Good morning dear colleagues,
I am in the fortunate situation of having found our personal dream plot for our first own house. However, I only decided to start building four weeks ago and began searching two weeks ago – and now I need to act quickly, or the plot will be gone! I’m a bit overwhelmed because everything is moving so fast; I’ve already made one mistake and would therefore be extremely grateful for professional help and experience.
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1. Question about the builder:
We would like to build with TAFF-Haus, or rather have to, because the broker involved was until two weeks ago still part of the management team and since February has been an independent broker (during the viewing we were told he only works for the owner… which was true at that time but already feels a bit questionable). Now, there is no information or reviews about TAFF-Haus or the other companies in the parent group "Uwe Köhn Unternehmensgruppe," such as ALLEGRO-Haus (only two negative reports about ALLEGRO here in the forum). This is perhaps not surprising, considering the following from the commercial register regarding the entire company structure:
So, there is practically no experience in housebuilding! Or am I mistaken?
Fortunately (?), TAFF does not handle the construction itself but hires a large number of local subcontractors for the individual trades. You could almost say that they only organize. But I’m not certain about that; the walls are patented (prefabricated house/timber frame construction).
That doesn’t worry me too much yet, although I would prefer a company with many years of experience. But I probably just have to make sure that every tiny detail is documented in writing from the start – as it should be for contracts involving such sums.
-> What do you think? Can TAFF-Haus be trusted?
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2. About my mistake:
I, a naive fool, of course told the seller my budget. Quite surprisingly, our desired house now fits exactly into that budget – what a wonderful coincidence!
To partly fix this and to create a basis for negotiation, I’m considering, as mentioned above, asking for a detailed breakdown of every single item and comparing them online. It would be best to also get reference projects with addresses/contact details and compare prices with those. It can’t be too long since they built those...
-> What should I absolutely pay attention to now?
Is there a checklist or something similar in this forum? I will definitely read the section "Buyer assistance before signing the contract" here in the housebuilding guide, but maybe there is more or something that fits my situation.
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3. Alternative for the brave:
The plot is a dream, and we really want to have it. I have managed to find the owner and am seriously considering making him an offer. In the worst case, I’d pay the “hidden” broker’s commission but would then own the plot and no longer be tied to TAFF. We would also like to change some things about the house, which TAFF with their fixed floor plans cannot offer us.
-> Would you consider this option in my situation? Are there risks?
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Normally I’m someone who research many things extensively myself, but in this case I simply don’t have the time. I am grateful for any answer because the next meeting with TAFF is still this week, when the house is supposed to be planned. Feel free to bombard me with helpful links (as far as allowed) or similar topics, as I simply don’t have time to search and sort – mea culpa!
I am in the fortunate situation of having found our personal dream plot for our first own house. However, I only decided to start building four weeks ago and began searching two weeks ago – and now I need to act quickly, or the plot will be gone! I’m a bit overwhelmed because everything is moving so fast; I’ve already made one mistake and would therefore be extremely grateful for professional help and experience.
-----
1. Question about the builder:
We would like to build with TAFF-Haus, or rather have to, because the broker involved was until two weeks ago still part of the management team and since February has been an independent broker (during the viewing we were told he only works for the owner… which was true at that time but already feels a bit questionable). Now, there is no information or reviews about TAFF-Haus or the other companies in the parent group "Uwe Köhn Unternehmensgruppe," such as ALLEGRO-Haus (only two negative reports about ALLEGRO here in the forum). This is perhaps not surprising, considering the following from the commercial register regarding the entire company structure:
- VSC Vertriebs Service Consult GmbH has existed since January 2006.
- Meißner Bau Management GmbH, like Allegro-Haus GmbH, was founded in December 2012.
- TAFF-Haus GmbH has only existed for two years, since May 2015.
So, there is practically no experience in housebuilding! Or am I mistaken?
Fortunately (?), TAFF does not handle the construction itself but hires a large number of local subcontractors for the individual trades. You could almost say that they only organize. But I’m not certain about that; the walls are patented (prefabricated house/timber frame construction).
That doesn’t worry me too much yet, although I would prefer a company with many years of experience. But I probably just have to make sure that every tiny detail is documented in writing from the start – as it should be for contracts involving such sums.
-> What do you think? Can TAFF-Haus be trusted?
