ᐅ Building inspector for the entire construction process or just the final inspection

Hello

we have purchased a new semi-detached house with 150sqm (1,615 sq ft).

We are currently considering whether to hire a building expert.

What would you say – would it be worth hiring an expert to supervise the entire construction process?
That would certainly be very expensive.

Or do you think it’s enough to bring in an expert only for the final inspection,
someone who identifies all defects and properly documents them?
That probably wouldn’t be too costly.

Or should I just save the money and not hire anyone?

For my condominium unit, I hired an independent expert just for the final inspection. This turned out to be the right decision for that apartment.
For the entire building project, there was a general expert who was supposed to conduct regular inspections. However, he apparently neglected his duties, as several defects were found in the shared property.

For the new single-family home construction project, I reactivated my expert, who has been involved from the very beginning (unfortunately not during contract negotiations).
Many of the most serious defects occur during the shell construction phase; you won’t see them later until consequential damages develop. So the 3,000 to 4,000 EUR (about 3,000 to 4,000 USD) spent are a good investment compared to the total construction cost. We’re talking about roughly 1%!
Of course, it stings a bit—this could be a nice upgrade somewhere else—but it’s just one upgrade. Expert knowledge ultimately prevents many permanent downgrades!

For us, it was money well spent since we were not on-site during the construction phase. For example, the building inspector complained about the underfloor heating pipes being installed with far too wide spacing and ensured they were properly sealed, which is extremely important with heat pumps and would no longer have been visible at the final inspection. That was the most serious issue, along with many smaller shoddy workmanship problems. We spent as much on the inspector and legal fees as we deducted from the final payment, so financially it was a break-even situation for us. In the end, we had an (almost) flawless house at the planned price. This would not have been possible without the inspector and lawyer. Nowadays, due to time pressure and lack of necessity, even the worst tradespeople already have their next jobs booked solid, and the homeowner increasingly ends up at a disadvantage. It is important to protect yourself as much as possible.

Tolentino schrieb:

because some defects were found in the common property.

It is missing: ...only after completion...

A final inspection alone is, in my opinion, not sufficient for a single-family house. By that point, all defects are already buried, set in concrete, plastered over, and hidden behind painting fleece ... then it’s too late.

A construction supervisor or independent expert throughout the building process is money well spent.

ok thanks

How much would such an expert cost, around 2000 - 3000€?

How did you find your expert? Did you hire a freelancer or someone from TÜV or DEKRA?