ᐅ Start of construction still planned for this year (November)?
Created on: 21 Oct 2019 10:49
C
CrossyHello everyone,
I would like to hear your thoughts on the following issue.
Our building permit took forever to get approved (almost 4 months *ugh*), but it has finally come through as of last week.
Originally, we planned to start construction in September and have the shell of the house weather-tight by Christmas.
Now, we have an appointment with our general contractor this Thursday. From what I’ve heard, he wants to start work before the end of this year. We will probably discuss detailed planning on Thursday.
However, I wonder if this still makes sense.
The basic facts are as follows:
We are building a hillside house with 240 sqm (50 sqm (540 sq ft) basement acting as a cellar built into the slope), two full floors (each 120 sqm (1,290 sq ft)) with a flat roof.
The double garage with storage room will probably be added in spring (constructed under separate contract).
Of course, we’re eager to get started, but there is a significant risk that the house won’t be weather-tight before winter sets in. What could happen in that case? Or is the situation not so critical?
What kind of damage might occur (and how likely is it) if, for example, only the basement is fully built and the floor slab between basement and upper floors is laid, but work on the upper floor masonry has to stop because winter arrives?
Or is damage unlikely and we might just face more effort drying the house (using construction dryers, etc.)?
It’s also worth considering that if construction starts, we will definitely have to pay partial standby interest on the loan starting next year. I’m also not sure if our fixed contract price still applies if we begin next year. Additionally, we’re expecting our third child and our current home is already quite small. We will have to live here as a family of five for some time anyway, but the shorter the better.
Does anyone have experience with this? Has anyone started in November?
By the way, we’re building in Rhineland-Palatinate (RLP), at 320 m (1,050 ft) above sea level. Winters vary a lot here. We have had years with no snow at all but also up to three weeks of continuous snow cover. Generally, winters tend to start later nowadays.
I would like to hear your thoughts on the following issue.
Our building permit took forever to get approved (almost 4 months *ugh*), but it has finally come through as of last week.
Originally, we planned to start construction in September and have the shell of the house weather-tight by Christmas.
Now, we have an appointment with our general contractor this Thursday. From what I’ve heard, he wants to start work before the end of this year. We will probably discuss detailed planning on Thursday.
However, I wonder if this still makes sense.
The basic facts are as follows:
We are building a hillside house with 240 sqm (50 sqm (540 sq ft) basement acting as a cellar built into the slope), two full floors (each 120 sqm (1,290 sq ft)) with a flat roof.
The double garage with storage room will probably be added in spring (constructed under separate contract).
Of course, we’re eager to get started, but there is a significant risk that the house won’t be weather-tight before winter sets in. What could happen in that case? Or is the situation not so critical?
What kind of damage might occur (and how likely is it) if, for example, only the basement is fully built and the floor slab between basement and upper floors is laid, but work on the upper floor masonry has to stop because winter arrives?
Or is damage unlikely and we might just face more effort drying the house (using construction dryers, etc.)?
It’s also worth considering that if construction starts, we will definitely have to pay partial standby interest on the loan starting next year. I’m also not sure if our fixed contract price still applies if we begin next year. Additionally, we’re expecting our third child and our current home is already quite small. We will have to live here as a family of five for some time anyway, but the shorter the better.
Does anyone have experience with this? Has anyone started in November?
By the way, we’re building in Rhineland-Palatinate (RLP), at 320 m (1,050 ft) above sea level. Winters vary a lot here. We have had years with no snow at all but also up to three weeks of continuous snow cover. Generally, winters tend to start later nowadays.
Timing won’t work out, and I’m not referring to the onset of winter (which I can’t predict for you), but rather the Christmas period, when typically nothing happens for about three weeks due to the holiday season.
We started last year in mid-October, and the roof was just finished by around December 21st. The weather that year was ideal until then, with hardly any rain and only one day where the temperature stayed just below 3°C (37°F) all day.
Ultimately, the decision is yours. But you won’t get the building weather-tight by Christmas.
We started last year in mid-October, and the roof was just finished by around December 21st. The weather that year was ideal until then, with hardly any rain and only one day where the temperature stayed just below 3°C (37°F) all day.
Ultimately, the decision is yours. But you won’t get the building weather-tight by Christmas.
It is clear that construction will likely pause over Christmas with only about one to one and a half masonry floors completed. Being weather-tight by Christmas was only the original plan if we had started in September.
But here is the question: what would happen to the unfinished shell if it were only partially completed and, after the Christmas/New Year holidays (I am expecting at least a two-week construction stop), we could not continue work in January due to weather conditions? And could only resume masonry work in March.
Is it possible for such an open shell (in the worst case, just standing unused for three months) to withstand the winter period without damage?
But here is the question: what would happen to the unfinished shell if it were only partially completed and, after the Christmas/New Year holidays (I am expecting at least a two-week construction stop), we could not continue work in January due to weather conditions? And could only resume masonry work in March.
Is it possible for such an open shell (in the worst case, just standing unused for three months) to withstand the winter period without damage?
Our garage was left open for one winter without planning. There were a few chips on the bricks. The mason, plasterer, and expert all agreed there was no damage. It will be filled in during plastering.
Neighbors laid bricks in ice and snow. They had problems with drying.
Who knows when winter will come and how long it will last?
If you want to build frost-free, you have to postpone until April (at least where we are).
Neighbors laid bricks in ice and snow. They had problems with drying.
Who knows when winter will come and how long it will last?
If you want to build frost-free, you have to postpone until April (at least where we are).
N
nordanney21 Oct 2019 11:16Since we don’t have a real winter, I don’t see any issues if work pauses for a few weeks. A few years ago, we also built through the winter. The topping-out ceremony was on Saint Nicholas Day, and the shell was only weather-tight the following year. The shell still gets properly wet anyway, thanks to the rain.
H
HilfeHilfe21 Oct 2019 11:31Winter is expected to be mild after all
Similar topics