ᐅ We are looking for a construction company for building a house in Hamburg.

Hello everyone,

My girlfriend and I are looking for a company to build our house. Let me start with some information about our project.
We will receive a plot of land next year (about 750 m² (8,073 sq ft)) and want either to renovate the existing house on the property (built sometime in the 1950s) or build a new one. Since the house is still occupied, we don’t know if it’s worth investing more money in the current building. That’s why we started gathering information, asking homeowners about their experiences, and so on.

Because we can only have the house assessed next year, we are already trying to find a reliable company so we don’t have to start from scratch if we decide to build new. What we want is a detached house with about 140 m² (1,507 sq ft), preferably with a basement. Yes, I’ve been reading for months that this is often requested but probably not realistic with our budget. Hope dies last...

We don’t have specific preferences regarding the design, meaning whether it’s a pitched roof, modern villa, or something else. What’s important is at least 4 rooms and a minimum energy standard of KfW 55 (preferably 40+). The kitchen should not be too small and, if possible, not open-plan. A sliding door separating it from the dining and living room would be sufficient. A covered terrace would also be nice, and we prefer a solid construction method.

We are budgeting around €25,000 (about $27,000) for demolishing the old house and about €60,000 (around $65,000) for additional costs. By additional costs, we mean not kitchen, garage, garden work, or similar things, but rather notary fees, probably necessary (new) property connections or replacing pipes, site costs, etc. For the house alone, we want to spend around €300,000 (about $325,000). It could be €10,000 to €20,000 (roughly $11,000 to $22,000) more, but preferably not. An additional €10,000 to €20,000 for upgraded finishes (is that the right term?) is also planned.

Well, all this is still somewhat secondary. Now I’m getting to the point! I am looking for potential candidates who can fulfill our dream. We do not want to do any work ourselves and want to have only one contact person. That means planning the project, having it carried out, paying, and moving in. Yes, I would assemble the furniture and mount the TV on the wall, but nothing related to the building process. I just want it to work and not cause too much stress.

For months, I have been reading online, including a lot in this forum. Whenever someone mentions a company they were satisfied with, I immediately google them. But I almost always end up with negative reviews and blogs, so I’m starting to lose hope and preparing for a lot of stress. From what I understand, everything depends heavily on the subcontractors, construction manager, and many other factors I probably cannot influence much.

I also think that many unhappy customers are more likely to post online than satisfied ones, but aside from one company (at least that’s the feeling), there isn’t a single one I would sign with without hesitation. For that one company, people mostly say it’s more expensive than the others.
I kindly ask you to honestly tell me how the real situation looks. Am I overthinking this? Is the internet simply full of negativity? Can you recommend a company without reservation that meets our requirements, or how should we proceed? Is our budget realistic? Why are there so many negative reports and blogs? Am I too scared? Others have built and live happily in their homes.

Now you might rightly ask why we don’t just choose that one provider. The thing is, I want to compare prices, and my girlfriend insists on having a basement. We had one with the old house, and I’d rather build new. So, maybe a basement is still possible with a more affordable provider. Even a partial basement would be enough. It would basically “only” need to include the utility room and laundry room. My better half doesn’t want to outsource these.

I’m a bit desperate and grateful for any suggestions, ideas, and even criticism. I hope to benefit from your experience, as I don’t know anyone in Hamburg who has built a house in the last 15 years. The last people who got their own home either bought an older house or built with a company that doesn’t build in Hamburg because they are based further away.