Hello forum members,
The following questions are somewhat mixed and mainly relate to the initial stage of a planned house construction. However, from what I have read in this forum, some aspects need to be considered even before or during the planning phase, as they may have significant consequences later on (specifications in the scope of work).
I will now simply ask a few general questions. If these do not fit into this topic, I apologize in advance.
1. Prefabricated house vs. solid house
Since we are not craftsmen and want the house to be erected quickly, based on our current situation and knowledge, we would prefer to build a prefabricated house.
What are the advantages and disadvantages of both construction methods, based on the 2015 standard (for example, the insulation quality of prefabricated houses has generally improved over the last 5 years compared to 2010)? A brief summary would be sufficient for now. If I have further questions, I will ask in more detail.
2. Scope of work specification
Is it equally important for prefabricated houses to have detailed scope of work specifications as for solid construction?
3. Are there any standard or sample scope of work specifications available that one can use as a reference? By this, I mean anonymized examples from other homeowners during planning. I understand that these can never be 100% tailored to our project. The idea is just to have a benchmark for what a good, final scope of work specification should look like.
Best regards
Hauke
The following questions are somewhat mixed and mainly relate to the initial stage of a planned house construction. However, from what I have read in this forum, some aspects need to be considered even before or during the planning phase, as they may have significant consequences later on (specifications in the scope of work).
I will now simply ask a few general questions. If these do not fit into this topic, I apologize in advance.
1. Prefabricated house vs. solid house
Since we are not craftsmen and want the house to be erected quickly, based on our current situation and knowledge, we would prefer to build a prefabricated house.
What are the advantages and disadvantages of both construction methods, based on the 2015 standard (for example, the insulation quality of prefabricated houses has generally improved over the last 5 years compared to 2010)? A brief summary would be sufficient for now. If I have further questions, I will ask in more detail.
2. Scope of work specification
Is it equally important for prefabricated houses to have detailed scope of work specifications as for solid construction?
3. Are there any standard or sample scope of work specifications available that one can use as a reference? By this, I mean anonymized examples from other homeowners during planning. I understand that these can never be 100% tailored to our project. The idea is just to have a benchmark for what a good, final scope of work specification should look like.
Best regards
Hauke
Hello BehaElja,
I hope my attempt at a quote works.... -> sorry if it doesn’t, that would be a user error... 😉
I’ve just been browsing this forum a bit, hence my "bad faith" remark ;-) . Just kidding. I just want to make sure I’m not being taken advantage of, and since I’m inexperienced in the general topic of “house building,” I want to avoid getting completely ripped off.
What exactly is meant by "compensation payment for exceeding the warranty"?
That’s clear to me, but the contractor could possibly get a confirmation from the bank that if A) no defects exist up to this construction stage and B) the building expert has no objections, the payment to the contractor is automatically released (so the money is ready and if the work is done properly and promptly, the contractor will have this partial payment in their account faster).
Best regards
I hope my attempt at a quote works.... -> sorry if it doesn’t, that would be a user error... 😉
BeHaElJa schrieb:
I guess it depends a bit on who you build with... you’re already implying a certain bad faith by the entire construction industry ;-)
I’ve just been browsing this forum a bit, hence my "bad faith" remark ;-) . Just kidding. I just want to make sure I’m not being taken advantage of, and since I’m inexperienced in the general topic of “house building,” I want to avoid getting completely ripped off.
BeHaElJa schrieb:
Many things are possible contractually — withholding the last 5% until all defects are fully corrected is actually quite common. Compensation payments for exceeding the warranty period also exist. Just keep in mind that these are costs for the contractor as well, and they will charge for them somehow.
What exactly is meant by "compensation payment for exceeding the warranty"?
BeHaElJa schrieb:
Payment based on construction progress is common — there are even standardized templates for this available from various associations. But remember, the risk goes both ways — if the contractor fronts the entire roof cost and the client doesn’t pay, the contractor has to cover the whole roof from their own funds... If they’re unlucky, several clients behave questionably and soon they’re stuck with a quarter of a million in debt — a large construction company might not mind, but a small contractor building 10 houses a year certainly does. Result? They file for bankruptcy and your house is left at the shell stage — congratulations.
In general: if the offer looks too good to be true, look for the catch — even if it’s a cliché: good planning and good craftsmanship cost good money (or rather fair money).
