Construction defects? What do I have to accept?

Is the construction manager employed by your house builder? Haven't you hired an external expert?

I don't assume so, otherwise these questions wouldn't be asked. People spend at least €500,000 on the house but save on the external construction manager by €3-5k...

I don't assume that, otherwise the questions wouldn't come up. People spend at least €500,000 on the house, but save 3-5k€ on the external site manager...

From my experience, this is usually the result of stretching the budget for the dream property. So people prefer to save on the external site manager rather than on the children's bathroom, the pantry, or the dressing room...

Hi,

But what to do? Tear the whole gable down again? The roof is already covered

yes, exactly that, what else? Sorry, if I understand correctly, you ordered car type A in blue but the dealer didn’t have it at the time and messed up the order with the manufacturer. So he just puts car type B in red in front of you and you accept that?!?

I want customers like that too...!

Seriously, how come you didn’t intervene earlier? You let him happily cover the roof first? That’s going to be tricky to change now. If you’ve made partial payments in the meantime, that will probably be interpreted as acceptance in the end.

The thing with the pillar in the walkway in front of the door is the next joke. That’s probably impossible just for fire safety reasons. There must be no obstacles directly in front of doors.

Building a house only works with control, control, and more control! Best daily, with a camera and a loaded shotgun....

The general contractor is not your friend but your opponent! And this is not meant negatively at all, it’s just the natural business situation. He doesn’t want to give you anything or marry you. He just wants to fulfill his part of the contract with the least effort for him. Up to a certain point that’s completely okay and can be a fair and cooperative business, but it seems to have completely gone off the rails here.

If he already dares to do things like that, I don’t even want to know what else he’s saved, changed, messed up that you won’t see later. Laying the underfloor heating, electrical wiring, etc. just as an example.

Your info is pretty sparse, but just from gut feeling, I can only advise you to get in the car TOMORROW MORNING, organize an expert on the way there, and be at the construction site tomorrow afternoon and stop everything further. No matter what it costs and what effort it means for you. If you do nothing, it will get much worse and more expensive...

Good luck and safe travels,

Andreas

Of course, that is really crap! But you have to evaluate it neutrally! Who did what and who didn’t. More on that below…

The GU is not your friend but an opponent!

He is neither a friend, nor is he an enemy, because he is a business partner chosen by you.

can be a fair and cooperative business,

It should be under normal circumstances. “can” rather implies unlikeliness.

If he already dares to bring up such things, I don’t even want to know what else he has saved on, changed, messed up, which you don’t notice later. Laying of underfloor heating, electrical wiring, etc. just as examples.

… Who did what and who didn’t?! The GU really messed up! But I don’t read that he concealed or covered anything up. Mistakes are unpleasant, but they can happen. “And then the building application is changed and the dormer is approved again.”

And what happened in between? What did the client do? _We do not know any of that_

We readers can assume that he silently tolerated it. Probably even accepted it.

For the construction company, it's probably "settled" with the re-approval.

Well, where do you stand in this game as the client? Either you speak up in time or stay silent forever. It reads as if none of this was uncovered just yesterday.

first stop everything further.

For what reason, if the client has no objection to the GU?

Now some inconsistencies have emerged, which are not really addressed.

Well, it’s your matter to address them. Your house, your money. Your order!

Do I really have to simply accept this “as is”?

No, but by remaining silent and doing nothing, you forfeit your rights. Surely the fine print in every contract requires that you verify the delivery, work, and service either immediately or within 14 days, and report complaints or defects within that period. That’s the law, as sorry as I am. Go to a lawyer, but I think even he can only advise negotiating a settlement.

No, but by remaining silent and doing nothing you forfeit your right. Certainly, in every fine print it states that you must check the delivery, work, and service immediately or within 14 days, and report complaints or defects within that period. That is the law, as regrettable as it may be. Go to a lawyer, but I think even he can only advise negotiating a settlement.

Before you see a lawyer, write down today(!) in what chronological order exactly what happened. In particular, from when you knew about the defects, whether you have already paid for these trades, and what communication has taken place. How about a creative suggestion: You call the municipality yourself and ensure that the change is not approved. But be careful, this will not improve the relationship with the general contractor.

I'm getting in touch again. I had no strength to justify myself. We are building 4 hours away by car. Daily supervision or similar is not possible. The roof frame has already been paid for, as the neighbor told me the roof frame was in place. There is only a final acceptance, no interim acceptances. Nothing has been accepted so far. As soon as I realized that the roof frame does not fit, I informed the construction company. The construction company still does not find the matter serious. You say that no matter what time consequences it has for us, we should stop the construction. For every further delay, we pay 1500 euros rent and additionally about 1000 euros provision interest on top of the normal interest and the full installment of the KfW loan. Additional monthly burden of 2500 euros I cannot simply ignore. Again chronologically regarding the roof frame: - Invoice for roof frame arrives, but roof frame is not even there - Response to construction company that payment will not be made because roof frame is not there. No reaction from construction company - Neighbor reports that the roof frame is up and sends pictures. We pay the invoice. - We drive to the house and notice that there is no dormer. - Email to construction company + call to site manager. Site manager obviously does not know the difference between gable and dormer. But wants to take care of it - Construction company is on company vacation, so no reaction - Pressed for an appointment with site manager - Site manager says it will be approved afterwards - After-approval is still ongoing. We also have no small print in the contract.