Single-family house – new construction project from day one - and the planning begins

The choice of the chimney should be decided in advance, because the course of the chimney pipe (and that of the ventilation pipe if you decide on that variant) through the upper floor can cause problems. You can always make it smaller later.

The planning from #200 was, as mentioned, only for calculation purposes. We haven't even started the floor plan planning with the architect yet. The next step is exactly that, and among other things we will go through and discuss this exact point with him.

A construction time of 5 months until move-in is very short. Was that promised to you?

Don't such schedules always arise – as in our case too – from the desire to "spend Christmas in your own house"?

No, seriously.... We might be able to start 2 months earlier, depending on the date of the building permit approval. But if we can only move in February/March 2022, that's not a problem either.

Otherwise, the current schedule looks like this: - Beginning of September 2020: decision for construction partner and conclusion of planning contract - until October 2020: written reservation of the plot and subsequently soil survey + surveying - until December 2020: purchase of the plot, conclusion of detailed planning and conclusion of construction financing

How certain is that with the plot? Personally, I would definitely wait for the land purchase contract before proceeding with the construction company. In the worst case, a godchild of the mayor could come and want your "plot" and you end up with the right house on the wrong plot?

You are right. So far, we have only been able to make a verbal reservation and are waiting for the opportunity to make it official. The construction partner we will probably choose is proceeding with us and the detailed planning without any contractual basis (at his own risk).

The contract for work with the general contractor is usually signed only 2-3 months before the start date. To complete the building permit documents, a planning agreement is made with the general contractor.

However, we will only sign the planning agreement after the land purchase.

Therefore, we basically have no legal risks. In the unlikely worst case, it was wasted time, but even then we have already gathered a lot of knowledge and experience for the next start by then.

The planning from #200 was, as mentioned, only for calculation. We have not yet started the floor plan planning with the architect.

The price differences sound like the equipment selection is not quite ready for tender either.

The contract with the general contractor is usually concluded only 2-3 months before the installation date.

Then they should already have some initial production slots available for you the next day.

The price differences sound as if the selection of materials is not quite ready for tender yet.

The final selection of materials takes place in the detailed planning phase, which now follows. For the trades for which a final selection is still pending, initial estimates based on experience have been applied:

Electrical installation: 16.55 TEUR
Rough installation and sanitary objects: 27.11 TEUR

The house price is a fixed price and accordingly binding for the general contractor (from commissioning the planning). All other trades are included (excluding tiles, floor coverings, painting, and plastering work).

Consequently, the price differences are due to the fact that Provider 1 is a small local general contractor and the other two are large nationwide prefabricated house manufacturers. Also, the difference between Provider 1 and 2 is only 16 TEUR. Provider 3 has indicated that there will be a substantial discount on the estimated final price...

In case of doubt, however, it may happen that material price increases occur in the time between submission of the offer and signing of the planning contract and are passed on to us.

Then they should already have first production slots free for you the next day.

It is something like that. If we continue with them now, the company will reserve one of the 10-15 production slots in the 2021 calendar for us.

It is a former small carpentry business from the region that has specialized in building single-family homes for 15 years. Accordingly, a lot of trust-based work (from both sides) takes place here.

Two acquaintances of ours also built with the general contractor and are highly satisfied. Commitments were always kept. There were no hidden costs or significant subsequent price increases.

It is a former small carpentry business from the region that has specialized in building single-family houses for 15 years.

I wanted to ask you via private message if you had already mentioned it, but once again it doesn't work :-(