ᐅ General contractor, customer service, and communication extremely frustrating
Created on: 6 May 2022 16:50
F
Fleckenzwerg
In December 2020, we signed a turnkey contract for a single-family house with a regional general contractor. Due to site development and other delays, construction only started in November 2021. Even before that, we noticed that communication was very slow. Questions went unanswered for ages; scheduled phone appointments were simply missed, and so on. When we finally managed to have a phone call, we expressed our frustration clearly but always politely and professionally. Our general contractor explained everything with too much work, constantly changing schedules because of company XY, and of course, COVID-19. From his perspective, our questions were not important. That might be true to some extent, but for us, it is impossible to know, since the schedule and who is supposed to do what when remain completely unclear. On the other hand, it is reasonable to expect answers to questions about a high six-figure project within a reasonable time. Our impression is that he simply doesn’t care and basically says: “That’s how it is, deal with it.”
As a side note: So far, there is nothing to complain about the work itself; even our independent construction supervisor has no objections. However, there are still frequent questions and occasional requests for changes (recessed spotlights, sliding doors, things like that). When it takes 3 to 4 weeks to get a response — mind you, just any kind of response, not even an answer — the frustration grows enormously. We asked for a list of subcontractors; this was promised again two months ago after several reminders, but we still haven’t received it. We have questions about the further schedule, when the house will be ready to move in — we’ve long stopped believing in the contractually guaranteed construction period; the standard excuse is COVID-19. We just want to know what the realistic timeline is. No sign of life for three weeks now. Two phone appointments were scheduled since then but simply passed without cancellation, rescheduling, or any comment. We have no idea when it might be finished, because the entire interior finishing still needs to be done. The fact that we also need to plan ourselves — vacations (for our own work such as painting), terminating the rental contract, and so on — are again things that, from the general contractor’s point of view, are not important. But they are important to us. Without wanting to sound arrogant, we are the CLIENTS and have paid everything fully and on time so far, so I expect my questions to be answered.
We understand that everyone’s order books are overfull and many companies probably don’t even know how to manage everything anymore. But is this kind of behavior really the standard in the construction industry now? How do you deal with people or companies like this?
As a side note: So far, there is nothing to complain about the work itself; even our independent construction supervisor has no objections. However, there are still frequent questions and occasional requests for changes (recessed spotlights, sliding doors, things like that). When it takes 3 to 4 weeks to get a response — mind you, just any kind of response, not even an answer — the frustration grows enormously. We asked for a list of subcontractors; this was promised again two months ago after several reminders, but we still haven’t received it. We have questions about the further schedule, when the house will be ready to move in — we’ve long stopped believing in the contractually guaranteed construction period; the standard excuse is COVID-19. We just want to know what the realistic timeline is. No sign of life for three weeks now. Two phone appointments were scheduled since then but simply passed without cancellation, rescheduling, or any comment. We have no idea when it might be finished, because the entire interior finishing still needs to be done. The fact that we also need to plan ourselves — vacations (for our own work such as painting), terminating the rental contract, and so on — are again things that, from the general contractor’s point of view, are not important. But they are important to us. Without wanting to sound arrogant, we are the CLIENTS and have paid everything fully and on time so far, so I expect my questions to be answered.
We understand that everyone’s order books are overfull and many companies probably don’t even know how to manage everything anymore. But is this kind of behavior really the standard in the construction industry now? How do you deal with people or companies like this?
Neubau2022 schrieb:
Because architects can do everything except estimating costs. And if the budget is already tight, it will get messed up with the architect.I have already responded to this extensively and explained why this old saying only applies to certain types of architects who might justifiably be called "blacklisted by @Gerddieter" ;-)11ant schrieb:
Architect-designed houses overshoot cost estimates like Kulenkampff did with airtime, and the blame lies with the indulgent clients:
The fact that architects significantly exceed cost estimates mainly—and almost exclusively—occurs in two scenarios: first, when the architect has been out of practical building practice for years due to academic duties; and second, when the architect is promoted as a star architect in wealthy circles. So, it is best to avoid professors or private lecturers, or those architects responsible for the ostentatious mansions of provincial high society. Good architects who stick to the budget are completely unknown to the tabloids. And, of course, it costs extra if even the guest bathroom has a gold-rimmed toilet—but that’s the same with general contractors.11ant schrieb:
Yes and no. With your own architect, it is usually slightly cheaper or equally priced, so effectively it can be considered cost-neutral. But there is indeed a "trend" toward building more expensively with a personal architect—and it is so simple that unfortunately one has to say, "Debededehakape is a bestseller": meaning, hiring your own architect only until the building permit is obtained (thus skipping the important design phase 5, which also prevents phases 6 and onward) and then instead of a professional tendering process, fumbling about with DIY requests for bids. Naturally, you end up paying more just because you accumulate tons of extra work hours this way. But that’s exactly what the apprentice wizard is all about.
