Construction costs are currently skyrocketing

Two construction companies that we still had on our shortlist a year ago have now gone bankrupt.

I can report something similar. In January, I inquired with a general contractor. After the offer, I heard nothing further from the company, despite requesting to discuss the offer. Two weeks ago, I learned indirectly that the company had filed for insolvency.

It is probably advisable at the moment to obtain a credit report from Schufa before signing a contract with the general contractor.

I can also contribute something about construction prices. Today my wall stones arrived. Muschelkalk 15-25/15-25/30-50 for 138€ net per ton, delivery from the Würzburg area to us for 880€ net.

If that includes the floor slab and foundation, then the shell builder must be in quite some trouble and urgently need sales. Because he doesn’t make much money from it.
Even if another 150,000 EUR are added for the turnkey construction, including the garage it is under 2,000 EUR/m². Not even discount builders like Town & Country or Heinz von Heiden can manage that anymore.

That makes it all the harder for me to believe.

We ourselves were a bit surprised, but yes, the price includes earthworks, floor slab, and sewer connection. We wanted to contribute some own work, but the company did not want that and rather gave us a small discount so that we “don’t run around in between.” Contact was established through our architect.

I also find the windows very reasonably priced. 35k with the expensive front door? That means about 28k for windows including installation? Not bad... How many, how big? With blinds, venetian blinds?

The window area is just under 55 sqm, 18 pieces. Five of them have venetian blinds, the rest have roller shutters with aluminum slats and motors, etc.

It should also be mentioned that the window installer only handles the installation of the front door and the 5 “large” windows. These are a lift-and-slide door and a parallel-lift-and-slide door (a simpler version of the lift-and-slide door). We handle the other “normal” windows ourselves. Installation plus accessories would have cost an additional 4k here, but we are saving that now or will procure the parts for installation ourselves.

gave us a small discount so that we "don't walk around in between"

Refreshingly honest. Even though it's a bit like giving money to a street musician to make him stop playing. But yes, anyone who believes a craftsman gladly gives a discount when you work as a construction helper is wrong in most cases.

I canceled our preferred GU this week because the price was still based on 1% financing (felt like it). He has fallen into a deeep hole. It seems that order intake is no longer there either. "There's still something to do with those prices..." We are now postponing by 2 - 4 years and we'll see what happens...

We are now postponing by 2 - 4 years and will see what happens...

Sorry for you! Are you coping with the building obligation then? Ours is also almost full for 2024 - few single-family houses but massively more commercial, he says