Average construction time for a semi-detached house with a basement

Hello,

I also thought it was very long. All the other offers we had read before promised a construction time of 6-8 months... but 14 months would be a disaster.. On the other hand, it reduces the risk of shoddy work because you’re not under time pressure... although that’s no guarantee, of course..

I see it differently; you are never safe from shoddy work if the contractor does not do his job properly. That is independent of the construction time.

What else should we have done? Regarding the contract? Then we would have had to let the project die.

A semi-detached house on a concrete slab should be finished in 6 months, with a basement in at most 8, and with a habitable basement at the latest in 9; all time estimates already include a buffer regarding the drying times of the screed.

You mentioned earlier the contractual penalty of €1,200.00/month. I see that as a nice advertising promise, nothing more, because it will hardly ever be enforced. Unless your builder actually still has to quarry the bricks :cool:

What you could have done? Limit the completion to a reasonable period, depending on whether there is a basement or not. At least have your deadline fixed! With these time estimates from your provider, you are always on the losing side regarding accommodation in transitional housing and also have to be grateful if your builder adheres to "normal" construction times.

Then we would have had to let the project die.

That means to me that your contract contains even more such immovable pitfalls. No building project could be so nice that I would have agreed to that. I understand something different by a partnership – even partially in construction.

Rhenish regards

Hello,

@ Bauexperte

we are waiting for the drafts and will get back to you for review!

I’m not running away ;)

Rhenish regards

You should have let the project die because of the construction time? Well, I also think that in a construction contract, both the buyer and the seller have an interest in reaching an agreement. We have a construction period of 10 months, and the developer immediately falls into default if he does not meet this deadline... according to legal advice, this is a common contractual component in BaWü... It is in my interest not to have double burdens, and the developer wants to sell. So, this contractual component must also be negotiated. Sometimes I feel that people negotiate more in car purchase contracts than in construction contracts/loan agreements...

And the construction time has nothing to do with diligence, proper work, etc. Everyone just has to meet their deadline, then it should be easily feasible nowadays. And a semi-detached house is usually a standard house... there should be fewer problems.

I hope everything goes smoothly for you and that the developer does not take his time until the very end because of another project (which might be more lucrative).

Best regards

Oh, there’s always something ;) I probably would have naively signed this contract too. There will be massive construction breaks, you have to (or can) just accept that calmly now.

If necessary, rent a holiday apartment and enjoy the last days of anticipation... if they are that slow... We’ll be sleeping at Hotel Mama for 4 weeks, then at a holiday apartment 10 minutes from the site. That’s where the personal work like painting and carpeting will be done.

Always stay relaxed as long as it doesn’t concern construction defects. At "our" workplace things don’t always go according to plan either, but the quality still has to be right, doesn’t it?!

If he really needs that long, it will be expensive for you, keyword [Bereitstellungszinsen]. Or do you pay in advance?

We pay according to construction progress. That means in June, when 90% has been paid out, the commitment interest is minimal. Furthermore, the construction interest only starts in August. Rather, the interest for the 90% that has been paid out weighs in along with the ongoing rent.

But we have enough reserves for that.