Error in house construction - How did you deal with it?

I wrote:

I think certain special features do not fit a standard model house from a general contractor.

I actually consider crack-free ceilings and walls standard.

I had asked him as a general contractor for an offer for the plastering in "smooth quality" and also painting in white. Additionally, all floors in vinyl.

Crack-free ceilings are not, for me, "certain special features." You are talking about completely different things. For me, certain special features that in my opinion are difficult to reconcile with the specified scope of services, for example, the barrier-free shower temple or the 100 x 100 large tiles where the builder later complains about the joints.

For example, we also have these cracks. If I choose a general contractor who uses drywall panels for the interior walls on the upper floor and I settle for "wallpaper-ready walls in Q2 finish" for cost reasons, I have to expect to see cracks later on walls we didn’t wallpaper. Because cracks are not earth-shattering and happen. Only formerly you didn’t see them through the textured wallpaper.
We also have the barrier-free "shower temple." There are no complaints here because this shower is also in the construction specification and the tiler knew about it.

Or let's take the static central wall: many want everything open and free. But the model house includes a load-bearing wall. No problem, a beam is installed there. But then the Flair house builder comes and doesn’t want to see the beam, and even more open than is good. The general contractor warns of problems, but the builder doesn’t want to hear it... the static calculations are fiddled with until it fits... and the builder complains about an ugly beam and claims it’s a defect.

Many builders want to, to put it bluntly, turn the Flair 113 into a Jette palace. That the basic structure then doesn’t match the equipment doesn’t matter.

You simply can’t defend yourself against that, unfortunately I had to experience this. You always think there are so many possibilities like reviews, courts, chambers of crafts, etc.... but when you need them none are there.....

That’s of course really annoying when not even the chamber cares.

Edit: Our expert translated the construction specification for us afterwards... explaining that this and that could have disadvantages. Why afterward? Because we only got an expert later...

If everyone makes it that easy for the colleagues from construction, you shouldn't be surprised that over time they take more and more liberties. But go ahead and keep baking your cake.

You are waving with a receipt...

Who carried out the painting work for you now? The spraying with acrylic is part of the painting work...
And which plaster did you use? Q2, Q3 or Q4?

bernys drywall cracks are not a defect. If you want drywall joints to be crack-free, this only works with wallpaper or moldings at the corner. Unfortunately, that is the way it is. Drywall is always screwed to wood, wood is not rigid, new houses, especially large ones, settle, embedding mesh often is not enough. It is like silicone joints, which may also crack and need to be redone. K.

Hi Yvonne,

the painter carried out the plastering and painting work. Ordered and paid in Q3. I didn’t even know Q4 existed before. As I already wrote earlier, I’m partly to blame myself. We really trusted the general contractor, said: Look, here is our budget, build us house X. We can’t do anything ourselves, both still work in Switzerland and will be back in almost 2 years. He told us: No problem at all, we have often built for clients who live far away, you don’t have to worry about anything, just pack your bags and come. Then we signed and that was it. We had no idea about drywall ceilings, distances of underfloor heating pipes, or anything else. We just kept hearing: We’ll take care of it. In the end, you are very, very disappointed over many (admittedly not catastrophic, but unnecessary and annoying) mistakes and minor botched work. That’s the real problem. As I said, we’re to blame ourselves, too trusting, not suspicious enough when reading the extremely vague construction description etc... I think you built about 5 years ago or something? Back then maybe it was all better. Not quite so focused on rip-offs and botched work.

: If you want drywall joints without cracks, the only way is with wallpaper or stucco moldings at the corner.

I believe you without question, by now I know that too. But not beforehand, I am not a drywall installer! Of course, in that case, I would have said: Well then do it the way that prevents cracks. The money really wasn’t the problem, we kept telling the general contractor that. But they didn’t care. We’ll just start like always... You’re not even here anyway. But as I said: We are now letting this be settled - at least financially - in court. Let’s see how it turns out. That (unnecessary) trouble won’t be taken away from us; at least the general contractor won’t get off scot-free. It probably won’t bother him much with the good construction market, but I don’t like to spend money on botched work – no matter who, when, or what caused it. It certainly wasn’t me.