Cost estimate for a single-family house near Heidelberg

My opinion: The crux is the construction performance description. IF you have everything included there, have thought of everything, and are satisfied with it, the general contractor (GC) can be cheaper. In my opinion, the only advantage of the GC is the predictability of the construction time because it is usually contractually fixed. This is different with individual trade contracts, as the availability of tradespeople is more difficult to calculate. But please don’t believe that price advantages (1:1) with the GC are passed on to the customer. Just google GC surcharge. And here, in my opinion, lies the crux: if you want anything different than what is stated (or not stated) in the construction performance description, it often becomes disproportionately expensive because subcontractors then frequently have the chance to earn money, since GCs often demand rock-bottom prices from them; as mentioned, the GC surcharge must also be added on top. So if you want to build with a GC, try to define the construction performance description as completely as possible beforehand. An undertaking that, in my opinion, is hardly possible because things constantly change anyway. Sometimes it is hardly possible even for a layperson to know what belongs in there. Therefore, my urgent recommendation is to have the contract/the construction performance description checked by someone with expertise and to involve an expert as a consultant during construction. Just as an example: wouldn’t you also expect in a “turnkey” project that your base coat plaster is sealed and painted or that the rain gutter downpipes are connected to the drainage? This is not always the case. Popular additional costs also occur with floor classes. Look closely at what is included and ask for different floor classes beforehand. Sample the bathroom, sockets, electrical installations beforehand and include models, number of sockets in the construction performance description. Additional sockets are often a cost trap, as are sanitary objects outside the standard; tile (formats) are also popular price traps. My personal experience. Always with an architect. The awarding procedure via tenders is transparent, which is important to me. And there is no GC sitting in between who earns a commission on every switch. Individuality was important to me as well. From the cost estimate according to the work plan (last May) to the cost tracking after award (today), a 4% cost increase has been noted – with all sorts of special requests. Compared to the cost estimate after the preliminary draft, about 19%. To be fair, many special requests were not included in the preliminary draft. A comparative offer from 2 GCs would have been SIGNIFICANTLY more expensive for this building body. But as already wrote, the range of variance is enormous, even with architects. Friends of ours (in the greater Hannover area) built with an architect and had considerable trouble with him. There are also bad apples there, just like among GCs. You can build and be happy with either. Which suits you better only you can know. Faster and more predictable is certainly the GC if you put appropriate care and time into the construction performance description and can live very well with simpler building geometries. If design individuality is important to you or many wishes lie outside the construction performance description, possibly rather an architect. Or a combination, because architects also plan you a house that can then be built with a GC. How that works out price-wise, no idea. I would always build again with our architectural firm but plan more time from the outset. We were too optimistic there. 1.5 to 2 years from the initial meeting is realistic, anything less is sporty (6 to 9 months planning time, about 6 to 9 months execution time, rather 9 months).

What also speaks for the architect personally for me is the construction supervision. The architect is liable (after service phase 9) longer than the general contractor and is independent from the construction company. Our architect is on site daily. So far, there are no construction delays (the shell is standing) and no stress whatsoever. The individual trades are within the locality ([10 km radius]), thus quickly reachable in case of problems. I have no experience with general contractors.

Good and important point, although you also have to be careful here that the architect offers [LPH 1-9]. It seems to be becoming increasingly unpopular among architects to also offer [LPH 9]. So pay attention to this. We have also commissioned [LPH 1 to 9].

So we have experienced that a general contractor (GU) is not cheaper and would have had a significantly lower standard. We build with an architect, would always do that again, but it also means a LOT of work for the builders. BUT: we don't build cookie-cutter, and we would never have been able to implement such ideas and solutions with a general contractor, especially not at such a price! However, we are also (significantly) slower compared to a general contractor!

When I read your answers, the prevailing opinion here in the forum is that building with a [GÜ] should be cheaper than with the architect, right?

Not necessarily. In my opinion, the same house, with the same quality, with the same equipment, there is no difference between architect and [GU].
[GU] is not the same as [GU].

There are regional [GUs] that are capable individually, that work with regional companies, that are transparent and open, where every day the site manager or the architect are on the construction site.
There are large ones in the low price segment and some in the high one.
If you find a [GU] with whom you can find your wishes in the standard according to your quality demands, it can be cheaper than an architect. Maybe you even find a catalog house that fits.
Otherwise, it is like buying a car, special equipment is expensive. The cheaper model can easily be more expensive than a more expensive model with a lot of basic equipment and little special equipment.
A Ford Ka has four wheels and can drive, but it will never be a Ferrari no matter how much money you put into it.

We had received an indication from a local general contractor that was about €20,000 below the architect’s cost estimate. Meanwhile, the major trades have been awarded and we are €20,000 under budget. I can now redirect this without exorbitant markups into additional goodies. So things are going well here and I am satisfied. I also build with an architect out of conviction because I want to be involved in this project, select building materials, etc. Especially with the building services, I can’t just let the people handle it alone, they are always 10-20 years behind... whether this is a mindset issue of mine, I do not rule out.