Pre-sampling / Sampling / First conversation with the house provider

Well, I will be in debt for many years because of this, so I want to know beforehand what I am buying. From a reliable source: means from other builders we know. I have also read quite a bit here, but not only in this forum. When I buy a new car, I have the catalog in front of me beforehand and can configure the car. You know what it will ultimately cost with what you want. That additional incidental costs arise later in house construction, which no one could estimate beforehand, is absolutely clear. I also understand that an exact calculation down to the cent is not possible, no matter the provider. But questions that can be calculated in advance, such as whether I am satisfied with the standard bathtub or want the one for a 300€ surcharge, can be clarified beforehand and I want to clarify that beforehand. Something like that alone would be enough for me in advance. I don't need to touch and know everything beforehand (meaning: I also understand that they don't do two days of full-time selection for non-customers), but at least the rough range, yes. I find distrust justified at this point. Or rather, let's say healthy skepticism.

Up to the selection process, we were genuinely interested; after that, not so much. The prices in detail and what the standard is in detail (specifically: these are our 10 exterior plaster colors, these are the 5 interior doors, etc.) are not provided there before the contract is signed.

We will wait for the construction services specification and then see what happens next. Maybe we can still come to an agreement. But I have to be honest: otherwise, they will simply be out.

The plot is available, we had the documents with us. The construction should take place by 2019 at the latest, but it can also be earlier. Planning simply takes its time. I wouldn’t start gathering offers in February 2017 if I want to be in the house by April 2018.

I don’t want to write who we are talking about because I don’t want to risk a lawsuit for defamation or something like that. It is a regional company that, according to the advisor, builds about 50 houses per year.

Just choose another construction company. For me, that would have ended the discussion right there. During the planning phase, two companies dropped out beforehand. They were "catalog companies" with - as you said - salespeople who had no idea about the subject matter themselves.

So for us it was like this: The seller was able to give us a calculated price for just about every detail we considered important. That was the standard product, usually the simplest from a brand company. So no junk but also no golden faucets. If we wanted something different, we could immediately see from the price what we would pay extra. The difference was especially striking with the tiles and the staircase. The other things were also more expensive, but that didn’t blow us away. Maybe that is an option?

As I said, we will talk to them again. Not least because my husband is very convinced of them. I am also satisfied with information about individual providers they work with and with whom one can go for a viewing. The main thing is that I can get an idea before signing whether I am satisfied with the standard and, if not, what the extras roughly cost. Whether this is done through a preliminary sample or through a very detailed construction description (based on which I can get an idea in the specialist shop) doesn’t really matter to me. Only yesterday the consultant gave the impression that this was practically not possible. Maybe we talked past each other. But he definitely claimed that there is no preliminary sampling anywhere, and that is simply not true and he must know that. Just in the show home park yesterday, there are several companies offering it and they are his direct competitors, about whom he surely knows. And that immediately leaves a sour taste with me, which then leads to mistrust.

I assume that many questions will be clarified with the construction service description.
Also, if I were you, I would request all prices or brands of installed items. However, these should be stated in the construction service description.

Regards