That’s clear to me, but the contractor could possibly get a confirmation from the bank that if A) no defects exist up to this construction stage and B) the building expert has no objections, the payment to the contractor is automatically released (so the money is ready and if the work is done properly and promptly, the contractor will have this partial payment in their account faster).
Best regards
H
Hausqualle26 Jul 2015 12:52Hankovic schrieb:
that I am being completely taken advantage of. .. but you will, if you don’t have a good, independent, and trustworthy expert by your sideHello Hausqualle,
In my opinion, you should hire a building inspector and/or involve one several times in advance (plan for maybe 3,000 to 5,000 euros) to reduce the risk of
A) unexpected additional costs that weren't budgeted for (for example, due to different interpretations of the work specifications), which could blow the budget—essentially the builder’s own fault,
B) ensuring that the work is carried out properly, and
C) protecting yourself in case the general contractor goes bankrupt when 70% of the project is already paid for but only 50% of the work has been completed (resulting in further costs and possibly exceeding the budget).
I don’t mean to offend anyone and am willing to pay for good work, but I want to avoid being taken advantage of completely.
Regards,
Hauke
In my opinion, you should hire a building inspector and/or involve one several times in advance (plan for maybe 3,000 to 5,000 euros) to reduce the risk of
A) unexpected additional costs that weren't budgeted for (for example, due to different interpretations of the work specifications), which could blow the budget—essentially the builder’s own fault,
B) ensuring that the work is carried out properly, and
C) protecting yourself in case the general contractor goes bankrupt when 70% of the project is already paid for but only 50% of the work has been completed (resulting in further costs and possibly exceeding the budget).
I don’t mean to offend anyone and am willing to pay for good work, but I want to avoid being taken advantage of completely.
Regards,
Hauke
H
Hausqualle26 Jul 2015 13:11Hankovic schrieb:
but avoid being completely taken advantage of.... .. the key is to find the right company and to draw up a detailed construction contract. It is advisable to have a professional on your side if you are not familiar with the subject.Construction time guarantee... for example, $50 per day of delay (I made up this amount).
You make the contract with the bank and separately the contract with the builder. It’s unclear whether the builder and the bank are happy to have a contractual relationship— I fear this will fail at the bank.
You can certainly authorize an architect to handle these matters for you; they will likely also perform the expert inspections—but that costs money.
Better invest a bit more time in researching suppliers. Choose one who has been in business for several years, has a good reputation, and won’t offer a €10,000 (approximately $11,000) discount and throw in a free fireplace plus a €3,000 (approximately $3,300) kitchen voucher just because it’s Sunday...
Even the best building expert is no guarantee that nothing will go wrong—you should be aware of that. Often, it’s issues that are not 100% completed exactly right, which lead to legal disputes. The result is that the building is “functional” with some limitations, and you get a discount of €600 (approximately $660)—but you spent a year in court and are still living in a rental apartment. Bauexperte always says “relax”—probably not bad advice 😀 (I look at our build very critically and sometimes cause frustration with the tradespeople—but on Fridays, they sometimes get sandwiches from me in return).
You make the contract with the bank and separately the contract with the builder. It’s unclear whether the builder and the bank are happy to have a contractual relationship— I fear this will fail at the bank.
You can certainly authorize an architect to handle these matters for you; they will likely also perform the expert inspections—but that costs money.
Better invest a bit more time in researching suppliers. Choose one who has been in business for several years, has a good reputation, and won’t offer a €10,000 (approximately $11,000) discount and throw in a free fireplace plus a €3,000 (approximately $3,300) kitchen voucher just because it’s Sunday...
Even the best building expert is no guarantee that nothing will go wrong—you should be aware of that. Often, it’s issues that are not 100% completed exactly right, which lead to legal disputes. The result is that the building is “functional” with some limitations, and you get a discount of €600 (approximately $660)—but you spent a year in court and are still living in a rental apartment. Bauexperte always says “relax”—probably not bad advice 😀 (I look at our build very critically and sometimes cause frustration with the tradespeople—but on Fridays, they sometimes get sandwiches from me in return).
H
Hausqualle26 Jul 2015 13:19BeHaElJa schrieb:
Construction time guarantee... for example, 50 € per day of delay (I made up that amount). .. forget it, you will never be able to enforce that in court in your life ..BeHaElJa schrieb:
but it costs money. .. that’s exactly what they want from you 😀Similar topics