ᐅ Looking for a construction company in the Greater Stuttgart area!

erazorlll schrieb:

I believe the correct setup is:
Exterior: Ytong aerated concrete [...]
Load-bearing interior walls: Silka calcium silicate brick
Non-load-bearing interior walls: 10cm (4 inches) gypsum wallboard
Could that be right?

This is a common combination, and I see no reason to advise against it. As far as I know, the aerated concrete and calcium silicate brick manufacturers belong to the same group, which should ensure proven products for connecting both materials. Using gypsum wallboard for the non-load-bearing walls is also easier to work with than using drywall or plasterboard from a third manufacturer.

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https://www.instagram.com/11antgmxde/
https://www.linkedin.com/company/bauen-jetzt/

Are there significant differences in external wall construction regarding heat storage in winter and especially heat retention in summer? I understand that most heat loss or gain happens through the windows, but here I want to focus only on the masonry or walls.

Are gypsum wall panels sufficient for sound insulation as interior walls, or would calcium silicate bricks be better? I want to avoid hearing every word from the next room or having certain sounds from the bathroom travel throughout the entire floor.

erazorlll schrieb:

Are there significant differences in exterior wall construction regarding heat storage in winter and especially heat retention in summer?

The U-value is an absolute measure of the overall thermal insulation performance of the wall assembly and applies equally to heat and cold transfer: that is, the wall with the "better" value slows the temperature flow longer. The difference between solid masonry and external thermal insulation composite systems (ETICS) lies in how evenly this occurs: with hollow core blocks, the flow speeds alternate rapidly between the webs and cavities, whereas with ETICS, the main part of the thermal resistance happens along the section with the insulation boards. Unless you work professionally with physics, you’ll likely make your decision based on intuition — to the average layperson, the most outlandish arguments from both supporters and opponents often sound equally plausible.

erazorlll schrieb:

Are gypsum wall panels sufficient for sound insulation on interior walls, or would calcium silicate blocks be better?

In principle, you can make enough mistakes in element connections to outweigh the property differences between two building materials. Advocates for calcium silicate blocks will always claim only their preferred material is good enough, but in practical terms, gypsum panels perform just as well or better in my view. Here, we are talking about solid gypsum, not to be confused with gypsum drywall panels on timber studs (or "modern" metal studs). Imagine a 10cm (4 inches) thick piece similar to Gouda cheese, pale and about as firm as concrete (but easier to saw). This interior wall material is also widely used in apartment buildings and hospitals.

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Hello @erazorlll, after following your posts with great interest for a long time, I would really like to know how you ultimately decided.

Markuss85 schrieb:

Hello @erazorlll, after following your posts with great interest for a long time, I’m really eager to know what decision you finally made?

Here’s a brief update from my side -> we have made our decision!

Prefab House / Timber Construction

• Bittermann & Weiss -> Eliminated | Ranked first among prefab houses, but we ultimately chose a solid (concrete/block) construction
• Talbau Haus -> Eliminated | Reason explained below
• Hanse Haus -> Eliminated | Overall impression / gut feeling
• Bien-Zenker -> Eliminated | Due to differences
• Fertighaus Weiss -> Excluded
• Schwabenhaus -> Excluded
• Albert Haus -> Excluded

Solid Construction Providers

• Köhler Wildberg -> Accepted!
• Hauser Massivbau -> Eliminated | Ranked second
• U-Haus -> Eliminated | Ranked third
• Haus der Handwerker -> Eliminated | Overall impression / gut feeling, although the cheapest offer
• AWS -> Eliminated | Clearly too expensive
• FERMO -> Excluded | Clearly too expensive
• Härtter Renningen -> No capacity

About Talbau: Our initial appointment took place before the COVID-19 outbreak, and we scheduled a follow-up meeting two weeks later to discuss the offer. Unfortunately, this coincided exactly with the start of contact restrictions and the rapid increase in case numbers. I made all appointments together with my wife, so that we both had all impressions before making a decision. However, a meeting with three participants was not possible at that time. We asked Talbau for some flexibility and suggested various alternatives (video conference, phone call, etc.), but all were rejected. The negative part wasn’t just the rejection itself, but the unconvincing explanations given. I then asked Talbau to propose something, and their answer was either to meet on site or postpone the meeting until after the pandemic. There were a few more comments made that I won’t go into here, but after that, we considered the matter closed.

Hanse Haus: Their houses were quite nice, but in the end, the offer and the overall building feeling didn’t match what we wanted. Additionally, a coworker is currently building with Hanse Haus and is only moderately satisfied.

I have to give praise to Bittermann & Weiss here. I think I mentioned this a few pages back, but the salesperson was very competent and down-to-earth—not your typical salesman. We liked their houses the best, and their offer was very detailed with every single item listed. In the end, though, we decided on a solid construction home. If we had gone with a prefab house, it would have been with Bittermann & Weiss.

Regarding AWS, as I mentioned earlier, their offer was simply €50,000 (approximately $55,000) more expensive—even after adjusting for specifications and services.

Haus der Handwerker is still hard for me to categorize. Their offer was the cheapest among all and the quality seemed good. The model home was quite nice and modern as well. However, I read some distinctly negative comments about HdH in the forum, including remarks that you need to be more involved in the coordination yourself. Also, the free architectural design they provided wasn’t really good. I understand that is work, and in our case, since no contract followed, I appreciate that too. But rather than producing a poor proposal, I’d prefer none at all. That did not exactly inspire confidence in their design capabilities later on. (@11ant I’m waiting for your comment )

Top 3:
U-Haus had a friendly contact who put a lot of effort into the process. Their offer was mid-range in price, and in the end, it really came down to gut feeling. I can’t say exactly what the deciding factor was. If you have questions, feel free to ask.

Hauser offered the best price after HdH and also had a very friendly contact. We immediately felt well taken care of and everything was discussed thoroughly. At their on-site location, the “standard features” are displayed so you can get a direct impression. We also still liked their concept with Liapor prefabricated walls and could have imagined going with it. A very positive aspect was that they questioned the local zoning plan (building regulations) instead of just complaining about it. There were one or two unclear points from my perspective, and most people immediately said “that won’t work,” but Hauser suggested clarifying and trying to find solutions. One minor downside was their accessibility—not always ideal, and it sometimes took ages to get callbacks. I think they are just incredibly busy at the moment. Thanks to @Markuss85 for the tip.

With Köhler, the overall feeling was right. They are a grounded family business that does not only build houses but also larger projects. Very nice contact with lots of experience, and you immediately feel welcome there. They took a lot of time during conversations even though the contract wasn’t certain yet. Köhler specializes in the shell construction (structural frame) and brings a lot of experience from that area. They also build a lot in the surrounding region and know all the relevant local trades and contacts at the municipalities. Costs are discussed openly, and contact with other clients isn’t a problem. We both felt that honest, solid work is still being done here and that customer satisfaction matters a lot. Let’s see what the future brings.

Many thanks to @Baufie for the tip about Köhler, and I’ll keep you posted.

erazorlll schrieb:

@11ant I’m waiting for your comment

You caught me off guard here; I don’t recall seeing their architects submit a work sample.

However, I want to thank you for your exemplary, detailed, and transparent explanations about what impressions you gained from which provider and why. I find that very valuable for the “readers,” although I myself couldn’t do the same—simply because I’m not currently building and therefore not experiencing this firsthand.

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