ᐅ Forgot to install a floor drain. What is the cost of installing one afterwards?

Hello!

We built our house with a general contractor. We paid all invoices directly to the tradespeople. Now we have the following problem:

A floor drain was planned for our utility room (marked in the building permit / planning permission and also listed in the construction specifications). The house has been completed since June, but this drain was forgotten. After several phone calls and on-site inspections, it turned out that the drain was already missed by the structural contractor in the concrete slab, etc. Our general contractor now wants to discuss this with him to "get to the bottom" of it.
This means finding out how much financial compensation he is willing to pay.

Based on past experiences, we suspect they might offer us just a few hundred euros (if anything at all).

Has anyone had a similar experience or any idea what a retroactive installation might cost? There are no pipes in place, the screed would need to be opened up, new tiles laid, and so on.
What would be a reasonable minimum compensation amount? And if we are offered too little, what would be the best way to proceed?

Thank you in advance.

I don’t think there’s anything that can be done about this anymore. The effort wouldn’t be justified.
The utility room seems to be fully usable, right?
So, it will probably only come down to a few hundred (if anything), since the living space value isn’t reduced by the absence of this drain.

Why wasn’t this noticed before pouring the slab foundation, or at the latest when laying the drain pipes before the screed, that the drain was missing?

I don’t see the point in going to a lawyer, which I’m sure some will recommend here. The reason is explained above.

ypg schrieb:
The utility room is probably fully usable, right?

No, with a burst hose from the washing machine or dishwasher, that room makes the crucial difference between a small puddle and a major insurance claim. The one responsible should be firmly held accountable, and the damage professionally repaired and replumbed. ;-)

I don’t know of any water in the world that will just disappear without causing a claim.
Physics has no sense of humor.

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ypg schrieb:
I don’t see the need to consult a lawyer here, even though some will probably suggest it.

The damage is already done in this case, but for future homebuilders, the following advice applies:
- Seek legal advice before signing any contracts.
- Monitor the construction process consistently, as no one else will do it for you.
- Don’t wait until the final inspection; report defects promptly in writing.
- Insist on defect remediation.
- At the final inspection, make sure to formally reserve your rights regarding any known defects.

11ant schrieb:
No, in the event of a burst hose in the washing machine or dishwasher, that makes the crucial difference between a small puddle and a large insurance claim....

The fine line between MUST and CAN.
A floor drain may have its purpose, yet 99.9% of all households prove to you that it is also possible without one.

The faulty washing machine is actually the most likely cause. However, nowadays all machines have at least one built-in aqua stop. If the hose breaks, the aqua stop will shut off the water.

A full water protection system is better, where even a leak inside the machine stops the water supply. If your washing machine does not have full water protection, that could be an argument, and the cost of purchasing a good machine with full water protection would be a reasonable trade-off.