ᐅ Price Increase – Our Construction Company Wants 21.4% More

I think many people feel the same way... and it’s actually unbelievable how much power and freedom from accountability the construction industry has here. Very sad, but true.
I also believe peace of mind is very valuable, so the decision is completely understandable. Personally, I always struggle with these kinds of issues for a long time and quite deeply.

PS: Yes, there are honest and decent companies too... but in our experience, they are very, very rare and you usually only realize it afterwards. Honestly, the industry is doing too well, so there’s no need to deliver good work anymore and no incentive to do so. It used to be very different in the past.

Pinkiponk schrieb:

Having to fear every trip to the mailbox could bring an unpleasant lawyer’s letter, expecting bad news with every phone call, waiting months or even years to find out if the house construction will happen or not—I can no longer endure it.

“Deliveries are to be addressed exclusively to the law firm.” Forget the idea that lawyers escalate conflicts. Your contract “partner” is well aware of their dishonest tactics and will avoid court proceedings precisely because others sharing your plight would find out. They know that sometimes, in their “game,” you lose. Of ten victims, only one fights back—that’s where the profit comes from.
You can handle the hundred for the consultation. Then, if the lawyer surprisingly sees a chance of losing ;-) you can always back out.

Markiso schrieb:

And the fact that the construction industry has so much power and immunity here is really unbelievable. Very sad, but true.

No, this immunity only arises from victims who avoid legal action. For offenses prosecuted upon complaint, criminal liability only applies when a report is filed. When the victims “abuse” their freedom by allowing themselves to be scammed, the law remains ineffective—but it’s not to blame for that.

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I don’t think you will face any further price increases.
And I also don’t believe you are being ripped off. At most, you might be able to reduce some of the additional costs.

11ant schrieb:

No, the impunity only arises because victims avoid taking legal action. For offences that require a formal complaint, prosecution only applies when a report is filed. If the injured parties "abuse" their freedom by allowing themselves to be scammed, the law comes up empty – but it deserves no blame for that.

You’re not entirely wrong, but I see it somewhat differently... do you have much experience in construction law? I studied law myself, but not in Germany (rather in Switzerland, so I am only partially qualified for Germany). I do know how things work, but from my own experience in construction, it’s unfortunately rarely black and white, even if you see it that way yourself. There are so many parties involved… one blames another, and it just keeps going like that. This makes it easy for the "fraudsters," or at least the clever companies. Often, you are dealing with significantly "more powerful" opponents who have made this deception an integral part of their business model and know exactly how far they can push without it looking obvious. They probably also have insurance and such in place, allowing them to let things run without worrying if the cost of legal action is worth it. In no other sector can you act like this as in the construction industry… that would have immediate consequences. And I speak from experience, having worked in the legal departments of large pharmaceutical companies. We’ve already had three initial consultations (which by the way don’t cost “a hundred bucks,” but 190 + VAT), and the verdict was always the same… you can do it, but prospects are unclear, the process potentially takes forever… and in the end you might just end up with a lot of hassle and break even. Suing is not difficult, but what does it really accomplish? For good reason, you hardly find any German lawyer working on a fee arrangement for these cases, because it takes so much work and usually drags on endlessly. The case in this thread is admittedly (theoretically) somewhat clearer/simpler. But in my opinion, cases involving defects and the like are many times more complex than you have portrayed.

Sorry, I need to add that our property is an apartment in a multi-family building. Due to the ownership situation, it is much more difficult to initiate any actions or to take measures against certain issues.

I can confirm this from my own work experience – even our legal expert, who has specialized in construction law for over 20 years, always tries to resolve issues without going to court, since only damage claims in medical law tend to be more complex and unpredictable. The costs for expert assessments alone are a nightmare. And it’s not as if price increases don’t exist. We were lucky for a long time, but now the well-stocked inventories of our suppliers are gradually running low.

Nevertheless, I would still recommend having a review done; perhaps some additional pattern inspections (or quantity verifications) could be obtained.