Tendering of craftsman services in house construction

The tendering of craftsman services can make house construction cheaper. The costs of different providers can vary widely, and if you ask several tradesmen, you will receive several estimates that you can compare and choose from. Therefore it makes sense to compare several companies.

Wolfgang and Heide Ehrhardt had exact ideas about their dream house: it should be a wooden log house made of untreated spruce. Wolfgang Ehrhardt obtained various offers from companies between Scandinavia and Italy. His tender included plans for the size of the house, the number of windows and doors, the floor plan, and the size of the wooden blocks. “There was a price difference of 200, 000 euros between the cheapest and the most expensive company,” reports Ehrhardt. What was left was a provider from Austria who made the house. It took a week to build, then the home was in Piding in Upper Bavaria. The effort was worth it: "The price-performance ratio is just as good as the quality."

From the offer to the order

Tender, cost estimate, contract award: in these steps you proceed with the construction of the home. When choosing the construction company, you should pay attention to the following.

1. Tender

Whether you are building an entire house or just want to modernize the bathroom - you will get the offers from two to three craftsmen. So that they are comparable, you determine the scope of the order. Give the craftsmen a list of services. There you list individual positions in which you use their prices. Include sketches in the service description, also specify the budget and the construction budget. Important: Every craftsman assumes the same framework conditions for his calculation.

2. Estimates

The price quoted by the company is only a rough calculation. The prices can later be higher than the estimated costs. You can only be on the safe side if you agree on a fixed price. The company will not charge any money for the quote unless it has indicated a fee and you have agreed to it.

3. Award of contract

When choosing a craftsman, you should not let yourself be seduced by the cheapest offer. Note which materials the entrepreneur has included in his calculation and wants to use. Obtain as independent information as possible about the company, the quality of its work, its contract compliance and solvency. For this purpose, let the company name reference objects. Ask the builders mentioned whether deadlines have been met, the work has been properly done and the agreed remuneration has not been exceeded - and also how the company has responded to complaints.

Select craftsmen

Manfred Müller wants to completely renovate the bathroom in his family home. He is looking for meaningful and comparable cost estimates from companies that offer renovation from a single source. He knows exactly what his new bathroom should look like: This is how Müller does it:

Source: Association of Private Builders, Stuttgart Regional Office

Photo: the house