First consultation appointment with the prefabricated house manufacturer

Hello everyone,
first of all, many thanks to everyone for the high participation on this topic. It somehow shows that opinions are partly very different and various experiences come together – but that is not a problem and actually a good thing. I created this topic because our first appointment did not go as we had imagined and I wanted to know if it just went badly or if that is simply the current state of things and reality. In some posts, I have the feeling that people take this personally – which, to be honest, I cannot quite understand. This should only be an exchange of experiences.

But for example, I gave you the advice to go to an architect. That is, for example, the usual way in the case of a problematic plot or builders who want to be sure.

We can now also go around in circles as you are writing your concern, which you have already shared in the initial post.

We cannot change things.

You are absolutely right, and that is also one of the next steps we will most likely take – thanks for the advice.

The consultation you expect for free is bordering on cheekiness

I never said with one word that I expect all that!! I said that I would wish for it that way. It was always just about receiving information about what is realistic to expect! And apart from that, the initial post by ONeil clearly proves that such a thing is definitely possible. The consultation I really expect for free is done with 3 hours of work. Just a site inspection and a personal assessment/recommendation. And to call me cheeky because of such an expectation is, to be honest, cheeky of you. What do you think how many hours every day at a furniture store or car dealer people are advised “for free”? And with a house, it’s about completely different sums! And if a house provider still doesn’t do that before the contract, then it most likely only means that they have full order books and simply don’t need to, and not that it’s cheeky on the part of the customer.

As a builder, you should not be too proud to put some effort into your own head if you have to watch your budget. You want to know if the plot is suitable? Look at the building plan.

No idea how you come to that, but I’m not too proud for anything at all! Is that your advice to a layperson who started dealing with this whole topic just a few weeks ago? Just look at the building plan and put some effort into your head...?

Yes, and many builders have already overcome slope locations.

It’s not about somehow getting through it. We are investing an amount that we will probably pay off for >30 years. So, of course, we try to exclude as many risks (that we don’t know) as possible.

@TE: Do you even have an idea what is currently going on in the market?!!! No one... who even remotely knows something and has a reputation, waits for you.

No, I didn’t/haven’t, that’s why this thread. That’s why I’m asking here with people who have already gained these experiences.

And, for the last time, I repeat myself, a draft takes several weeks because it needs to develop.
For a calculation, a standard house design from the drawer is enough!

Visit your property, let it and the surroundings affect you, look at the development plan (I had the impression that you have already done that) and place some standard houses from the internet that you like on it. Draw something and see if your rough ideas fit. Don’t disempower yourselves.
Next, turn to an architect. You can always build with a general contractor later.

That’s what everyone does!

This is a post that ultimately is also my conclusion and describes how we will proceed. Many thanks, ypg!
And please don’t take my questioning and my ideas amiss. This is all new territory for us, and we have obviously somewhat misjudged everything. And I believe there are worse ways than informing yourself about the circumstances in a forum before blindly going ahead. We are not resistant to advice and will proceed based on this.

...The consultation that I really expect for free is done with 3 hours of work. Just a site visit to the building plot and a personal assessment/recommendation. And to call me impudent because of such an expectation is honestly impudent of you. What do you think how many hours of consultation every day are given "for free" in a furniture store or at a car dealership.

Well, that's really funny, because we have a furniture store. So I happen to know exactly what you are talking about. And that’s the annoying thing. Everyone thinks consultation is free. Well, supply and demand take care of that by themselves.

But apart from that, I didn’t want to insult you. Sorry for maybe the harsh words. You’re still at the very beginning, we all were at that stage once. Then I want to put it another way. I think that someone strolling through your land with you right at the start and wasting 3 hours without ever seeing anything back for it is, at least, doing something. I also don’t understand yet what exactly the problem is with the plot? Is there a soil report? If yes, maybe there’s something ominous in it? What is the builder supposed to tell you about your plot?

Exactly, then you know what I mean. Sure, free advice can be really annoying. I totally agree that it regulates itself through supply and demand. I think we can check off that point.

No problem at all, I am definitely not petty. I just didn’t want to leave it like that.

Exactly, there is a soil report. According to this, about 1.5 meters of soil exchange must be done. The responsible municipality will cover this exchange. And to arrange this, they need a rough floor plan of the "desired house" on the plot. Only when the municipality has this will another soil expert be commissioned to drill precisely at the spots where the building is planned to stand. And I would simply like to have an expert's opinion on this. It’s also about whether we can or perhaps must build a basement in this case. And that leads to potential additional costs, etc...
And these are important factors for us that we would have liked to have known before purchasing the plot.
But as I said, we are now hiring an architect, and he will take a look at the whole thing.

Exactly, there is a soil survey. According to this, about 1.5m of soil exchange must be done. The responsible municipality will cover the cost of this exchange. And to arrange this, you need a rough floor plan of the "desired house" on the property. Only when the municipality has this will another soil surveyor be commissioned to drill specifically at the spots where the building is supposed to stand.

Imagine your building ground as a swimming pool, and the various soils as liquids (or modeling clay balls) of different viscosities. Communicating tubes, see physics book. The idea of precisely punching out an area under the house where you improve the ground, and all forces "stay" obediently there and do not "communicate" with the crumbs next door, is, in my opinion, highly naive. Even funnel-shaped replacement at 75 or even 60° slopes, "washed out," is only suitable to a limited extent. If the ground is no good, it is no good over a large area.

...
Exactly, there is a soil assessment. According to this, about 1.5m of soil replacement must be done. The responsible municipality will cover this replacement. And to arrange this, you need a rough floor plan of the "desired house" on the plot. Only once the municipality has this will another soil assessor be commissioned, who will specifically drill where the building is supposed to stand. And I would simply like to have an expert’s opinion on this....

You don’t need the floor plan, but rather the approximate dimensions of the house and, of course, roughly where the house is supposed to stand. Usually, there is a building window that doesn't allow much leeway. But of course, if you yourself move around the templates of parking spaces/garage and house, the approximate position of the house is established, which the geologist can then adhere to. Being off by a meter or two doesn’t matter.

A flowery comparison:

If you just want to stay fit, you go to the gym, get shown the general exercises, and then train on your own.
If you have physical problems, you go to the doctor, who after some examinations refers you to a radiologist; with the radiologist’s screening and evaluation, you go back to the doctor, who then gives you guidelines for training.

Your fitness is your house, your body the plot, the radiologist the geologist, the doctor the architect, the gym the house building company.
One should always go to the geologist, the house building company can also read the foundation recommendation without a doctor...uh... architect. Only some builders are absolutely unsure about how to imagine their house on the plot. Then they should bring in an expert, here: the architect. As you now

Regards, Yvonne