-----
2. About my mistake:
I, a naive fool, of course told the seller my budget. Quite surprisingly, our desired house now fits exactly into that budget – what a wonderful coincidence!
To partly fix this and to create a basis for negotiation, I’m considering, as mentioned above, asking for a detailed breakdown of every single item and comparing them online. It would be best to also get reference projects with addresses/contact details and compare prices with those. It can’t be too long since they built those...
-> What should I absolutely pay attention to now?
Is there a checklist or something similar in this forum? I will definitely read the section "Buyer assistance before signing the contract" here in the housebuilding guide, but maybe there is more or something that fits my situation.
-----
3. Alternative for the brave:
The plot is a dream, and we really want to have it. I have managed to find the owner and am seriously considering making him an offer. In the worst case, I’d pay the “hidden” broker’s commission but would then own the plot and no longer be tied to TAFF. We would also like to change some things about the house, which TAFF with their fixed floor plans cannot offer us.
-> Would you consider this option in my situation? Are there risks?
-----
Normally I’m someone who research many things extensively myself, but in this case I simply don’t have the time. I am grateful for any answer because the next meeting with TAFF is still this week, when the house is supposed to be planned. Feel free to bombard me with helpful links (as far as allowed) or similar topics, as I simply don’t have time to search and sort – mea culpa!
tempic schrieb:
I know of cases where, through excuses, people managed to persuade the real estate agent or construction company to first sell the plot of land and only afterwards sign the building contract (which then, of course, did not happen). I think that is not so straightforward. The agent presents himself as an independent broker, but he is still listed as a managing director in TAFF’s imprint.
From what it sounds like, the land purchase is apparently not tied to TAFF by the owner. However, you would only find that out from the owner directly.
In this case, I believe the only way to the land leads through the owner and their willingness.
tempic schrieb:
Has the plot already been divided?Yes, it has been divided
Caspar2020 schrieb:
Can you wait another 6 months to finalize the plot or the contract with the company???
And from the terms and conditions:
Save your money. In fact, RS is not practically insurable during construction.
Better hire a proper construction supervisor; no matter who you are building with. It’s definitely a better investment.I generally see it differently. Because the costs for a construction supervisor are not low either. And if problems occur, they can’t really help. Especially in legal matters, these professions often tend to withdraw.
In my opinion, it depends more on the provider and the object to be insured.
C
Caspar20207 Jun 2017 07:45Olli1983 schrieb:
Because the costs for a construction supervisor are not low either. And if problems arise, they can’t really help.After all, they are usually the first to likely notice and assess the problems. Without construction supervision, most people will only realize issues later. And construction companies are generally more willing to fix defects when they are pointed out by the supervisor rather than by the "customer."
If you end up in court, a lot has already gone wrong.
Olli1983 schrieb:
Because the costs for a construction supervisor are not low either.The costs for construction supervision are "peanuts" compared to the overall amount you invest when building a house.
Olli1983 schrieb:
In my opinion, it depends more on the provider and the object to be insured.You mean for the liability insurance?T
TAFF-HausTeam29 Jul 2017 18:25Hello, it is correct that TAFF-Hau GmbH has been operating since 2015. As a 100% subsidiary of the UK group, it benefits from their experience in the construction industry since 1997. Your TAFF-Haus shell house is designed by us and manufactured in our factory using our patented healthy-living 37cm (15 inches) wall construction. The construction and finishing of the house are then carried out by regional trades commissioned or coordinated by TAFF-Haus. If you wish, you are also welcome to participate in the finishing work yourself. This increases your equity share and reduces the financing amount.
TAFF-Haus does not charge arbitrary prices. The prices for our shell house are published on our website. All necessary interior finishing services are assigned based on quotes. The homeowner is always involved and can also bring in their own contractors, for example, a drywall specialist they know, if desired.
With us, you have found a partner in building your dream home who offers you real value through quality and speed, with your dream of owning a home as a family-run company as our top priority.
If you have any questions, please feel free to call us.
Best regards
Your TAFF-Haus Team
TAFF-Haus does not charge arbitrary prices. The prices for our shell house are published on our website. All necessary interior finishing services are assigned based on quotes. The homeowner is always involved and can also bring in their own contractors, for example, a drywall specialist they know, if desired.
With us, you have found a partner in building your dream home who offers you real value through quality and speed, with your dream of owning a home as a family-run company as our top priority.
If you have any questions, please feel free to call us.
