Gracious goddess. What kind of cheapest window is that supposed to be? - that smells at least like plastic without a steel core.
You can't manage without that know-it-all, I’ll-just-give-you-the-expert-bashing tone, can you?
only if they then pull the wool over the builders’ eyes, wall and window cost the same, I still find that pretty lame.
You’re really sticking your neck out!
I (like other builders) don’t plan my house based on the cost of a wall, masonry, or windows, but compactly so that it fits.
Maybe your mental block needs to be untied: no small masonry business will calculate its exact stone consumption. They have flat rates and add a margin on top. Before sitting down in their basement office for hours in the evening, they estimate based on experience, give their offer, and (I hope) manage their mixed calculation at the end of the month. Their offer fits the house, but it’s still flat-rate.
The general contractor has his profit included in his standard house. There is some leeway, which can be exploited by the builder if not pushed to the limit right at contract signing. This probably doesn’t work with every company, but it did with ours. Carrot and stick: 2.3 windows standard plus additionally foiled, the GC hardly cares. Then gladly over 4 sqm, because then it’s deducted again by the mason. Under that, no. But the Velux window costs a pricey 700 including installation. If we had made any small changes on site by the mason: bang – no invoice.
Same with the electrician: standard is defined in the construction service description. The offers are then available to the GC. Now we have 2 more rooms than the standard house. Do you think the electrician cares whether he installs 2 more light switches with ceiling outlet there? Nope! These are small amounts and 10 minutes of effort for him – in the office he would spend longer on the change.
Heating: 2 installers needed at least half a day longer because the client’s wife wanted her heating in that narrow corner. The boss checked every day. I don’t think the GC ever saw an invoice for that – why would he pay more, the offer was agreed upon. Compared to the craftsman, a GC is less generous.
I assume it works like this with many GCs. One thing is charged, the other not. They certainly achieve their profit.
Ultimately, this fact didn’t surprise me – I calculate my projects the same way, in the end everyone has to be happy to have done the business.
P.s. we certainly have no cheap windows, nor expensive exterior masonry.
Regards