Cost planning for earthworks

  • Erstellt am 2022-03-03 13:22:46

Pinkiponk

2022-03-14 11:49:31
  • #1

For us, postcode 0457x, it was "Geotextile delivered to site and installed freely 128.62 m2 at €2.45 each". What you wrote sounds similar to the work that was carried out for us. In an earlier post, I already listed some items with prices; as soon as our second (and last?) invoice arrives, I will provide the missing items. --> Our house is 9.40m x 9.40m, the floor slab has an overhang all around, which I don't know by heart.

The floor slab was included in our house price, but we commissioned the following additional orders (not all may be necessary for you, see*):

1x MSH up to 6 m total length installed in the foundation slab (incl. earthworks) €1,120.00
5x Drainage connection according to plan additionally €192.00 each
3 linear meters empty conduits DN 100, incl. earthworks €96.00 each
1x *Cleaning of the concrete pump at the plant €235.00
1x **Delivery of an MSH up to 6 m total length €1,695.00
Total incl. VAT €4,298.00

*This can also be done on the property, if desired, for example where a concrete floor is planned anyway for a carport/garage/garden house. Then this item can be omitted. Whether that works easily, I don't know. Maybe another forum member has done it this way and can share their practical experience here.

** The MSH can also be ordered by yourself (cheaper?) "on the Internet" and brought to the property. We decided against this for various reasons, but the floor slab builder offered it to us. Maybe you don't have an MSH either.


Do so. I am confident, and the worry won't help you either.


Thanks, same to you.
 

Stefan001

2022-03-14 12:16:49
  • #2
Who prepares the structural analysis?
The foundation must be considered within the scope of the structural analysis. Whether a slab foundation is load-bearing depends on the house to be built.
It is best to make the geotechnical report part of the contract, or at least have it confirmed in writing that the execution for the house will be carried out according to the report.
In my opinion, the construction company should then also provide specifications on how the foundation is to be done.
What and how deep needs to be exchanged ultimately depends on the house and the slab foundation.
 

netuser

2022-03-14 12:30:38
  • #3
From my point of view, there are no signs or concerns in your case of having a money pit ahead.

On the contrary, your situation mainly involves cheaper backfilling rather than disposal costs + subsequent backfilling, as is often the case. With the planned 30,000 EUR, you should be fine if nothing unforeseen occurs :)

Roughly, as a worst-case assumption based on your information:

1. 80 cm on 120 sqm disposal = 100 cbm = max. approx. 4,000 EUR
2. 170 cm on 120 sqm backfilling = 204 cbm = max. approx. 8,500 EUR
3. 130 cm on 255 sqm backfilling = 330 cbm = max. approx. 13,500 EUR

+ [Gutachten (max. 1.500 EUR)] + [Einrichtung (500 EUR)] + [Feinplanum (500 EUR)] + [Druckversuche (400 EUR)] + [Entwässerung / Rohre] ...

So rather worst case and very rough, but 30,000 - 35,000 EUR should be sufficient from my point of view. Probably less.
 

Hafenstraße

2022-03-14 13:03:14
  • #4
All right. I had also googled the story with the geotextile in the meantime. That doesn’t seem to be a big deal! Thanks Pinkiponk! Our house will be a bit bigger, and we will also have the base slab constructed by the manufacturer (knowing that you pay a few hundred euros more than if you contract it out externally. But we simply don’t have enough knowledge and confidence to procure such a fundamental component ourselves and coordinate between the companies). However, the MSH is included. As far as I correctly understand, this is standard nowadays with mid-range providers and can no longer be “unordered.” Likewise, our manufacturer will take on part of the earthworks according to the construction service description, namely excavation, construction, and refilling for the frost protection strips down to a depth of 80 cm. How exactly that will work, I can hardly imagine. After all, “80 cm depth” is currently, due to the upcoming backfilling, about 10-20 cm ABOVE our ground level. But surely others will think about that... (I hope...)