Best regards
Your TAFF-Haus Team
P
PowerBauer13 Aug 2017 19:10So, for us, TAFF is now definitely off the table.
Despite everything, we did not let go of the plot because it was perfectly suited to our needs. We signed the contract despite many vague formulations and critical points, as the plot was guaranteed to us by TAFF. The three homeowners I spoke to who built with Allegro were also quite satisfied, which reassured me somewhat.
However, the expert from the Private Homeowners Association strongly advised against it, saying the construction contract was "complete rubbish" (his exact words), and no homeowner should ever voluntarily sign such a deal. There are many points where the owner (that is, me) must take responsibility, many risks are shifted to the homeowner, and with the wording used, it seems there would be quite a legal battle if it ever came to court.
I noted down about 60 questions regarding the scope of work, general terms and conditions, trades, etc., and was able to clarify some of them with TAFF, although they refused to provide written answers or sign anything. Some critical issues, such as a contractually fixed completion date (e.g., “12 months after construction start excluding weather-related delays” or something similar), they neither wanted nor could verbally guarantee. One might suspect something shady there. Another example is the warranty on the windows, which only applies if you sign a maintenance contract – none of my contacts at TAFF understood what that even meant, and there was no sample maintenance contract provided.
Since we really wanted the plot and had some lawyers among our friends, we signed anyway. The expert from the Private Homeowners Association even said the contract was so unfavorable to customers that some clauses, or even the whole contract, could be considered invalid and challenged in court with sufficient persistence.
After signing, the long wait began. We were already puzzled because there was a lot of pressure to sign, and then TAFF suddenly stopped communicating. When I tried to reach someone at TAFF about two weeks later, no one answered despite me calling every few hours for two days. I tried again in the evening from a different number – and suddenly someone was available. They claimed to have been on vacation and then ill. Then we were told the plot was already sold – even though it had been guaranteed to us. We were understandably upset and contacted the broker.
The broker then said the owner would decide who gets the plot and had not yet decided. But when I spoke to the owner, he said he had already sold the plot to the broker (??) and didn’t care who got it. So everything was quite suspicious, and all parties contradicted each other. By this point, we realized something was wrong.
In the following days, we were continuously stalled. Allegedly because the notary was overloaded and the draft sales contracts were not ready. I don’t understand what could be so complicated about this contract that a draft would need several weeks, or why the draft would influence the buyer’s decision, but okay. I suspect someone else offered more or had the right contacts, and the broker was just waiting for a financing confirmation. It was hinted several times that there were higher bidders, and as we later learned, apparently someone from the broker’s family was favored.
In the end, the owner supposedly chose someone else. I am quite sure the broker, as a former TAFF-Haus CEO, had a lot more influence than he admitted. He claimed he knew nothing about the house contract, didn’t care, and was “just the broker”... Meanwhile, the TAFF salesperson told us to contact the broker because he is the one who makes the decision. Right.
Throughout this time, both the “broker” and TAFF were very difficult to reach. The TAFF salesperson apparently still reported to the broker, who was CEO of TAFF until recently, so his commitments were worthless. The broker, in turn, dodged direct questions, talked circles around us, and constantly contradicted himself. Beneath the professional friendliness, there was unfortunately no genuine professionalism… promises and statements were inconsistent. The same with the TAFF salesperson: like another interested party, we were promised appointments with ventilation and heating companies several times but these never happened. Emails were never answered. And the construction contract we signed was supposed to be sent to us again after a week – we only received it several weeks later, long after the contract termination clause applied, since we could not acquire the plot.
At some point, the salesperson called us again asking if we had purchased the plot (???). He said he also had another comparable plot available and asked if he could pass on my number. It speaks for itself that we were never contacted again.
We had to follow up repeatedly to get the termination of the construction contract confirmed.
All in all, a very unprofessional and uncertain experience. We will definitely not build with TAFF, not even on another plot. The product may be fine, but the people behind it and the contract give a really bad impression. One does not feel taken seriously by the company.
By the way, the second half of the plot, a 13-meter (43 feet) wide strip where the “3-4 interested parties” supposedly outbid each other, was later offered as a plot without a developer and about €20,000 more expensive on Immoscout. So that claim was just hot air as well.
One more thing: The company offers only about a dozen different houses. Still, the house we chose had never been built by TAFF before; there was only one parallel construction project. That also concerned me because when building a house, I don’t want to be part of a pilot project.
