ᐅ New Construction Shell Phase Decision: Hire a Contractor or an Architect?
Created on: 24 Aug 2018 03:10
I
Infosauger
Hello,
I am planning to build a single- or two-family house and have an idea of how I might proceed. I would like to hear or read your opinions, as this approach may not be fully developed and might lack many details (e.g., requirements and predefined materials). I would appreciate some support.
Currently, there is a fully serviced plot of land available. I want to build a standard house on it—so no special components and no exceptional thermal insulation, just a maximum energy standard of KfW 70-90. It should be two stories with a full basement (usable cellar) and a gable roof pitched at about 35-45 degrees, possibly with a knee wall depending on the price, since the attic might be converted later. I am looking for a shell construction including roof and basement, without plastering or screeding work. Windows, sanitary installations, heating, and electrical systems would be tendered separately. The house has a footprint of about 125-130 sqm (1345-1400 sq ft) per floor.
What specifications should be made? Building materials? U-value? I was thinking of sending various shell construction companies self-prepared dimensioned floor plans, area calculations, and a volume calculation. Question: What information is needed for a preliminary quote? If the price is acceptable, is it possible to use a structural engineer or architect through the builder?
At the same time, I would also submit my planning to architects or present it in a free initial consultation. What else should I consider or possibly mention when requesting a quote?
PS: Sorry for the spelling mistakes. I wrote this text on an old iPad.
I am planning to build a single- or two-family house and have an idea of how I might proceed. I would like to hear or read your opinions, as this approach may not be fully developed and might lack many details (e.g., requirements and predefined materials). I would appreciate some support.
Currently, there is a fully serviced plot of land available. I want to build a standard house on it—so no special components and no exceptional thermal insulation, just a maximum energy standard of KfW 70-90. It should be two stories with a full basement (usable cellar) and a gable roof pitched at about 35-45 degrees, possibly with a knee wall depending on the price, since the attic might be converted later. I am looking for a shell construction including roof and basement, without plastering or screeding work. Windows, sanitary installations, heating, and electrical systems would be tendered separately. The house has a footprint of about 125-130 sqm (1345-1400 sq ft) per floor.
What specifications should be made? Building materials? U-value? I was thinking of sending various shell construction companies self-prepared dimensioned floor plans, area calculations, and a volume calculation. Question: What information is needed for a preliminary quote? If the price is acceptable, is it possible to use a structural engineer or architect through the builder?
At the same time, I would also submit my planning to architects or present it in a free initial consultation. What else should I consider or possibly mention when requesting a quote?
PS: Sorry for the spelling mistakes. I wrote this text on an old iPad.
I
Infosauger24 Aug 2018 11:25Good, thanks for the information. Maybe someone else has tips on the main topic.
But what exactly do you want to hear now?
If you ask a structural contractor, they will give you the price for the shell construction.* However, they won’t tell you whether the tiler, flooring installer, staircase builder, or painter will each cost you around 5,000 or 15,000.
And requesting quotes without a precise plan only makes limited sense. If you have 50 sqm (540 sq ft) of tiles laid, of course, it will cost less than 150 sqm (1,615 sq ft). Choosing wooden windows instead of plastic ones will also increase the cost, and so on.
* This is how they estimate the shell construction cost. If the structural engineer reviews the plan afterward and, for example, requires additional concrete supports, the price will unfortunately increase again—often in increments of thousands.
If you ask a structural contractor, they will give you the price for the shell construction.* However, they won’t tell you whether the tiler, flooring installer, staircase builder, or painter will each cost you around 5,000 or 15,000.
And requesting quotes without a precise plan only makes limited sense. If you have 50 sqm (540 sq ft) of tiles laid, of course, it will cost less than 150 sqm (1,615 sq ft). Choosing wooden windows instead of plastic ones will also increase the cost, and so on.
* This is how they estimate the shell construction cost. If the structural engineer reviews the plan afterward and, for example, requires additional concrete supports, the price will unfortunately increase again—often in increments of thousands.
I
Infosauger24 Aug 2018 12:22So, practically speaking, I send my drawings with length, width, and height dimensions and request a rough construction quote without windows and without interior finishing, including the roof, covering, and a usable basement according to the 2016 Energy Saving Ordinance. Obviously, additional costs will arise based on the latest plans and the structural engineer’s input. I am mainly interested in the rough construction cost share for materials and labor in general. The extra costs should be relatively similar across all companies later on. For the partial trades, I have affordable Polish workers who charge 20 EUR per hour on invoice. I know them from many construction sites. Therefore, I want to separate plastering and interior finishing. Maybe it would be helpful to add which bricks are planned to be used, and if a cavity wall construction (double-layer wall) is intended. What do you think? Or perhaps keep it open so that the contractor can propose their preferred type of bricks and concrete.
Similar topics