Putting the worries aside is incredibly difficult for me. Surely many feel the same way. Currently, we feel more than betrayed by the construction manager of the house manufacturer, with whom we had already made a meticulous calculation weeks ago. Surveyor, building permit, soil report... everything costs at least 1,500 euros more than calculated. For example, the building permit: 500 euros was estimated, we made it clear several times that we do not have that much more money than the total sum calculated, so what happened last week? A look at the fee schedule of the city of Duisburg is enough to find out: the permit will cost 1,500 euros. The surveyor also works according to the fee schedule and wants 5,500 euros instead of the calculated 3,000 euros. We fall off our chairs every day. And now comes the big chunk for land preparation. If there are 50-100% cost overruns here as well (approx. 30,000 euros), we will be bankrupt even before the topping-out ceremony. Nobody expects a precise to-the-cent calculation. But that also means that sometimes you are charged a little more here and there than it ends up being. After all, you do trust the architects, house sellers, and construction managers. What other chance do you have as a building layman, and why shouldn’t you?? I don’t question every other service either that I do not do professionally myself. So far, we have to pay extra everywhere, which completely (really completely!) robs us of the anticipation, pride, and currently sleep.

But back to the topic: the static calculations are also done by the house manufacturer. In principle, he builds the house completely, provided the ground is prepared (by us). We have already signed the contract (to secure the fixed price, but we are still within the cancellation period), the bank follows the day after tomorrow, and in April the notary for the land. So unfortunately, there is no changing the contracts anymore.

Netuser, your answer also helps me a lot. From my point of view, a concrete number, as concrete as it can be estimated. Thanks! You calculate “high,” but I believe it will tend to be expensive for us as well. We are building near a water protection area, so only Z0 natural gravel is allowed, no RCL or something like that. But as I said, if we hit the budget here, the champagne corks will pop. Apparently, our construction manager has contact with an earthworks contractor who supplies, installs, and compacts gravel for 22 euros net per m3. You calculate more than 40 euros per m3. Based on experience, you are probably right!
 

Stefan001

2022-03-14 13:19:37
  • #5


Lesson 1: Nobody cares about anything!
If you get the feeling somewhere that something is unplanned or not agreed upon, then that’s exactly how it is.
Always ask, always force a clarification!
Even if your construction manager builds 100 houses a year, he will repeatedly have things not planned or not agreed upon. You really are the only one you can rely on during construction.

And nobody else will think about it!

For us, the earthworks were carried out by the general contractor as required by the local conditions (and according to the expert report and structural calculations). This has the big advantage that in case of a warranty claim, the same person always has to take responsibility.
(Unfortunately, financially that was a complete disaster, but that’s another topic)

Here you should definitely clarify who takes care of the items outside the construction service description, whether they will provide a change order offer for it, or if you must/can/may prepare the site accordingly.
 

netuser

2022-03-14 13:24:15
  • #6


First, the level of the floor slab is filled, compacted, and fine-graded.
Then your house builder or his excavators come, dig out the 80 cm again and lay it aside.



There is, of course, nothing you can do about the city’s fee schedule.
I don't believe that a soil report will cost that much more. Likewise, the surveyor should not cost that much...
1. Comparing is worthwhile
2. Ask the surveyor whether an "official site plan" was offered or is required! This is often NOT required, but it is offered and is significantly more expensive.
I am practically in your neighborhood and can recommend a very skilled and "cost-effective" surveyor from the region.



A side note: When comparing offers from civil engineers, pay attention to the unit specifications! Some offer in tons, others in cubic meters or mixed... This can lead to misunderstandings or "pitfalls."
Your mentioned 22 EUR sounds reasonable/cheap. Therefore, I basically really counted on a "worst case," but I think that (considerably) less would have to be called upon in the mixed calculation when filling.

By the way: How is the drainage of rainwater handled? Sewage system or on the property (+ soakaway)?
 

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