ᐅ Paying for the soil survey yourself, even though it’s included in the building contract?

Hello,

I have a question regarding soil surveys.

We want to build with a construction company (Town & Country) that includes a soil survey as part of their services. Since we plan to build with a basement, the soil survey is very important to estimate the basement costs and thus the total costs. However, I will only receive the soil survey after I have secured the loan and signed the construction contract with the company. Only then can I benefit from the included soil survey service the builder offers. But by that time, the loan is already finalized, even though I don’t yet know if the house with basement will cost €250,000 or €280,000.

Am I missing something in my understanding, or how does this process usually work?

Would it be better to finance the soil survey from my own savings, even though that reduces my available funds, by paying for the survey upfront? After all, it costs around €700 to €1,000.

Thanks in advance for your answers. I hope my question was clear. 😉

TiloDD schrieb:


Should I better finance the soil survey from my own equity, which would reduce my equity if I pay for the survey in advance? After all, it costs around 700–1000€ (approximately 750–1075 USD).

Thanks in advance for your answers. I hope my question was clear. 😉

I would try to renegotiate with Town & Country. Ask for a credit for the soil survey that doesn’t need to be provided. You might lose a few euros in the process, but you get the certainty of knowing what is on or under the land before signing.

TiloDD schrieb:

Should I better finance the soil survey from my own equity, which would reduce my available equity if I pay for the survey upfront? After all, it’s about 700–1000€.

Compared to the investment costs of a single-family house, €700–1,000.00 is not really much 😕

Aside from Musketier’s suggestion, you can also sign a planning contract for the soil survey with the local authorities or developers, which—in case the soil conditions discourage you from purchasing the land—covers only the costs of the soil survey.

Best regards, Bauexperte

Yes, I know. 1000 euros is not much for equity, but every little bit helps, right? I should also mention that we already own the plot of land due to inheritance. I will ask around to find out who provides such surveys nearby. The price should be about right, shouldn’t it?

TiloDD schrieb:
I’ll ask around to see who in the area does such assessments.

We had someone from Kesselsdorf, which is just a short distance from Rabenau. If you can’t find anyone, I could send you the contact details via private message. I think we were at the lower end of your price range about two years ago.

Hello TiloDD,

please talk to Town & Country again. The company we want to build with offered to have a soil survey done beforehand and then credit us exactly the cost later on. Maybe Town & Country can do the same for you?

Best regards,
Michael