[...] There is also a client-innocent way to build an expensive architect-build house: by hiring an architect who is basically not active on the market anymore (retired, working in government or academia, or similar). Such candidates are notorious for unrealistic cost estimates.and another comment can be found here:askforafriend schrieb:
I think the saying “architect-designed houses are more expensive” is a correlation, not causation. Because obviously, someone with a $2 million budget prefers to work with an architect rather than a general contractor who builds standard catalog houses. This typically means that the more expensive properties come from architects. But that is a correlation—the causal link between “architect” and “expensive” would only exist if architects could only build expensively as a rule.
Many of you have also pointed out that the architect builds what they're instructed to build. And if that is “just” a nice, compact, rectangular house with 160m² (1,722 sq ft) and a custom floor plan for $400,000, then hopefully they stick to that.https://www.instagram.com/11antgmxde/
https://www.linkedin.com/company/bauen-jetzt/
X
xMisterDx7 May 2022 21:59I haven’t read it all the way through.
But what I do is regularly visit the construction site with my father-in-law and talk to the skilled workers there. When a new trade starts, I bring coffee and rolls... I plan to do this for every trade... The foreman for the masons even said, "Oh, we haven’t had that in a long time..." well...
That way I find out how things are progressing, whether the workers are reliable... they know I’m not the kind of person who only looks at the house for the first time at move-in.
Of course, you have to be able to connect with them. If some doctor pulls up in a Mercedes, immediately takes pictures, and arrogantly struts around his plot of land... I talk to the workers like they are colleagues.
Believe me, I work in field service and have a lot of customer contact; I actually spend more than half the year there programming their systems.
Nothing, absolutely nothing in this world annoys me more than constantly having to create detailed schedules for when I do what, ideally broken down by the hour. And second to that is having to constantly reassure the customer that I know my trade and that the system will be ready to operate in the end... even if, on day 2 of 100, it doesn’t look that way yet.
But what I do is regularly visit the construction site with my father-in-law and talk to the skilled workers there. When a new trade starts, I bring coffee and rolls... I plan to do this for every trade... The foreman for the masons even said, "Oh, we haven’t had that in a long time..." well...
That way I find out how things are progressing, whether the workers are reliable... they know I’m not the kind of person who only looks at the house for the first time at move-in.
Of course, you have to be able to connect with them. If some doctor pulls up in a Mercedes, immediately takes pictures, and arrogantly struts around his plot of land... I talk to the workers like they are colleagues.
Believe me, I work in field service and have a lot of customer contact; I actually spend more than half the year there programming their systems.
Nothing, absolutely nothing in this world annoys me more than constantly having to create detailed schedules for when I do what, ideally broken down by the hour. And second to that is having to constantly reassure the customer that I know my trade and that the system will be ready to operate in the end... even if, on day 2 of 100, it doesn’t look that way yet.
X
xMisterDx7 May 2022 23:08ypg schrieb:
Through the trades and individual craftsmen, we also learned a lot about our general contractor – both good and bad. For example, who ultimately pays for the site office container, which is proportionally covered by all trades.That wasn’t entirely true. In the end, everything—really everything—is paid by the client. Even the subcontractors only work with the general contractor as long as they can manage to survive from it.
There might be times when the general contractor helps retain employees through the turnover. But a subcontractor who fundamentally has to cover so much themselves that there’s no profit left…
How is that supposed to work…
xMisterDx schrieb:
That was not entirely true.Now you’re being difficult, Mr. Teacher!X
xMisterDx7 May 2022 23:24ypg schrieb:
Now you are becoming difficult, Mr. Teacher!Apologies!
The general contractor or their subcontractors certainly provided the container at their own expense!
I can hardly contain my joy whenever my boss tries to cut my hours during a business trip because the client is demanding a discount. That really boosts my motivation to do quality work that takes time...
No judgment intended... what industries do you all work in? Good work costs money, right?