Experiences when construction workers have no knowledge of German

I also don't believe that Poles, Spaniards, or anyone else are too stupid to work and that the work is therefore done worse.

The question is whether one can in good conscience justify bypassing the local craftsmen because one does not want to meet their higher salary expectations, which in turn stem from the local cost of living. Personally, I just have a bad feeling about paying dumping prices for good craftsmanship here. Furthermore, I like to have someone on site if I have questions in one or two years or if defects arise. The local craftsman cannot afford that, and I think I will get good support (that has also been my experience so far).

This was important to us. We have a small, regional company that pays its people decently. Among the employees are Romanians and an Italian – but they still receive the usual local wages, and that is right and good for me.

I do have a bad feeling about a construction crew from who knows where doing the work here for a fraction of the price, preferably living in containers during the construction phase and then being sent home. Sure, they earn well by the standards of their home country, but what about the regional craftsmanship? I think one also has a somewhat greater responsibility somewhere. I can’t buy everything with this "stinginess-is-cool" mentality for dumping prices and then be surprised that there are no craftsmen left here when you need one quickly.

Good example: my mother has always had a local heating engineer; last winter the heating broke down – according to Murphy’s Law, of course, on a Saturday evening. Outside freezing, inside a non-functioning heater. Our long-term heating engineer came on Saturday evening and found a temporary solution for the weekend – Mom was warm again. The heating engineer from who knows where would surely have installed the heating properly at some point, and the service company certainly would have carried out maintenance correctly, but none of them would probably have come by on a Saturday evening to spare the long-standing customer a cold weekend.

My statement is not that Polish workers are bad...….. It is about expecting that on a construction site where 12 people work, at least one speaks some German in case questions arise!!! I have never spoken badly about a Polish worker; some reactions here are already somewhat concerning.

...What experiences have you had when the craftsmen have no knowledge of German?...

Terrible!
But it was primarily due to our general contractor, who thinks he is something special and always blames others.
Although verbal communication with the construction workers was not possible, I made it clear to them that barrier membranes belong under the masonry and that I have no desire to find horizontal joints nearly 1 cm high between the aerated concrete blocks.
This sometimes led to extremely high adrenaline levels on the part of the professionals (outbursts of anger), but whatever.
They simply started over several times.

BTW:
Construction workers without knowledge of German are not necessarily worse than local professionals, although this prejudice exists.
After all, German professionals contributed to well over 90% of the total 117 defects in our house.

Personally, I simply have a bad feeling about paying dumping prices for good craftsmanship.

I don’t. The disadvantages of the EU and open borders are to be endured by the common man, but when it comes to the few advantages, he should check his conscience first? That doesn’t add up for me. Either one or the other. Especially since the local craftsman nowadays buys from Poland etc. himself, only to sell to me at a high price.

Poles are not per se cheaper than companies from, for example, East Vorpommern. Only they can do certain things very well. For example, bricklaying. Or windows. Or gardening. Heating and electricians are better from here because of service. I would also not per se prefer Polish companies, but I do think that with our shortage of skilled workers and the construction boom, a little competition from outside is necessary and good. Regarding language. Poles speak Polish, Romanians Romanian, etc., but companies that strive internationally for contracts always have a contact person who speaks at least English. I’m talking about companies, not freelance crews who only work cash-in-hand. By the way, there are also such around here in Germany; I know one in our area that builds houses at a fixed price without an invoice for cash at an interesting price, whoever wants that.... I didn’t want that. Karsten

By the way, they also exist in German, I know someone here who builds houses for a fixed price without invoice, paid in cash at an interesting price,

Garden houses or proper ones to live in?