Surprising changes to the construction plan by the structural engineer

Hello everyone! I need to bring up the topic again.

We bought an end-terrace house through a developer (BPD), which is currently under construction.

Now, the construction company responsible (weisenburger) has informed us that the ground in the building area is not as load-bearing as initially thought and that structural changes (in particular, the installation of a 25 x 25 cm support, which extends from the basement to the 2nd floor) have to be made to the house.

The question now is whether we simply have to accept this. The support, which runs through the hallway and the bathroom among other areas, is quite bothersome to us!

The developer contract includes a reservation for changes, which allows the developer to make such changes if necessary and if they are not detrimental in value or unreasonable for the buyer.

That the change is necessary is beyond question. We certainly do not want our house to collapse someday or develop severe cracks, but in my opinion, the change does reduce the value or is at least restrictive. In this respect, I would consider at least a slight price reduction to be appropriate. Unfortunately, we are encountering deaf ears with the developer, so I am considering hiring a lawyer and possibly withdrawing from the purchase.

Before I do that, however, I wanted to ask here in advance if you have any relevant experience. Unfortunately, I cannot find any rulings involving structural changes on Google. Additionally, I wonder whether the soil report should not have already excluded some requirements regarding structural engineering before construction.

Thank you very much in advance!

The change is necessary, that is beyond question. We certainly don’t want our house to collapse one day or develop severe cracks, but in my opinion the change does reduce the value or is restrictive. Therefore, I would at least consider a slight purchase price reduction appropriate. Unfortunately, we are met with deaf ears by the developer, so I am considering hiring a lawyer and possibly withdrawing from the purchase.

In my opinion, you have no claim to anything. Where is the devaluation? 25x25cm is practically nothing, that’s 1/16 sqm!!! As a developer, I wouldn’t agree to absolutely anything.

Sure that it is a property developer? Then you would buy the finished house en bloc and not have two companies as contracting parties as described.

If not, why didn’t you commission a soil survey beforehand?

Otherwise: With construction prices of assumed 2500 euros/m2 and 0.0625m2 on two floors, we are talking about 200 euros loss in value... if that will be the worst mistake in the construction project, you can consider yourself lucky.

Are you sure it is a property developer? Then you would buy the finished house en bloc and not have two companies as contracting parties as described.

If not, why didn’t you commission a ground survey beforehand?

Otherwise: With construction prices of assumed 2500 euros/m2 and 0.0625m2 on two floors, we are talking about 200 euros loss in value.... if that will be the worst blunder in the construction project, you can consider yourself lucky.

Yes, certainly. Weisenburger is the executing construction company for our contracting partner BPD. Basically, we have nothing to do with Weisenburger and also did not have to commission a ground survey because we bought the finished house en bloc, as you said.

In my opinion, the loss in value is not due to the loss of area, but simply due to the presence of the support.

How do you objectively determine the depreciation then, that is, how should it be quantified? More than 200 euros would be an illusion and obtaining this would probably require a lot of time and nerves, which on such a construction site can often be much better invested.

I consider a visible support "standing in the room" to be a significant disadvantage compared to a smooth wall, which I originally purchased. No idea how that should be quantified, but it is definitely a disadvantage for me. I also only buy every other product as described or agreed upon.