Construction costs are currently skyrocketing

In newer contracts, there is usually a clause stating that material price increases over x % result in price adjustments. I also know that construction companies for wooden houses pay their customers €25,000 if they withdraw from the contract.
In the case of a price increase of €100,000, the contractor cannot in my opinion insist on contract compliance nor demand a cancellation fee, after all, the cause does not lie with the client. My limit for the contractor to insist on contract compliance would be an increase of 10%, as is generally possible with craftsman invoices.

We might still be lucky with our old contract. Let’s hope for fair solutions for all builders and construction companies. Although I always assumed that the annual price increases of about 5%-6% for a house were partly intended for possibly rising material costs. Perhaps they were mainly for increased personnel and energy costs.

It’s a pity that no one here can/wants/is allowed to come forward as a construction company/house seller and shed some light on this. ;-)

Just because the material has increased by up to 30%, which is currently no longer as bad, does not mean that the entire house becomes 30% more expensive. There is also still a large portion of labor involved.

I hadn’t thought of that, thanks for the hint. Presumably, energy and personnel costs have also risen (see higher inflation rate (which is partially due to the 6-month VAT reduction)). In any case, I hope that the higher costs will not "ruin" either the construction company or us. I have already read several times that the wood costs in the USA are already falling again. I don’t know much yet about the other materials. Maybe I will research everything and provide a hopefully positive overview here in the forum. A few positive news regarding price normalization will probably be appreciated by most builders here, including us. :) Maybe someone else with more expertise and knowledge will want to take that on. ;-)

… There is still a large share of labor in it.

In our last invoice, we had €25 material costs and almost ten times that – so nearly €250 – in labor costs. But we have also had it the other way around.

So your house only costs €300,000?
But you already have a buffer for incidental construction costs and everything else that might come up?

Yes, we have all that in cash or in cancellable life insurance policies. At our age, we might no longer want to take out a loan, or perhaps we wouldn’t even get one.
The house actually costs more; I just took a roughly round number for now. Once everything is done, I can gladly publish the figures in detail if there is interest. Maybe even after the selection appointment/working plan. I don’t mention our construction company anywhere, so hopefully no one would object. I don’t mention any names. :-) Although I think we got a great company. But before I mention their name anywhere, even after everything is over, I would ask them first if that’s okay and also share my name here so they can read what I write.

With the planned €300,000 for the house (right?), it seems to me that a six-figure sum will be added anyway.
I hope all the incidental costs, additional costs, ... are at least planned for?

Yes, we have a buffer. And everything listed as "by the builder" in the building description is planned for. However, not for a new kitchen, which we neither need nor want. Many other things, like the carport, etc., we do ourselves and partly pay from ongoing income.

In our immediate vicinity, some construction projects are still planned. They are supposed to start in 2022. I am curious. A neighbor wanted to extend his house. This was apparently put on hold for the time being due to cost increases. Others, on the other hand, are carrying out the planned extensions.

With the then planned €300,000 for the house (or?), it seems to me that a six-figure sum will be added one way or another.

Without knowing what kind of house it is at all, the statement is somewhat "superficial" :rolleyes:

Apart from presenting the building permit, I hope that this will not be at our expense, since a late scheduled sample appointment could nullify any price guarantee.

The sampling is linked to the contract for work. The contract for work already has the purchase price at the bottom right, doesn't it? What are you expecting there? It may be that a few thousand are being discussed, …

Therefore, I think that regarding the price it might not turn out so bad for us.

What do you want to sample at all? Reading it like that, one might think that you have to sample something everywhere without having talked about it before signing?!
Our sampling had the value of our roller shutters and some sqm of wooden wall paneling, which we decided on later. Everything else was already firmly fixed in the contract for work in various positions. Then it was actually only about door color, choice between 6 front doors, door handles and such.
Everything else was handled on site with the craftsmen (tiles, sanitary, electrician)