Planning contract ... A new trick for quick customer retention?

Hello,

I just wanted to generally ask around how your experiences have been when obtaining offers regarding the fact that you first had to sign a planning contract / work contract (in the field of construction companies) before receiving a more detailed cost estimate / offer.

We ourselves only really approached and made an effort with a few construction companies, as we had already "sorted out" some beforehand. Also based on gut feeling or after phone calls. With 2 out of 3 construction companies, we were first supposed to sign a planning / work contract, from which we could withdraw within a period of X free of charge. Strangely enough, this still ultimately always ended with "planning costs" of up to 1800 € or more.

Therefore, I wonder how I am supposed to "compare" as an interested party if almost everyone holds a planning / work contract under my nose before I get a more detailed offer regarding the costs?

On the one hand, I can understand that it is of course an effort to create various drawings and make a more accurate cost calculation. But it can't be the be-all and end-all that this makes it impossible to compare construction companies ...?

Understand the perspective and concerns... nevertheless, a counter question...

How about the architect?

I understand the perspective and concerns... still, counter question...

How about with the architect?

I generally excluded the architect because planning is basically done from scratch there. Construction companies usually have catalogs with ready-made floor plans, where you might only make minor changes. Surely, not everything is planned from scratch there.

But my main point was whether this has now become a common type of construction company.

Well, it's not that simple. Even with prefab house manufacturers, you only get approximate values. But if you go to the prefab house manufacturers in solid construction, e.g. H.v.H., you get a somewhat more concrete statement... which you can then forget about because usually only afterwards it becomes clear what all "on-site" additions or upgrades are made.

"That" catalog house is probably something few general contractors have. Most of those we were in contact with referred to references but would have otherwise started drawing with us on a blank sheet of paper. That's what neighbors in the building area also told me. It may vary.

The problem is that in this case planning and execution are supposed to be done by one company. If you go to a general contractor with a finished plan, you will also get a more reliable statement.

By the way, I find comparisons in this area extremely difficult. If there wasn't a concrete tender, it is difficult to compare offers anyway.

Is it now common for general contractors to charge money? I can't answer that, a similar topic came up here recently. I believe both exist.

This is nothing new at all. It has always been done this way, although not as frequently by more and more companies. And just recently (not in house construction) I noticed something where I would have had to pay 50€, which would then be reimbursed if I committed. For example, alternative practitioners take this approach when they test your blood work. If you then book treatments, you get the fee for the blood test back or it is offset.

Die Bauunternehmen haben ja meistens Kataloge mit fertigen Grundrissen, wo man ggf. nur kleinere Änderungen macht. Da wird sicherlich nicht from scratch alles neu geplant.

Changes like one wall or windows (or two or three) usually cost nothing or barely matter. You don’t need a quote for one euro (or 10 or 100 or 1000); what’s important is the comparison of the construction service description and the inquiry of important additional costs. There are several threads about this here.

a similar topic was discussed here recently.

correct: - so recent that it is still fresh out of the oven.