Recommendations GU in the Heidelberg area

The problem I see with hiring an architect through individual contracts is that it is very difficult to make a good choice without personal recommendations. In contrast, with general contractors (GUs) and prefabricated house providers, you can find numerous - including current - reviews. The fact is that significantly fewer houses are built with architects through individual contracts in the single-family home sector - at least I don’t know anyone in my circle of acquaintances - so there are no concrete recommendations. The problem partly lies in the fee model itself. Apart from a free, one-hour preliminary discussion, the architect does not engage in any acquisition efforts, unlike GUs and prefabricated house providers. However, no one wants to test 2-3 architects for a few thousand euros to check if their ideas and concepts align with their own. You can look at their references, but actually, you would rather see concrete proposals or suggestions for your building project. I believe if architects were more open in this regard, more houses would be built with architects. The second problem I see with architects is that they build significantly fewer single-family houses than a GU. Since we are currently in a phase of severe raw material and skilled labor shortages, it is assumed that a GU rather has proven supply chains and craftsmen at hand. This also speaks more in favor of a GU.

The GUs already listed here are certainly recommendable, and in the region sought, a noticeable amount of building is done with Weton. This means many private builders have decided in favor of them, which at least speaks for their good sales. Viebrockhaus is also very popular, but according to a social media group, they seem to be struggling with the corona crisis. Wonnegau apparently currently has no capacity for new customers. If you have further questions, you can provide a contact option here. Unfortunately, I cannot send you a PM.

You can look at their references, but actually you want to see concrete proposals or suggestions for your construction project. I believe that if architects opened up more here, more building would be done with architects.

You may be right about that, but otherwise it seems to me that some naive ideas need to be cleared up in some minds: only a few general contractors have a high proportion of permanent core staff or cover all or most trades at all, a more or less small core team and (more often than Little Fritzchen thinks) changing subcontractors are more common. How well an architect knows their regulars largely depends on or is connected with whether the architect is local to the construction site. On the internet, I may be able to read a lot about a general contractor – but whether they will use the same subs again with me, only the gods know. This does not provide more certainty or transparency.

GU, which have been mentioned here in the forum in some places:
- Weton


Has anyone already had positive experiences with them?

Yes, but only up to the signature in Frankenthal.
That should then also be the area of responsibility for you in Heidelberg. Limburg directly is probably something different again.
We were also fooled. Years ago they were probably still good. Not anymore now...

We would no longer build with Weton.

Yes, but only up to the signature in Frankenthal. That should then also be the area of responsibility for you in Heidelberg. Limburg directly is probably something different again. We were also fooled. Years ago they were probably still good. Not anymore nowadays...

We would no longer build with Weton.

Can you please explain that a bit more concretely?

Can you please justify that a bit more concretely?

I assume that is meant.

My neighbor built with Weton years ago and was very satisfied. Currently, our (soon) neighbor is building with Weton. When I am back on the property, I will directly ask how the construction process is going.