ᐅ OSB Boards for the Attic "Required," Yet Additional Charges?

Hello,

we have recently started building (or rather having it built). Turnkey with an “all-inclusive price.”

Yesterday, the construction company called me and said: “We would now lift the OSB boards for the attic floor up to the roof structure for you. The boards cost about €580 for 40m² (430 ft²), and whether you install them yourself or not (980€ / about $1,080) is up to you.” ... okay? When I replied that I could get them significantly cheaper if I bought them myself, they said: “Alright, but these boards are included in the structural calculations, so please install them promptly.” ... o...k?

Now the question: is it really true that these boards are necessary? It seems odd to me... and if they are, shouldn’t they be included in the price? We had repeatedly asked beforehand if there might be any additional costs, but this was never mentioned. Is this even legal? Would they build us a structurally insufficient house without these boards?

What does your independent expert, who is overseeing the construction and has reviewed the contract, say?

With your limited information, no one here can provide qualified assistance.

Hi,

OSB boards usually aren’t included, which is quite common. They aren’t included in our case either, and from what I’ve heard from all the neighbors I spoke to, it’s the same for them. €14 per square meter (approximately $14 per square meter) is definitely on the high side; you can get them at stores like OBI for between €4 and €8 per square meter (approximately $4 to $8) depending on thickness. So unless these are some very special high-quality boards, that price seems a bit steep. For around €100 (about $100), I wouldn’t bother with the hassle of buying them myself (comparing prices, renting a trailer, going to the store, loading, driving to the construction site at the right time, etc.), but if it’s a few hundred euros, then it might be worth it.

What’s interesting is the claim that these are required for the structural engineering. That’s a misstep by your builder. I’d simply smile and point to the contract, which surely states the house will have proper structural engineering, and then tell them the builder should cover the cost.

As I said, it seems normal that these aren’t included in the price, but with that statement from the builder, he basically gave them to you for free.

Best regards,

Andreas

It’s actually quite simple. There is a structural calculation. You will receive this at the latest upon completion (the so-called documentation). Ask for the structural calculation now and check if the OSB boards are really included.

Basically, it’s even easier: if they are structurally required, the construction company owes them to you because they contractually guaranteed the proper roof structure.

If they are not required structurally, they don’t have to provide them later.

The remaining question is how OSB boards can play a structural role at all, except that including them leads to the need for stronger beams (due to higher weight), which ultimately benefits the homeowner.

tlactar schrieb:
After I said that I could get them much cheaper if I bought them myself, the response was: "Alright, but the panels are included in the structural calculations, so please install them promptly"... o.....k?

I think there is a misunderstanding. Those are certainly not necessary for the structural integrity of the house/roof frame.

andimann schrieb:
buying (= comparing prices, getting a trailer, going to the hardware store, having them loaded, transporting them to the construction site at the right time, etc.) is not something you want to do, but spending a few hundred is fine.

You forget about carrying them up individually.

Here, the panels could be purchased together with installation for 1500 euros.

So, of course, we will do it ourselves. Structural engineering was never mentioned in our case.