Dream plot, but TAFF house - first mistake already made

At the hardware store? Or during the sampling with Taff? Don't forget that almost every home provider doesn't charge you just the pure material costs.

Yes, at the hardware store. It may be that the prices in NRW/Saxony are not identical...

What I notice about your costs is that, for example, the house connection costs are very tight. In addition, depending on local conditions, either rainwater infiltration or sewer connection fees apply.

That's probably not included. I'm almost done with the contract, and it says, for example, that the downpipes end 1.25m above ground level – and that's it. We would like to use the rainwater, but it won't be more than a ton, and the overflow still has to go somewhere. What kind of costs will roughly come my way?

What about the security of the windows and doors? Are there mushroom locks installed?

No. I haven't dealt with burglary protection yet. I believe there is also a KfW subsidy for that.
But we have a video surveillance system and LED floodlights with motion detectors, and the location is relatively risk-free. Still, it's worth considering, that's true.

What about the garden and outdoor facilities? Terrace?
Entrance steps? So far, you can only enter the house via 2 Euro pallets.
Garage? Carport?

That is our own work and we want to do it ourselves because we have clear ideas and they don't fit into the (affordable) portfolio of the companies. I don't find that critical or decisive and it doesn't have to be done immediately.

Lighting in the house?

Connections will be made; we will bring the lamps.

Kitchen?

Separate budget of 10,000€, but we only need appliances for dishwasher, cooktop, oven, and extractor hood. Microwave, freezer, and fridge we bring ourselves; we don't need other gadgets.

Buffer for contingencies? So around €60-85,000 left in the budget besides the plot, land transfer costs, and house price?

Buffer (after everything mentioned above) is available but by far not that much. However, we live very thoughtfully and frugally anyway and have kept a household budget for years; financially, we should have it under control. As I said, I also feel very well advised by Dr. Klein.

You have to separate appearance and quality. Duravit, they are not lousy toilets, just not stylish. We found and sampled good tiles priced between 19.90 and 25.90. Format 60 by 30. Offering the staircase like that is cheeky and does not promote trust in the provider. What else is he hiding? With smooth white interior doors, for example, we can live well. Nowadays all windows have mushroom heads. At least that's what I claim. Connection and garden... well, whether that is sufficient, I also wondered. Impression: It is mixed. Karsten

I don't believe that the windows there have mushroom heads, at least not without an extra charge. Apparently, everything there is only done with an extra charge. Personally, I don't mind that either, because the client can save on some things since they are not important to him nor does he place value on them. However, a functional house should result from the base price, or at least the current standard and series should be installed. And the base price for a shell house is not exactly cheap.

We are looking at 289,000 without selection costs. This includes underfloor heating, which is poured into the floor slab, and walls, one-sidedly clad. Additional costs mean a wild goose chase in an ill-conceived calculation.

has unfortunately been forced into a position to defend this house builder aggressively. This is not good, as he thereby shows solidarity with Taff and no longer neutrally reads our concerns.

The provider is someone who addresses his customers informally and offers them to buy from the Poles to reduce costs.

Are you serious???

You need some cold water!

Regards, Yvonne

Offering the stairs like that is cheeky and does not promote trust in the provider. What else is he hiding where?

There are still one or two hidden things in the contract. For example, the delivery of the ventilation system has to be ordered separately. I noted everything down and will ask TAFF what the actual final price is when you add it all up...

I don't think the windows have mushroom caps with them, at least not without an extra charge.

I also don't think mushroom caps are included.

Apparently, everything with them is only done for an extra charge. Personally, I don't find that bad because the builder can save on some things since they are not important to him or he doesn’t insist on them.

I see it similarly, but you can get a nasty surprise if you only trust the seller and don’t read the contract!

has unfortunately now been forced into the position of having to justify this house builder aggressively. That’s not good because he thereby shows solidarity with Taff and no longer reads our concerns neutrally.

No, I don’t think so. As I said, I would rather build with someone who has more experience, and I certainly do not want to justify TAFF. I will give the contract today to a building expert from the Association of Private Homeowners and compare it with the conditions in the House Building Guide.

The question is whether that will help me at all, since TAFF will probably answer a contract change request with: Take it or leave it, there are plenty of others who don’t read the contract and just sign.

We are at 289,000 without sampling costs. In return, there is underfloor heating embedded in the floor slab and walls, one-sidedly paneled. Further costs mean a wild goose chase into an ill-conceived calculation.

I really see one-sidedly paneled walls as a disadvantage, both in load-bearing capacity and sound insulation. Is there even a chance to change this with a prefabricated house provider?

The provider is someone who addresses his customers informally and offers them to buy from the Poles to reduce costs.

Are you serious???

Well, we have never been addressed informally so far. I don’t pay any attention to advertising; advertising generally lies – what matters is what is in the contract.

The recommendation to the Poles actually came from me

Still, thank you very much for the criticism. It helps enormously in the decision-making process, and maybe one really has to let this one-time opportunity pass because of the house building company. But I’m not at that point yet; first the construction expert should look at the construction service description.

Windows today all have mushroom-head locks. That's my claim.

No. I've seen enough offers in the last 6 months where that was not included as standard.

I also forgot the external taps for water and electricity. Also often a nice extra charge goodie.

Single-sided boarded walls I really see as a disadvantage, both in load-bearing capacity and sound insulation.

So according to their website, the exterior wall is as follows:

8 mm silicone resin top plaster and base plaster with reinforcing mesh
60 mm wood fiberboard
200 mm stud frame made of structural solid wood (KVH)
200 mm sound and thermal insulation made of rock wool
15 mm OSB board, windproof glued
60 mm battens as installation level
60 mm sound and thermal insulation made of rock wool
10 mm gypsum fiberboard
Vapor barrier foil, windproof glued
12.5 mm gypsum plasterboard

That is all right. It is double boarded. Does the construction specification say otherwise?

As for the interior walls: single-sided only boarded with OSB boards. That’s not so great; better would be OSB + gypsum plasterboard. But OSB carries significantly more than just gypsum plasterboard. Sound insulation depends more on what goes between the stud frame. The question is also how thick the OSB boards are. Is that stated anywhere in the construction specification?

Still, thanks a lot for the criticism. That helps enormously in the decision-making, and maybe one really has to let this unique opportunity pass due to the house building company. But I’m not at that point yet; first the building surveyor should look over the construction specification.

Good idea