon.
All in all, I would say the process was well organized. The site manager was always reachable; if not, there was an immediate callback, at the latest the next day. Emails were also answered promptly.
In September 2018, the contract was signed (general contractor, solid construction) with some reservations, which were lifted in November 2018.
In February 2019, the selection of materials took place.
At the beginning of April, the building application was submitted.
At the beginning of June, the building permit/planning permission was granted, and the general contractor was scheduled with a maximum of 8 weeks.
At the end of August, the initial meeting took place on site with the site manager.
At the beginning of September, the earthworks started.
Construction continued until just before Christmas, then resumed in the second week of January.
The contract included a planned handover date; the house was expected to take 8 months to build (1 month longer due to underfloor heating). Ultimately, the completion was about 3 weeks delayed due to schedule disruptions on other trade sites. Because of the delay, a fixed compensation was agreed upon.
All in all, I would say the process was well organized. The site manager was always reachable; if not, there was an immediate callback, at the latest the next day. Emails were also answered promptly.
Robbs84 schrieb:
Unfortunately, we didn’t set a fixed construction start date in the contract, only an 11-month construction period guarantee starting from the completion of the foundation slab. So that’s a maximum of eleven months, but starting from God knows when. Yes, that was a mistake. Have a lawyer review the contract to see how cancellation might work (or if the contract is worded so one-sidedly that it could be deemed unconscionable). A lawyer also knows how to put a contractor in default for non-performance.
Robbs84 schrieb:
The building permit / planning permission has been in place since August 2020, But that was already during the “Corona” period—maybe the contractor has registered for short-time work and currently doesn’t have enough staff to handle the projects. If you feel like you’re the only ones being delayed, I would have someone (like your father-in-law) follow the contractor’s construction crews early in the morning to see which sites they are actively working on.
Robbs84 schrieb:
They don’t respond to any emails, absolutely none in writing. Do the emails possibly end up in the spam folder, or have you already earned a reputation as the “nagging customers”?
Robbs84 schrieb:
Overall, I don’t think the company is untrustworthy or anything, but they just seem disorganized and operate strictly by the book. What exact facts make you believe the company is “basically good” (to quote moms of teenage acquaintances in the police), and what gives you hope that the situation will improve to your satisfaction later?
Personally, I would consider contract termination rather than continuing to plead.
https://www.instagram.com/11antgmxde/
https://www.linkedin.com/company/bauen-jetzt/
H
Hausbautraum2023 Jan 2021 14:14It’s strange that you aren’t getting clear answers.
For us, it took one year from the building permit / planning permission to the start of construction, but we already knew that the contractor’s schedule was very full.
By the way, no construction work has been done on any site here since December. How could it be otherwise with 20cm (8 inches) of snow, ice, and subzero temperatures?
Of course, things might be different in your area.
I would suggest asking again for a more specific start date once the weather improves. They must have a reason—they should be able to give you an answer.
For us, it took one year from the building permit / planning permission to the start of construction, but we already knew that the contractor’s schedule was very full.
By the way, no construction work has been done on any site here since December. How could it be otherwise with 20cm (8 inches) of snow, ice, and subzero temperatures?
Of course, things might be different in your area.
I would suggest asking again for a more specific start date once the weather improves. They must have a reason—they should be able to give you an answer.
Our contract states that construction will begin within 3 months after the building permit / planning permission is granted and all homeowner obligations have been fulfilled. The work actually started after 2 months, but since they had previously given us the impression that they could start immediately at any time, we found the wait confusing. I hope your project gets underway soon!
Similar topics