Building cheaply - this is how it can be done too!

Morning,

once again LOL.... let me guess: You still have the construction phase ahead of you? Right?

If yes, then you still have a lot to learn about the quality of craftsmen, especially nowadays, when they already have their schedules full for the next 2 years.

To keep your charming and conversational tone:

Nope, that’s not true. I’m not building for the first time. And whether or what I need to learn is certainly not your business, so you can keep your presumptuous superiority to yourself.

But I don’t hold it against you, since I can well understand your frustration with the current problems. Nevertheless, I maintain that poor installation of a product should not be blamed on the product itself. I was only speaking from my own experience with no claim that everyone has to see it that way. So save your energy for dealing with the A8-driving fool.

How are you building? With a general contractor, a construction manager, or by individual contracts?

For us, it’s like this: we only commission local craftsmen who often work with the architectural firm. Since even now some craftsmen are still trying to build something with our architect, it seems there is a certain likelihood that they will avoid botching the work. Otherwise they’re out – and yes, even in these rosy times. Might be an exception, might look different during the construction phase, because you are certainly not immune from that either.

Only, for that reason, I don’t install stuff I don’t like, especially since I gain no safety from it. If the plumber screws up when connecting the surface-mounted fitting, I have the same crap. Should I then better do without water installation and build a well instead? That can’t be it either...

That’s reality, so, who is naive here...?

Good luck with your rose-tinted glasses!

Neither naive, nor rose-tinted glasses. But as I said, don’t waste your energy arguing with people who mean you no harm, but just have a viewpoint that differs from yours – possibly because they are not in your particular situation.

Best regards,

Andreas

Regards back to you, I wish you strong nerves and a realization by your plumber along with a good outcome!

Stephan

Hi,

If you build with a general contractor, you have little influence on the choice of craftsmen....

...

No idea how it is in other regions, but here in the Nuremberg area you can be glad if you even get any offer at all. You can no longer afford the luxury to pay attention to price or quality here if you want to finish your house in this lifetime.

It doesn't help you either, but maybe building with a general contractor is part of the problem... part, not the sole reason.

And regarding the Nuremberg area, I have had different experiences so far... and I also count the Fürth district to that.

And just prophylactically: please no Nbg vs. FÜ kindergarten now, I originally come from the Hamburg area, so I am not receptive to that. [emoji6]

All the best! I’m keeping my fingers crossed that your situation will change in your favor soon!

Do you also do things yourself or do you have everything done?

No self-performance for an entire trade, possibly I’ll take over the cable pulling for the electrical installation, but that depends on how much I can save by doing so. My free time is very valuable to me. I do the KNX programming myself, can do it for professional reasons and consider it a fun hobby, so part of my free time...

Hi,
...
Example:
The electrician showed up in a brand-new A8 (eight, you read that right) and grinned stupidly at my wife’s face when she complained about his botched work ... and said verbatim: "I don’t care, he has enough jobs anyway." ...
The plumbing botcher has not even found it necessary to apologize until today ...
That’s reality, so, who is naive here...?

Hmm,
HOW did she complain about the "botched work"?
We built with a general contractor... and we also had issues with the work a total of four times,

1. the head of plumbing showed up in his Cayenne (each time on weekends or evenings, mind you 100 km away), looked at the "defect" (one can often spare the word "botched work") and checked it himself. The defects were rectified without any problems, in the end there was a hundred euros in an envelope, which compensated us informally for a dehumidifier rental.

2. the electrician also stopped on a Sunday 100 km away, worked through defects while his soccer buddies waited for him in his T4 so they could continue on to Hamburg together.

If someone has earned a Cayenne and shows up with it (or another car) in their free time, there is no need to criticize them.

Reputation precedes you: I do not want to accuse anyone of lying here, but self-employed tradespeople also know there is the internet and Google reviews and therefore can’t afford to be cheeky or do very bad work. If it does happen: one should look inside themselves to see if perhaps one was out of line in tone.

The sentence about the A8 sounds rather biased, for whatever reason. And even here in the forum, it can often be read that building owners no longer properly evaluate and judge if the tradesperson privately drives a high-end car or one more upscale than their own...

Strange craftsmen you have. With us, no one ever arrived in a private car, but always in a van with company lettering. However, the work was not botched, and the few visible defects we had were quickly fixed. What private car Fahrenheit has neither interests me nor concerns me.

You have strange craftsmen. With us, no one ever arrived in a private car, but always repeatedly in a van with the company logo. But there was no botched work, and the few visible defects we had were quickly corrected. .....an.

It was because of the plumber that he immediately took those 100 km upon himself after the call at quitting time. When it comes to water, where it doesn't belong, you can't say: I'll come Wednesday in 8 days... The construction vehicles are driven by his employees and journeymen. And yes: we also don't care what he shows up with. But it was obvious, and just as direct as I am here, I addressed him (friendly with a wink) about his car. ... and I still spoke of defects and not of "botched work"...

Others immediately get upset and no longer think neutrally. For many builders, a craftsman must subordinate himself economically and must not be able to afford what one could afford as a manager or similar oneself...