ᐅ Initial Discussions with Prefabricated House Manufacturers – Any Tips?
Created on: 16 Jan 2018 15:28
M
Marcello
Hello,
We have our first two meetings with prefab home builders coming up in the next 10 days: Weberhaus and Hanse Haus. Bien-Zenker will follow later. We are still considering Town & Country, but that will probably only be an option if the others really mess up.
My question to experienced homeowners who have already been through this somewhat exciting process (admittedly, it’s a bit nerve-wracking) is: what can we expect during the meeting? I am familiar with the content and know that it will easily take about two hours, but are there any pitfalls even in this initial introduction? Are there things I absolutely should mention, but more importantly, are there things I should definitely avoid saying at this early stage? I would really appreciate any tips and useful insights based on your experience.
We have our first two meetings with prefab home builders coming up in the next 10 days: Weberhaus and Hanse Haus. Bien-Zenker will follow later. We are still considering Town & Country, but that will probably only be an option if the others really mess up.
My question to experienced homeowners who have already been through this somewhat exciting process (admittedly, it’s a bit nerve-wracking) is: what can we expect during the meeting? I am familiar with the content and know that it will easily take about two hours, but are there any pitfalls even in this initial introduction? Are there things I absolutely should mention, but more importantly, are there things I should definitely avoid saying at this early stage? I would really appreciate any tips and useful insights based on your experience.
Müllerin schrieb:
Apart from that: a fireplace in a house built according to the latest standards is also pointless. It gets way too hot. Except for preppers or during power outages in winter, it’s really not practical.Do you mean all KfW 70 houses and above?
B
Baumfachmann17 Jan 2018 14:05A fireplace is definitely a bit of a luxury. For example, I like the sight of the fire, and if it gets too warm, I just open a door.
Baumfachmann schrieb:
A fireplace is a bit of a luxury; for example, I like the sight of fire, and if it gets too warm, I just open a door.I feel the same way. For me, it’s purely about the comfort factor. And if it also provides some warmth and helps save on heating costs, then I’m happy to have that as well.
However, a fireplace is definitely not for everyone and it needs to fit into the overall living space design. Quickly squeezing a fireplace in somewhere just because there are 3 meters (10 feet) of unused wall space, in my opinion, is wasted money because it probably wasn’t planned with coziness in mind.
Topics that interested us during initial consultations included, for example:
- Assistance and support with site development (electricity, water, heating, etc.)
- Flexibility with floor plans – how many options are included? What if further changes are needed? Costs?
- Advice on heating, energy, and incentive programs
- Meeting deadlines and payment terms
- Is it possible to outsource individual trades (e.g., hiring tile installers independently)?
- Who is the construction manager?
- Assistance and support with site development (electricity, water, heating, etc.)
- Flexibility with floor plans – how many options are included? What if further changes are needed? Costs?
- Advice on heating, energy, and incentive programs
- Meeting deadlines and payment terms
- Is it possible to outsource individual trades (e.g., hiring tile installers independently)?
- Who is the construction manager?
I love fire, but please outdoors. I also need space for the Dutch oven, Muurikka, and my coffee pot.
No one gives anything away for free. Conversely, a significantly cheaper provider does not necessarily offer the same quality, and certainly not the same features. In Hannover, you can already notice differences just by walking through—quality, salespeople, and so on.
Feel free to ask what is included in the additional costs and what expenses to expect. Of course, they can’t provide exact numbers, but even a small construction site toilet doesn’t matter much, or estimates for earthworks might be extremely low or dismissed with comments like "the excavator is already on site, so it won’t cost much." When it comes to turnkey houses, ask immediately what exactly is meant. This can range from "the house has a door with a key" to "you can pull up with your moving truck."
If they show you sample floor plans, ask how much it costs to move a wall, door, or window. Some companies charge exorbitant fees, while others don’t charge anything. Pay attention to how the sales consultants behave. Some are downright aggressive; others complain more about competitors than provide substantive information. Some admit, "we are expensive, but we can..." and others treat customers poorly and ignore their wishes. When you visit show homes, ask what is standard and what is not. There are sales consultants who actually know this.
No one gives anything away for free. Conversely, a significantly cheaper provider does not necessarily offer the same quality, and certainly not the same features. In Hannover, you can already notice differences just by walking through—quality, salespeople, and so on.
Feel free to ask what is included in the additional costs and what expenses to expect. Of course, they can’t provide exact numbers, but even a small construction site toilet doesn’t matter much, or estimates for earthworks might be extremely low or dismissed with comments like "the excavator is already on site, so it won’t cost much." When it comes to turnkey houses, ask immediately what exactly is meant. This can range from "the house has a door with a key" to "you can pull up with your moving truck."
If they show you sample floor plans, ask how much it costs to move a wall, door, or window. Some companies charge exorbitant fees, while others don’t charge anything. Pay attention to how the sales consultants behave. Some are downright aggressive; others complain more about competitors than provide substantive information. Some admit, "we are expensive, but we can..." and others treat customers poorly and ignore their wishes. When you visit show homes, ask what is standard and what is not. There are sales consultants who actually know this.
Invi85 schrieb:
- Ask about the possibility of visiting a previous client of the builder to get a firsthand impression and to talk with these people about their experiences with the company Reference homeowners should also be approached with some caution. Talk to people in new housing developments where, instead of the delivery pallet, the finished step is already in place in front of their doors. Prefabricated house manufacturers also regularly invite customers to open house tours, where you can meet like-minded people.
ypg schrieb:
They should talk about the money – not you! I could really have used a multi-line sentence here again.
Marcello schrieb:
Doesn’t it make sense to have your own preliminary contract reviewed? It only differs by what you have customized. You can assess tricky wording or which additional costs (temporary power supply, etc.) are their responsibility or yours based on the sample contracts.
Practice reading this kind of material a bit. You don’t usually take all contract templates from the first round to an expert immediately; it only becomes useful in the semifinal stage.
Marcello schrieb:
Exactly. With those ladies and gentlemen who work in the model homes. So, it’s better to deal directly with the prefabricated house manufacturer? You won’t find anyone else; commissioned sales representatives are the usual model. I just meant to say: you’re regularly facing a "representative" without actual authority from the real business partner, which leads to less binding talk.
Marcello schrieb:
We want to have the meetings all between mid-January and mid-February. That’s 4-5 weeks. I would advise against that. Between providers 1/2/3 and 4/5/6, you should take a break and let your experiences sink in. This way, you approach the second round more qualified after properly reflecting on the first.
Marcello schrieb:
and 3-4 providers (which could very well be too few). Don’t collect them by the dozen; that doesn’t make the overview any clearer. Six to seven should be enough: three in round 1, then a break, three in round 2, another break, and then the finalists from rounds 1 and 2 and possibly one last one. If you’re open about the construction method, I would split the first two rounds into one for prefabricated and one for traditional (solid) builders. If you already have four providers on your list, take on the fourth only after the break.
haydee schrieb:
When they come to you with standard floor plans, Standard floor plans, good point: in round 2, you can also bring a floor plan from round 1 and ask for a counteroffer based on that; within the first-round providers, I would have each present their own proposal.
https://www.instagram.com/11antgmxde/
https://www.linkedin.com/company/bauen-jetzt/
Similar topics