The structural construction company cancels one day after the excavation work began!

Now a letter from the company has arrived. They write that they have no time for the construction project and that we do not even have a legally binding contract.

I think this is really helpful now :)

Then it is now up to you (and a specialist lawyer) to prove the opposite and, if applicable, to claim damages.

However, before that, (if a contractual relationship actually exists) the formally correct procedure must be followed, i.e., setting a default, etc... but your lawyer will handle that for you.

In the meantime, have your architect call around for a new shell builder.

Speaking of the architect... what does he say about it? Isn't his job to coordinate the trades and ensure safety in the planning?

The architect was of course really uncomfortable about it. So was the civil engineer ... he recommended the shell builder to us back then.

My architect arranged a new shell builder on the very same day. He was actually the first choice at the time but had withdrawn his offer due to lack of time. Thanks to the excellent winter so far, he now has capacity and can start in 3 weeks. He stands by his previous offer and continues to offer me a written contract for work to calm my nerves and because he considers the way his predecessor acted a disgrace in his industry.

In my humble opinion, I advise you to let it go. It is of course annoying and the old company is stupid, but you are lucky and have your peace...

So? Will you conclude a contract for work and services with the new shell construction contractor? [emoji6]

Once again: accepting a binding offer is a perfectly normal contract. I do this professionally almost every day and sometimes it involves eight-figure sums. All the details just have to be in the offer.

Nobody is saying otherwise. [emoji4] I just wonder why expose yourself to the risk of later finding it significantly harder to prove that you accepted a specific offer? It doesn't even take 5 minutes. "I hereby accept the offer dated ... in the version ... under the conditions stated therein. Please confirm briefly." You wouldn't even need the last sentence. But to each their own risk tolerance and taste. I just find it negligent, especially with amounts like these, not to do so... What industry are you actually in? I ask because in my professional life, I've never experienced with any employer that such contract sums were approved without a written contract. On the contrary: usually, lawyers first draft a contract... so it would be interesting to know in which industry such amounts are approved verbally and with a handshake...