Hello everyone,
I would like to give you an update to keep you informed.
The windows are installed and the house is currently being plastered from the inside. In two weeks, the screed will be laid. Everything is going largely according to plan, and we have also stayed within the budget.
A few comments on the trades:
Shell construction:
We hired a good and cooperative company. We agreed that we could build the garage walls ourselves and use the company’s tools. This mostly worked well, but it was also exhausting and time-consuming. Once, a corner almost collapsed, which was pretty bad and gave me a scare. In the end, however, everything went well. The costs increased by €4,000 because we made some last-minute changes.
Roof truss: The roof truss was erected by the company. One employee of the company and four helpers were involved in laying the tiles. This went very well despite the bad weather. We decided to procure and install the insulation ourselves at short notice, which saved us €4,000. With two helpers, we needed a week for this.
Building services:
We had to carry out all the chipping work ourselves, apply a meter line, and mark where everything should go. I noticed that building services technicians and electricians often prefer surface-mounted work and say: "Yes, you can cover that up later." Luckily, I forbade all surface-mounted work and did the chipping work myself. Dry construction takes longer and costs more than making a few grooves in the wall. I can only recommend avoiding all pre-wall and dry construction work. This often requires initiative, as the companies do not suggest it on their own.
Electrical: The electrician has cost me the most nerves so far. I have had to strongly support and supervise him. However, he was the cheapest, and despite the problems, I would probably choose him again due to the huge price difference compared to other electricians. Meanwhile, I really cannot understand why electrical work in general is so expensive.
Windows:
We did very little ourselves here; everything was handled by the company. There was only one delivery delay with the windows. Unfortunately, I completely forgot the interior window sills, but that was solved quickly. A grinding shop nearby delivered the suitable granite window sills within a week, which I then installed with a helper in one day.
Plastering:
I had not considered some preparations for the plasterer. However, the delay with the windows gave me time to catch up on these. I was able to do the dry construction for the pre-walls and other smaller jobs. We took care of the garage sealing ourselves, which was more expensive because the company wanted to use a rigid sealing slurry. Personally, I preferred the flexible option, but it was significantly more expensive.
My conclusion so far:
There is always a lot to do, and hardworking helpers are indispensable. Planning leisure time is difficult because you have to take the days as they come. Working together is more efficient; alone, you need significantly more time. Good planning and time management are crucial, as well as good communication with the companies. You should not accept everything said without questioning. Sometimes shoddy work is presented as good, sometimes things are classified as tricky, which in hindsight is not always true.