Despite everything, we did not let go of the plot because it was perfectly suited to our needs. We signed the contract despite many vague formulations and critical points, as the plot was guaranteed to us by TAFF. The three homeowners I spoke to who built with Allegro were also quite satisfied, which reassured me somewhat.
However, the expert from the Private Homeowners Association strongly advised against it, saying the construction contract was "complete rubbish" (his exact words), and no homeowner should ever voluntarily sign such a deal. There are many points where the owner (that is, me) must take responsibility, many risks are shifted to the homeowner, and with the wording used, it seems there would be quite a legal battle if it ever came to court.
I noted down about 60 questions regarding the scope of work, general terms and conditions, trades, etc., and was able to clarify some of them with TAFF, although they refused to provide written answers or sign anything. Some critical issues, such as a contractually fixed completion date (e.g., “12 months after construction start excluding weather-related delays” or something similar), they neither wanted nor could verbally guarantee. One might suspect something shady there. Another example is the warranty on the windows, which only applies if you sign a maintenance contract – none of my contacts at TAFF understood what that even meant, and there was no sample maintenance contract provided.
Since we really wanted the plot and had some lawyers among our friends, we signed anyway. The expert from the Private Homeowners Association even said the contract was so unfavorable to customers that some clauses, or even the whole contract, could be considered invalid and challenged in court with sufficient persistence.
After signing, the long wait began. We were already puzzled because there was a lot of pressure to sign, and then TAFF suddenly stopped communicating. When I tried to reach someone at TAFF about two weeks later, no one answered despite me calling every few hours for two days. I tried again in the evening from a different number – and suddenly someone was available. They claimed to have been on vacation and then ill. Then we were told the plot was already sold – even though it had been guaranteed to us. We were understandably upset and contacted the broker.
The broker then said the owner would decide who gets the plot and had not yet decided. But when I spoke to the owner, he said he had already sold the plot to the broker (??) and didn’t care who got it. So everything was quite suspicious, and all parties contradicted each other. By this point, we realized something was wrong.
In the following days, we were continuously stalled. Allegedly because the notary was overloaded and the draft sales contracts were not ready. I don’t understand what could be so complicated about this contract that a draft would need several weeks, or why the draft would influence the buyer’s decision, but okay. I suspect someone else offered more or had the right contacts, and the broker was just waiting for a financing confirmation. It was hinted several times that there were higher bidders, and as we later learned, apparently someone from the broker’s family was favored.
In the end, the owner supposedly chose someone else. I am quite sure the broker, as a former TAFF-Haus CEO, had a lot more influence than he admitted. He claimed he knew nothing about the house contract, didn’t care, and was “just the broker”... Meanwhile, the TAFF salesperson told us to contact the broker because he is the one who makes the decision. Right.
Throughout this time, both the “broker” and TAFF were very difficult to reach. The TAFF salesperson apparently still reported to the broker, who was CEO of TAFF until recently, so his commitments were worthless. The broker, in turn, dodged direct questions, talked circles around us, and constantly contradicted himself. Beneath the professional friendliness, there was unfortunately no genuine professionalism… promises and statements were inconsistent. The same with the TAFF salesperson: like another interested party, we were promised appointments with ventilation and heating companies several times but these never happened. Emails were never answered. And the construction contract we signed was supposed to be sent to us again after a week – we only received it several weeks later, long after the contract termination clause applied, since we could not acquire the plot.
At some point, the salesperson called us again asking if we had purchased the plot (???). He said he also had another comparable plot available and asked if he could pass on my number. It speaks for itself that we were never contacted again.
We had to follow up repeatedly to get the termination of the construction contract confirmed.
All in all, a very unprofessional and uncertain experience. We will definitely not build with TAFF, not even on another plot. The product may be fine, but the people behind it and the contract give a really bad impression. One does not feel taken seriously by the company.
By the way, the second half of the plot, a 13-meter (43 feet) wide strip where the “3-4 interested parties” supposedly outbid each other, was later offered as a plot without a developer and about €20,000 more expensive on Immoscout. So that claim was just hot air as well.
One more thing: The company offers only about a dozen different houses. Still, the house we chose had never been built by TAFF before; there was only one parallel construction project. That also concerned me because when building a house, I don’t want to be part of a pilot project.
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