ᐅ Construction Supervision: Why / How Often / From Whom

Hi,
We are considering hiring a building surveyor for the construction of our single-family house. We already have an architect from the construction company.
So my question is, should we bring in a building surveyor? They would be independent but might also cause some tensions!?
How many inspections would be reasonable? I often read about 8-10!?
What should the cost be?
And where can I find a reliable one?

I hope you can help me.

Regards, Sebastian

@SebastianH.
Hello, we have had good experiences with this. The architect from the construction company still wants to continue working with them.
We joined the Homeowners’ Protection Association and found an expert near us through the internet.
We had four appointments plus the final inspection, which was sufficient for us. At all appointments, the head of the construction company was present, and the meetings were professional and friendly. We didn’t have much knowledge to contribute.
Conclusion: All trades were aware of the inspections, which caused us no extra stress. According to the expert, it was a very well-executed build. We would do it the same way again.

Ok, what or who is the Bauherren-Schutzbund?

Presumably the Building Owners' Protection Association (Bauherren-Schutzbund e.V.)

@Nida35a Is the Builders’ Protection Association really worth it? What actual benefits do I get from it? Are the experts or construction supervisors cheaper if I have a membership, or could I simply hire them directly without going through the Builders’ Protection Association?

SebastianH. schrieb:

Should you consider getting a home savings contract involved? It would be independent but might cause some tension!?
How many appointments would be reasonable? I often read about 8-10!?

The term “independent expert” already indicates what is important: independence and expertise. I would prefer a publicly appointed and sworn expert because the title “expert” alone is not protected. Therefore, you want to hire a true expert who is familiar with the recognized technical rules and valid standards (and not a semi-knowledgeable person who only criticizes things to appear sharp to the homeowner). So tensions should only arise if the contractor has genuinely worked carelessly.

For appointments, milestones in the construction progress are suitable, which often coincide with points where continuing work would make critical areas inaccessible for a visual inspection. Examples of such milestones are the fine staking out and the completion of the base slab (it is not uncommon for houses to be about 20cm (8 inches) off from the approved location or to have a finished floor height that is slightly too high or too low compared to the raw floor level). Later milestones include the ring beam / ground floor ceiling and other construction progress points, which are often linked to further installment payments, offering good guidance for scheduling inspection appointments.

Also consider that an expert—who can be appreciated by the contractors as well—can have a preventive effect by discussing “how” a measure is to be carried out, helping to avoid problems before they have to be complained about. The primary goal is to hire the expert to ensure a proper house—not, as some might prioritize, to haggle for discounts after poor work.

Giving a fixed recommendation on the “right” number of appointments is therefore difficult—but as explained, it is not hard to determine systematically on your own. I always recommend planning one extra appointment for special features—so, for example, if your house has a bay window only on the ground floor and not continued on the upper floor, or if you have several corner windows. Conversely, reducing the number of appointments by one might be possible if a detailed plan takes each downpipe into account, instead of placing them randomly and simply boxing them in with drywall.

---

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