Procedure until the first groundbreaking

Hello Thorsten,
Thank you for your detailed tips.
I will browse the forum on the topic of [Bodengutachten] today and tackle this next.

You have an architect on hand. Isn't it easiest to just ask them?

The point is valid. So what’s the use of an architect? Do they just make nice plans?

Basically, you can’t do much before the building permit. You could also choose the simplified approval procedure and hope that it goes through quickly. Then there’s still enough time before construction starts, which is planned for 2017 anyway in your case.

Before construction starts, further documents must be submitted, such as sound insulation, thermal insulation, or proof of structural stability.

Once you have the building permit, your soil expert will get going; before that everything is fine and good, but if you’re unlucky, you might have to commission them twice. Building permit means you are allowed to build your structure as applied for. The soil expert will then conduct their drilling in two corners of the foundation slab.

But as mentioned in the beginning, what’s the point of the architect?

We don’t have to worry about such things; our architect has her network for that. Sure, ultimately we commission them, you might have your own contact, but usually you rely on the established team if they offer market-standard prices anyway. You can hardly manage that yourself. On Thursday evening, we received the building permit by fax; on Friday, an email was sent to the soil expert; on Monday, he was on our property, and today the report is available. Before you would have found someone yourself and they had time, you could count on 3-4 weeks.

As you can see, it is difficult to give THE answer. But it definitely helped me to have many conversations so that you always make some progress. Because everything you arrange or understand now saves you time later. Even if you take some paths more often.

For example, with us, they also make the offer for house connections when our development area is fully developed. Every construction is different again.

But it is definitely true that the architect must take on more responsibility and provide more consultation.

Hello,

I hope the building application can be submitted by the end of April/16.
Planned start is spring/17.

What would be the next steps now?
- Submit building application and wait for an "OK"? Can something else be done in the meantime?

Commission a soil survey.

- Hire a structural engineer? Or wait for the building permit? According to our architect, the structural stability certificate (statics) can be submitted afterwards, but before the start of construction.

Only after presenting the building permit without conditions; the building authority might find something to criticize and paying twice is bad. The statics will be submitted later; common practice. If you want to build with a general contractor (GU), the statics are included in their scope of delivery.

- Perform heating load calculation? We just want to comply with the Energy Saving Ordinance 16. Does this HLB indicate which U-values the walls, roof, windows, etc. must have? A monolithic wall construction with a 36.5 Ytong wall is planned. Must this calculation be submitted to the building authority?

I would also postpone that to after the building permit; as mentioned, it could be ...

- From when should one approach a heating installer?

If you want to build with individual trades contracts: now, as well as tender the other trades. If you are looking for a GU/general contractor, it's not your problem.

- When should the soil survey be done?

Anytime from now on; the property already belongs to you.

We relied on the statements of the neighbors.
(Supposedly very rocky, !no basement planned!).

Then I hope for you that this initial indication will stand the test of reality.

- Clarify/compare financing? Preferably a loan/a term/fixed interest rate

Isn't it a bit late for that already?

- Looking for a builder?

As soon as you know how much money you can/want to move; so after clarifying financing. A first sniff around the world of model homes/new housing developments would be helpful.

Rhenish regards

Phew.... a lot of information... Thanks again for that. I will first inquire about the house connections. I will bring up the soil survey at the next meeting with the architect, maybe he has someone he works with and has good experience with.