Hello everyone,
Currently, we have two fairly final offers from two general contractors (GCs). One GC is a regional company that is reportedly very well rated online (4.7 out of 5 stars according to Google). All our discussions with them were very convincing, and we felt very comfortable. On the other hand, we have a well-known and respected GC, especially in the northern region, called Viebrockhaus. Our advisor there is very dedicated, and you can tell you are dealing with a professional salesperson, which does not mean we did not also feel comfortable with the regional GC. The house in question was designed almost identically by both, so we can compare very well. Nevertheless, both have their differences here and there in terms of house construction, building services, etc. Price-wise, Viebrockhaus is predictably about €6,000 cheaper. We are still very torn. For us, the price is not necessarily decisive, but mainly the quality of the final home, which is why I am seeking advice and opinions on the mentioned differences between the offers here in the forum.
In detail, the following points can currently be compared. The costs for the sampling/customization selection are not yet clear.
Currently, we have two fairly final offers from two general contractors (GCs). One GC is a regional company that is reportedly very well rated online (4.7 out of 5 stars according to Google). All our discussions with them were very convincing, and we felt very comfortable. On the other hand, we have a well-known and respected GC, especially in the northern region, called Viebrockhaus. Our advisor there is very dedicated, and you can tell you are dealing with a professional salesperson, which does not mean we did not also feel comfortable with the regional GC. The house in question was designed almost identically by both, so we can compare very well. Nevertheless, both have their differences here and there in terms of house construction, building services, etc. Price-wise, Viebrockhaus is predictably about €6,000 cheaper. We are still very torn. For us, the price is not necessarily decisive, but mainly the quality of the final home, which is why I am seeking advice and opinions on the mentioned differences between the offers here in the forum.
In detail, the following points can currently be compared. The costs for the sampling/customization selection are not yet clear.
| Comparable Services | Viebrockhaus | Regional GC |
| Insulation/Wall Construction | Double-shell wall construction 15 cm aerated concrete masonry, 12 cm thermal insulation, 1.5 cm air gap, 11.5 cm clinker brick veneer approx. 40.0 cm total wall thickness | Double-shell wall construction 17.5 cm backing masonry (aerated concrete PPW 2 or PPW 4, e.g., from Ytong or H&H), 18.0 cm core insulation (with thermal conductivity rating WLG 032), approx. 1.5 cm finger gap, 11.5 cm facing brick, approx. 1.5 cm textured plaster (grain size 2-3 mm, white color), approx. 50.0 cm total wall thickness |
| Attic (Wall Construction) | Drywall partitions | Solid aerated concrete (wall thicknesses of 11.5 cm and 17.5 cm, PPW 2–4) |
| Building Services | Air-to-water heat pump and controlled ventilation system Indoor unit: Nibe VVM S320, outdoor unit: Nibe Fighter 2040-6 | Air-to-water heat pump including controlled ventilation system with heat recovery Indoor unit: Stiebel Eltron, model LWZ 5 S Plus. |
| Photovoltaic System | 2.6 kWp with 6.5 kWh battery storage | 3.25 kWp with 4 kWh battery storage |
| Roof Structure | Studio truss roof with purlins | Purlin roof including concealed steel supports |
| Living Area | 152.40 m² (1,641 sq ft) | 151.47 m² (1,630 sq ft) |
| Warranty | 10 years | 5 years |
J
jwhick_0725 May 2021 11:39GünniOhneH schrieb:
Hi, what about the willingness of the two providers to negotiate? Were you able to renegotiate anything? Of course, prices can always be adjusted upwards, but was there any room for negotiation? Or was it always a take-it-or-leave-it offer? Well, I would say you could talk to both. With Viebrockhaus, everything was possible for an extra charge, and you could book various options. However, at that moment, their offer was set in stone. They always referred to the special quality and great planning. In the end, they just listed all their unique selling points to justify the prices.
The local general contractor was basically very flexible and gave us a lot of leeway for self-performed work. We also had a fixed price there. However, smaller additional items (roof window, extra roller shutter on one window, etc.) were accepted without extra charge in the end. Ultimately, we managed to reduce the price by about €4,500 (about $4,800) in total and agreed on a round figure.
Finally, it should be mentioned that after weeks of silence, Viebrockhaus contacted us again. They asked if we were satisfied with the offer and if we wanted to sign the contracts now. I said the offer was too high and that we had chosen someone else. The gentleman on the phone couldn’t understand that at all and immediately asked what that was based on. When I mentioned that the price was nearly €10,000 (about $10,700) lower elsewhere despite better building quality, they immediately conceded and offered us the same price plus a few nice extras. But we still declined because doing self-performed work would have compromised the warranty.