Renegotiation of payment plan, please help

provided that the Building Code applies to the contract, not the VOB

Which contractor voluntarily submits to the VOB?

There are several weeks between the screed and “weiter gehts.” Plenty of time for someone to go bankrupt... and then you only have 10% left in reserve, even though a lot is still missing.

The following are missing:
- Stairs
- Interior doors
- Front door (filling)
- Sanitary (all assembly parts/final installation)
- Tiles?
- Floor/wall work
- All electrical fittings (switches, sockets, etc.)
- According to your plan, completion of heating (the boiler must be in for screed drying, right?!)

It is generally the case that construction companies want to charge a little more than they actually "need." You just have to make sure that it balances out.

Much more important is knowing the securities and having a good feeling that the whole project will succeed. What do other clients say about this company? Drive around new development areas! Current experiences are worth 1000 times more than a 2% better payment plan. How is the construction progressing for others? Are the executions neat, is the service as described? How long have they been in business and which companies are being used (the same as those that might be used for you?!)

If you don’t like the whole thing, you have to build/buy with a developer (you buy the land + house from one company/person). This undercuts the whole broker story and the installments are clearly defined.

PS: Whoever is already (legally) arguing before construction starts will definitely have a lot of fun during the build. Why did you even sign if such purely contractual aspects don’t fit?! We got a bank guarantee for 10%.

The company initially made a serious impression. We looked at a house they had built. There is nothing to complain about. However, I did not get that recommendation from them. I met the builders here in the forum. Everything was fine with them and the house had only recently been completed. In the meantime, the company had parted ways with the architect. They called him a "Flachzange". I heard different experiences. Maybe he was too expensive for them and they found a cheap flyer. The current architect has his office 700 km away. He only came once and did not implement our wishes. All plans are our ideas, none came from him. When I speak to someone in the construction company, I hear: "You have to know what you want." I call that great advice. Now I have found an architect nearby, I pay him myself and he charges fairly. The house building company is a total failure for me.

To this day, I have no bank guarantee, but the following message from the managing director: "On the subject of the guarantee, we have already written everything necessary. The submission of a guarantee is dispensable. The construction contract regulates the procedure clearly and with legal certainty in your favor."

Then I guess my only option left is to go to court

I am somewhat torn. What does the Bundesanzeiger say about the company? Are you aware of the consequences? Do you have peace and cohesion for the escalation?
The fact that the planning performance is inadequate is of course not acceptable – but the question is a bit what you expect. GÜs often have the peculiarity of not necessarily having the best-trained planners on hand – but that is part of the business model. A certain standardization and straightforwardness at a fair price.
A good! freelance architect may conjure up great buildings for you with architectural ambition and artistic value; individually tailored, meticulously planned mixed facades, oval window elements, etc. – but of course all that has to be paid for. Both the planning service and the construction supervision and execution. Are you willing to pay for that – or do you even want that?