What did you indulge in at the house, what did you give up?

You have your opinion and I respect that, but I have several houses in the immediate vicinity that were built by different renowned and not cheap general contractors, where quite a few things went wrong, for example, the construction sites stood still for weeks without any apparent reasons and the buyers were only given excuses over the phone... sometimes defects were not fixed and in one case the matter went to court and led to the dissolution of the contract and the builders ended up finishing the house themselves...

As I said, none of this was done by so-called "cheap providers" that you keep talking about...

And I don’t think companies in the rest of the country operate differently than here with us, especially since many are active nationwide.


I think you mean me with the motorized lock... it’s a GU-Security with an A-opener... meaning it can be opened electrically, whether by phone, key combination, or otherwise... it’s up to the homeowner... although you have to consider this very carefully here.

One advantage of the lock is that it locks itself as soon as the door closes and the door is thus insuredly locked without having to turn the key.

@all

There are a few small things I forgot that we have installed or had installed:

- Air conditioning in the bedrooms
- WK2 windows
- Front door with steel insert

Sorry , I must have confused the nicknames. Thanks for the explanation. I have to admit that I don't know our window locks - they just have these mushroom heads, someone recommended them to us. Maybe the electric shutters also provide a certain level of burglary protection, although half the people always disagree when I say that. I think it's good that you guys have put some thought into security. Or do you live in a particularly risky area?

No, not really, except that it is the capital and ranks third in the nationwide statistics...we just wanted a bit more security than usual...but not a fortress with a moat and drawbridge either...

The professionals get in anyway, but at least this keeps casual criminals away

Roller shutters without special measures offer no burglary protection, that's clear, but they also deter the opportunistic thief...because to overcome them first, you need extra time and cause additional noise...

Besides, the shading is very effective...and in summer you have heat somewhat better under control...

I also understand that there are many "good" GUs out there... we would build with ours again anytime... but most companies operate differently... at least, that's the impression I get when I read the builder diaries, etc... but I digress...

Well – generally, you have to say that those who decide to publish (on the internet) are more likely the ones who had bad experiences. Positive things are taken for granted. It seems to be a - how shall I say - German mentality in general. Criticize the negative, but don’t praise the positive. It’s also a strange mentality that some people can’t handle praise (e.g. "You did a good job." --> "Well – it wasn’t that difficult." "Yes, but ... [downplaying the praise again]")

Ashes on my own head: I want to share my very positive experiences with our GU here, but so far I haven’t found the time to do so.

Hello,

first of all, I am happy for you that you obviously made a good choice!

.... but I have several houses in the immediate vicinity that were built by different renowned and not cheap general contractors, where quite a few things went wrong, e.g. the construction sites stood still for weeks without any apparent reason and on the phone the buyers were only appeased... sometimes defects were not remedied and in one case the matter went to court and led to the contract being dissolved and the builders ultimately finished the house themselves...

I do not want to deny at all that such stories as yours can be part of the topic of house construction; I do not live on the moon. I just have something against generalized prejudices which – on closer inspection – often turn out differently. So many people are involved in house construction – from the first consultation to the handover of the keys – mistakes are programmed, because they are people and not robots who take on this adventure.

How should you and I, for example, know why the construction stood still for weeks if not from the consideration of both parties’ opinions? For example, I have experienced that windows were ordered incorrectly, but not because the builder ordered them wrongly, rather the builders decided after approval to enhance their single-family house with transom elements instead of floor-to-ceiling windows with French balconies. However, outwardly they communicated that the builder was to blame for the delay. Also – when several construction projects of one builder are to be realized in the immediate vicinity, sometimes a ringleader emerges and confuses the rest … etc.

Here, for example, a documentation was published in which all the trouble is attributed to the builder. Since I know the case personally, I know very well that neither the builder nor the builder’s customer have covered themselves with glory, and both bear responsibility for the current mess. But – again to the outside world it is said, the bad builder. Admitting mistakes is still more difficult than shifting blame to someone else. And anyway, who wants to check that ... in house construction everyone tends rather to believe the builder’s customer than a general contractor/general builder/site manager/architect or even salesperson. A bunch ... all robbers, if not criminals anyway …

I also know that – just as there are lemon cars – there are construction projects that are under no lucky star from start to finish; these end up in court. No question. Only – once again – these things do by no means represent the average of the building projects submitted in Germany. Many more building projects run quite calmly and as planned – with names of providers or builders that probably no one here has heard of yet – than it appears in the public eye. You are, by the way, yourself a good example that it runs well and hopefully, like the Doc, you will publicly post the good course of construction.

And even if nobody here likes to hear it: in the overwhelming majority of cases the builders’ customers are to blame for the slow progress of the building project or the occurrence of “alleged” defects after handover. Either because they consider themselves smarter than the rest of the world and commission a cheap provider and then land on the ground of reality. Or – increasingly and observed by me with great concern – trust the internet and its self-appointed prophets more than the usual requirements of house construction.

What do you actually think is the reason that I repeatedly bring an independent expert into play? Because I enjoy boring the users here or holding out my hand somewhere? Not at all! An independent expert today rather has the job of a mediator than the application of learned subject matter. Well ... the expert should of course not come from an association dear to my heart. And if problems arise during the building project, the expert acts as a buffer between builder’s customer and provider and will bring many things to a factual level in advance, keep it there and solve it to mutual satisfaction.

We surely agree that mistakes may happen, only how they are dealt with is decisive

Rhenish greetings

I see it the way you do, deterring opportunistic burglars, yes, but professionals – all I can do is hope they have more lucrative targets than our little house. They would surely destroy much more value in damages than they could actually carry away from us.

The fact that the motorized shutters can't be pushed up (far) was at least another convincing argument of my husband’s, with which he ultimately persuaded me to agree to the motorization he wanted.