Temporary construction power costs over €6,000

Hello everyone,

we have built a single-family house (approx. 160 m² with underfloor heating heated area) and have an air-to-water heat pump (Stiebel Eltron LZW 504). In the contract with the construction company (we purchased turnkey) it is stipulated that "costs and measures for building drying" are the responsibility of the client.

We are satisfied with the construction company so far, but now the shock: We have been invoiced €6,212 for the building drying.

The justification is that the house connection was not yet available during the entire drying phase, and therefore a hotmobile with a power of 19 kW had to be used. The costs are as follows:

Phase 1. 12/20/16 - 01/02/17 Underfloor heating kept frost-free.
14 days at 8 hours at 19 kW at 32 cents/kWh construction power: €680

Phase 2. 01/02/17 - 01/27/17 Underfloor heating heating program to max. temperature
26 days at 20 hours at 19 kW at 32 cents/kWh construction power: €3,161

Phase 3. 01/28/17 - 03/15/17 House kept at 18 degrees room temperature
65 days at 6 hours at 19 kW at 32 cents/kWh construction power: €2,371

A house connection was not yet available at the time of the screed program. Despite the promise to install the electricity meter in week 33/week 34 of 2016, the network operator and its subcontractor took until week 13 of 2017 (!) to install the meter. Despite repeated reminders from me as well as the construction company.

The construction company takes the following position:
- The high costs were not caused by the heating program itself (as the heating element would also be heavily used here), but by phase 3 (maintaining temperature at 18 degrees to prevent pipe freezing and enable work on site)
- For phase 3, the heat pump could have been used, but since the house connection was not yet available, the 19 kW hotmobile had to be used
- Connecting the heat pump to the construction power was not an option, as this was too dangerous because the heat pump compressor is very sensitive and would immediately break, for example if another tradesman briefly disconnects the construction power
- In other words: The construction company places full blame on the network operator as well as the low temperatures

Now my questions:
- How do you assess the chances of making claims against the network operator?
- From my direct circle of acquaintances, I know various examples where the heat pump was connected to the construction power. Are the construction company’s arguments regarding the compressor valid?
- Would the use of a 19 kW hotmobile really have been necessary?

Best regards
Stephan

The use of a Hotmobil for screed drying was also suggested by my construction company. I already feared that it would be very expensive and then preferred to accept a 4-week construction delay until the house connections and the heat pump were installed. During this time, there is constant ventilation and the building dries out a bit on its own.

- From my direct circle of acquaintances, I know several examples where the heat pump was connected to the construction power. Are the arguments from the construction company regarding the compressor valid?

We are getting the same HP. Whether the KP are valid, but the same statement also came from our executing heating company.

Hello Marvinius,

Thank you for your feedback. Unfortunately, there was no communication from the construction company regarding this. In other words, they just did it. Presumably because they were already somewhat behind schedule. If I had had the choice, it would of course have been a good option.

The price for one kilowatt-hour is okay, but over 19,400 kW/h must have been consumed. About 184 kW/h per day.

For me, the question arises whether the Hotmobil has really always operated at the maximum power of 19 KW and whether it even runs on electricity at all? We also use these devices for renovations of larger heating systems, normally they run on heating oil and then the standby + rental + the consumed liters are charged as costs. Applying just the KW here is of course harsh.