ᐅ How much additional cost is expected based on the structural engineer’s calculations?

DaGoodness schrieb:

Quote from Wikipedia:
“The term black tank refers to the waterproofing applied below ground level made of bitumen thick coatings, bitumen, or plastic sheets, which completely surrounds all building components in contact with the soil and makes them resistant to (pressurized) water. When executed properly, the black tank system can be used for basement areas located below the groundwater level.”

Yeah, that’s what I’ve been going on about since page 1.

Lauralila88 schrieb:

And what do you think I should do? Cancel the contract somehow and probably pay just as much somewhere else? We need a waterproof concrete basement anyway in zone 3, and we also need 140 sqm (1506 sq ft) of living space.

What good is “what you need” if you can’t afford it?
It has already been suggested many times what you should do. Get professional advice.
They will then tell you what options you have.
In the worst case, you could end up with a half-finished house.
Maybe the best option is to cut your losses, find a way to exit the contract with some penalty, and start fresh with a reputable builder who can plan within your budget. And if that means no basement and less than 140 sqm (1506 sq ft), then so be it.
But only someone who reviews your contract professionally can make that judgment.

Lauralila88 schrieb:

we are in the west. ok, 550000 and that does not include additional construction costs like earth removal?

The rough estimate is 3000€/sqm (about 279 USD/sq ft) = 450k, 100k for the basement, and 50k for additional construction costs. That could work, but it might not. With a basement, 50k for additional construction costs is rather tight, so you would need to come out cheaper on the living area accordingly. That in turn could work, but it doesn’t have to.
You won’t get a detailed breakdown accurate to the thousand without an on-site expert anyway. You will need to hire a suitable professional to review your contracts, building specifications, and everything else with you. This goes far beyond what a forum can provide as a side service, and besides, we don’t even have the full documents.

kbt09 schrieb:

What is this supposed to mean? You already have a signed contract and still no professional consultant at your side. How do you intend to evaluate another offer?

Exactly. Besides, it’s a complete waste of time to request a quote when you already have a signed contract with another provider. You could use that time more effectively and, as has been frequently recommended here, consult with a lawyer.

But—and 11ant already pointed this out—if you can’t afford an additional 20,000 EUR, it won’t be 140m² (1507 square feet) with a basement, but rather 140m² without a basement and with a lot of personal labor involved in the current situation (high construction costs, high interest rates)... or just 120m² (1292 square feet) with less personal labor required.

Let me explain how I calculated things:
The sample budget stated 420,000 EUR. I then increased some items, which brought it to about 450,000 EUR so the bank would lend us a bit more.
On top of that, we held back around 70,000 EUR from our own equity.
So our contingency was about 100,000 EUR... and what can I say...

The house is built and we live in it... but that contingency is gone.
We have no basement, especially not in seismic zone 3, and we were able to use all the excavation material on our property. That’s a real lottery ticket... if the soil is even slightly contaminated, may God help you...

Lauralila88 schrieb:

And what do you think I should do? Cancel the contract somehow and probably pay just as much somewhere else? We need a watertight foundation anyway in zone 3, and we also need 140 sqm (1507 sq ft) of living space.

You should—although I have already said this several times—clarify your situation with the specialist lawyer, get advice from her, and then proceed realistically based on the facts. In my opinion, this will inevitably mean responding to the additional costs by reducing the size of the house by approximately 30 sqm (323 sq ft). Burying your head in the sand and hoping for a miracle is, in my view, not a productive approach.

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11ant schrieb:

This attitude is unfortunate, unwise for your work, and not a good influence on the original poster. Legal advice doesn’t mean a lawyer’s phone call or letterhead. And a lawyer doesn’t automatically mean confrontation. I respect the mentioned specialist lawyer as being capable of successful mediation, and the original poster can certainly act discreetly on advice—for example, sending a letter drafted by the specialist to the general contractor in her own name. Don’t scare the original poster into fearing escalation!

Well, I’m probably the best judge of what’s smart for my own work 😉

In general, from my experience, that approach has worked out best for me personally in every respect. I am currently building my first house and thankfully have no problems, but that’s how I would handle things there as well.

At the end of the day, we can only offer advice. The original poster must decide what she feels most comfortable with, but please try not to be so dismissive—that usually achieves the opposite.