GU, customer service and communication extremely frustrating

Thank you for the lively participation on the topic. We also do not take it for granted that changes can still be made during the construction phase. That’s why we ask. We do not demand an answer within 24 hours, and even if a reply takes a week, we understand. It’s also not the case that we show up every three days with questions. We prioritize according to our best knowledge and conscience, collect our questions, and then come around every few weeks with a series of questions. Now it will be almost four weeks without a reply.

The tip to ask the construction supervisor if this is normal for him is a good idea. I have to call him again later anyway.

Since the start of construction, I have been regularly on the site. I provide the people on site with water and various snacks. During carnival, there were Berliner doughnuts. This was always very well received. And of course, I also talk to the people there. And here lies a problem or rather a conflict. When I ask questions there, the answer is often, "Clarify that with the general contractor (GU)." When I ask when trade xy will be there, the answer is "Ask the GU." I try to be on site at least once a week. I almost completely missed the roofers. No one on site knew in advance when they would come. One morning I met them by chance. And the next day they were already done. Don’t get me wrong, it’s great that it went so quickly and smoothly, but if I had been there not on Tuesday but, say, Thursday, I would not have seen the workers at all. Sometimes I also received completely different statements from the site and from the GU. At the site it was often said, "Good that you are here, you have to decide on this and that soon and definitely get in touch with the GU." I contact the GU. No answer. For days. And then? The colleagues at the site pressured and already asked what’s going on with this and that. And at some point I told my GU it was very urgent (not because I was impatient, but because it was conveyed to me that way). Then the GU did get back to me and contradicted, saying the topics from the people were not important at all and everything could wait. I then passed this on on site and, oh wonder, that was completely fine! So why the hurry, I just ask myself. That shows me that I have to take the information on site with a grain of salt and that most information ultimately has to be obtained from the GU.

But the tradespeople on the construction site don’t know at all who is next, maybe not even which contracting company it is. Before the start, I received a list from the site manager with all the contracting companies including phone numbers. So I had direct contact. I never had to “disturb” the general contractor. The site manager always got back to me quickly if she was not immediately reachable. I then directly discussed my wishes with the drywall installer for a pre-wall for the sink, the tub surround, and a boxing-in of a pipe in the utility room. No general contractor was involved. It was really all totally simple. I had really imagined the house construction to be much, much more stressful.

We have been building since January 22 with a regional general contractor and the communication (as well as everything else) is going excellently.

We received a construction schedule in December 21, which has been almost perfect so far. Some trades were faster than indicated in the plan, and the screed was delayed by a week, but that is also communicated. When we have questions or notice (sometimes alleged) defects on or around the house, we inform them and then receive corresponding answers or, here and there, immediate corrections have been made.

Apart from the fact that your questions might be unimportant here and there, I completely agree with you that you should at least know the approximate process. Now that the interior work is underway, it should be somewhat predictable for the general contractor. Speaking with your independent construction supervisor about how you can achieve this, I think, is a good idea.

I’m keeping my fingers crossed!

We have been building since January 22 with a regional general contractor and the communication (as well as everything else) is going excellently. We received a construction schedule in December 21, which has been almost perfect so far. Some trades were faster than indicated on the plan, and the screed was postponed by a week, but that is communicated as well. If we have questions or notice (sometimes perceived) defects on or around the house, we report them and then receive appropriate answers or corrections have been made here and there directly. Apart from the fact that your questions here and there might be unimportant, I completely agree with you that you should at least learn the approximate process. If the interior finishing is now underway, that should be somewhat predictable for the general contractor as well. Talking to your independent construction supervisor about how you can achieve this is, I think, a good idea. I’m keeping my fingers crossed!

Except for the communication, which is rather adequate, it’s the same for us. At the beginning, there was a construction plan. It fits very well at the moment. And then 1-2 weeks before the start of the next trade, an extra email is always sent confirming that trade xy is actually starting now.

We also don't take it for granted that something can still be changed during the construction phase

It is common practice to discuss the electrical system on site during the construction of a solid house and to order some changes or upgrades directly with the craftsman. For example, with the

Drywall installer

plumber, electrician, tiler, plasterer… in our case, it was sometimes like this: the craftsmen contacted us because only then was it clear that the company was working on our site. This is often only tendered during the construction of the house if the main contractor has several companies on hand. Hence also the missing construction schedule

No one on the construction site knew in advance when they would come. One morning I met them by chance. And the next day they were already finished. Don’t get me wrong, it’s great that it went so quickly and smoothly, but if I hadn’t been there on Tuesday but say on Thursday, I wouldn’t have seen the people at all.

Did you want something from the roofers? (We did not see the screeding people.) That’s exactly the mentioned difference compared to the main contractor/architect. It can be that guarantees to "see each other" do not exist.

This shows me that I have to take the info on the construction site with a grain of salt at times and that most of the info ultimately has to be obtained from the main contractor.

How should the employees of the contracted craft company know anything? They only receive their work orders from their boss and often don’t know the client.

I almost completely missed the roofers. No one on the construction site knew in advance when they would come. One morning I happened to run into them. And the next day they were already finished.

Would that have been dramatic if you had missed them? Or in general, if a trade is completed in your absence? I can still understand that in case of change requests, but when building with a general contractor, as an unexperienced person, I don’t quite see why that would be so bad. :oops: Especially when the results also meet the expert’s approval. So, I know that the "I move in turnkey" faction is sometimes frowned upon here, but maybe a bit more calmness wouldn’t hurt?