Individual planning or general contractor after all?

Hello dear home builders!

We are currently facing the fundamental question of whether to hire a general contractor (Helma, Kern-Haus, Brale ...) or actually have everything planned by an architect and commission local companies. The plot of land is available. The willingness to perform certain tasks ourselves is also there (interior plastering, paving the driveway, laying the floor). Brief data about the planned house: no basement, 170-190 m², gable roof.

I think there are two important questions to consider in this decision:

1. How does the whole thing affect the price?
2. How does the whole thing affect the construction time?

Does anyone of you have experience with this comparison? Perhaps even have done both?
Thank you very much

There are also local GUs (and GÜs). and you can also commission an architect with the planning and a GU with the execution (and the architect with the supervision). Costs are very individual, so one can only say in general that nothing can be generalized. It is best to have a conversation with architects and talk to a few GUs. This way you get the best overview.

Land is available.

That also means it is known at the same time: i.e. you know what the terrain is like (slope, rock / swamp, etc.) and what nuisances are in the development plan or not. And whether the desired house fits into this framework with or without a lot of tinkering.

1. How does all this affect the price?
2. How does all this affect the construction time?

1. The inclusive-permit planner is a very stripped-down version of an architect, also in terms of price, but the cost is not a giveaway.
2. The construction time of the general contractor is the same whether you build with or without an architect.

There are also local GCs (and GC contractors).

Big names often only have big names

and you can also commission an architect with the planning and a GC with the execution (and the architect with the supervision).

The more ordinary the plot and your wishes, the easier it is to do without a self-commissioned, fully qualified architect. But an architect does not exclude a GC: you can (and I generally advise you to) give the architect free rein to consider GCs in the tender. The best person to manage the construction is the one who plans (but does not also act as the builder).

Thank you for the answers. We went to an architect who said he can already recommend companies with which he has had good experiences, but supervision would be a problem.

That means it is also known at the same time: that is, you know what the terrain is like (slope, rock / swamp, etc.) and which nuisances are in the development plan or not. And whether the desired house fits into this framework with or without a lot of tinkering.

Yes, it is known. The development plan is quite relaxed. The architect said a building notice is sufficient.

But if you think that time-wise it is similar and the costs for individual planning don’t get out of hand, I almost think that might be the better choice for us.

As the previous speakers have already said, there are also small regional GUs that do not have model house catalogs or standard house designs in their program, but really build freely planned houses at a fixed price. Try searching for the term "Planungsbüro" in your region (where is the house actually supposed to be built?)

We went to a general contractor here in Reigen with sketches and our ideas, and he built it exactly the way we wanted.