ᐅ New Single-Family House Construction in Wind Load Zone 4 – What Adjustments Are Necessary?

Hello! I was just going through the scope of work from our potential general contractor and came across the information that the structural design of the houses is based on the requirements for wind load zone 2. Wind and northern Germany naturally go together, but I wasn’t clear about which exact wind load zone applies to us. Wind load zone 4 corresponds to our postal code and now I’m feeling uneasy wondering what adjustments to the structural design (and possibly further modifications to the roof structure or other aspects I can’t yet anticipate) might entail in terms of effort, costs, and redesign. No contract has been signed yet, there are no floor plans, and therefore no structural calculations—but there is a financing limit that needs to be respected. If we discuss the wind load zone with the general contractor, I would like to be reasonably prepared.

I hope I posted this in the right forum section. Thank you very much for any replies!

Best of luck
Kerstin

I already mentioned my early experience with a general contractor just a few minutes ago in your other thread.
Does the plot also have warts, humps, a limp leg, and a crooked nose?
You seem to be collecting land offers with cosmetic defects; before the boggy one, there was one with an evaporation requirement...

Each individual issue is definitely manageable in some way, and the partial aspect of what I would call wind exposure can probably be controlled more easily by using (more) fasteners in the roofing and similar measures. However, overall, I can only warmly reiterate my recommendation to continue searching.

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https://www.linkedin.com/company/bauen-jetzt/

Thank you very much! Not married – just engaged! Everything is still exciting, but the flirting has been going on for about nine months. We have a stack of construction service descriptions/information from general contractors (GCs) here that seems heavy enough for some serious exercise. We have searched, compared, gathered information, and checked things out. I have read many times that it’s better to rely on an architect’s design and then obtain bids from construction companies based on that, and I completely understand why! That is the best option, as it combines the wishes of the future homeowners and the site’s conditions most effectively. I get it!

But if I receive an offer for a house from a GC that appeals to me, with a floor plan that can be freely adapted, considering the rather simple conditions of a north-facing entrance and a garden in the southwest, with (almost... I admit, only almost) standard requirements (2 children’s rooms, 1 office, utility room, 1 bedroom upstairs—with or without a dressing area is initially irrelevant—1 bathroom upstairs, 1 bathroom downstairs, space for a properly sized cloakroom, and an open-plan living area with a kitchen) and the price, given what the scope of services or the offer includes, is rather affordable, what would be the downside? It’s clear that the fixed price is not the whole story, and there will be additional costs here and there—we are researching intensively to piece everything together. The GC has a good credit rating, builds a lot here in the north, is not a luxury provider but offers good quality at reasonable prices.

More roof clips, okay – but what else would be necessary to prepare the house for wind load zone 4?

Nordlichter schrieb:

I have read many times the recommendation to rely on an architect’s design and then obtain quotes from construction companies based on that, and I completely understand it! This is the best approach, as it combines the wishes of the future homeowners with the conditions of the plot. I get it!

I’m not entirely sure how fully you understand this. Hiring an architect is worthwhile not only for a custom design but also for selecting and adapting a catalog design. Seeing the architect only as a tailor-made designer is a common misconception; even as a reviser of existing plans they add value.

Nordlichter schrieb:

But if I receive an offer from a general contractor (GC) for a house I like, with a floor plan that can be freely adjusted, considering the rather simple conditions of north-facing access to the house and the garden in the southwest, and with (almost… I admit almost) standard requirements (2 children’s bedrooms, 1 office, utility room, 1 master bedroom—whether with or without a walk-in closet doesn’t matter initially—1 bathroom upstairs, 1 bathroom downstairs, space for a suitably sized wardrobe, and a multipurpose room with an open kitchen), and the price based on the scope of work or quote is relatively affordable, then what would argue against that?

Very little to nothing, as long as you stick to a late decision approach. For floor plan adjustments, an architect is very useful, whereas a draftsman will mostly just tinker around without adding much. An important point is that the total number of rooms does not increase compared to the original plan.

Nordlichter schrieb:

The GC has a good credit standing, builds a lot here in the north, is not a luxury provider, but offers good quality at reasonable prices.

Good credit standing is unfortunately not permanent. Which GC is it? — Especially thanks to @Nordlys, we know many in the NDR broadcast area.

Nordlichter schrieb:

More roof clamps, okay—but what else might be necessary to prepare the house for wind load zone 4?

Two types of experts can give you the best advice on this: a roofer (preferably one who is also a certified expert) and a representative from natural hazard insurance.

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