Lidstein
The short answer: For a full renovation with many interlocking trades, a provider carrying overall responsibility is almost always the safer choice. Awarding trades separately only pays off if you bring building experience, time and strong nerves. The often overlooked third way: a full-service provider who does not subcontract widely but works with its own site management and its own trade teams — the model by which Lidstein carries out full renovations in Reutlingen.
What are the three models?
1. Separate trade contracts: You engage the electrician, plumber, drywall fitter, floor layer and every other trade yourself — each with its own contract, quote and time slot. Coordinating the interfaces falls to you, or to a separately paid architect or site manager.
2. Classic general contractor: One company takes on the entire works as a single contractual partner and passes most trades to subcontractors. You have one contact, but pay a contractor's mark-up — typically 10 to 20 per cent on the sum of the trades.
3. Full-service provider with in-house trades: Also a single partner with overall responsibility — but the core work is carried out by its own established teams rather than by whichever subcontractor is cheapest. The subcontractor margin disappears wherever in-house teams work.
The direct comparison
| Criterion | Separate trades | Classic general contractor | In-house trades (the Lidstein model) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Contracts | 8–15 separate | 1 | 1 |
| Coordination | Client / architect | Contractor (via subcontractors) | In-house site management |
| Warranty | Per trade, separately | From a single source | From a single source |
| Interface risk | High | Medium | Low |
| Price structure | No contractor mark-up | + approx. 10–20 % | No subcontractor margin on in-house work |
| Client's time | Very high | Low | Low |
Assessment based on common industry practice; contractor mark-ups vary with project and market. See also the guidance from the German consumer advice centre on awarding building work.
When do separate trade contracts pay off?
On small, clearly bounded jobs: a new bathroom, a new floor covering, some decorating. But as soon as electrics, water, heating, drywall and floors are renewed simultaneously and dependent on one another — the norm in a full renovation — a domino effect on dates arises: if the first fix slips by a week, the screeder, tiler and joiner all queue up behind it. Every idle week costs money, and on let properties lost rent as well.
Where is the classic general contractor weak?
The contractor model solves the coordination problem — but creates a new one: contractors often buy trades from the cheapest subcontractor. For you that means you do not know the firms doing the work, teams change from project to project, and two layers of communication sit between your wish and its execution. Quality is then only as good as the weakest link in the subcontractor chain.
How does Lidstein work?
Lidstein of Reutlingen carries out full renovations by the third model — overall responsibility, with our own people:
- In-house site management for every phase — from strip-out to handover, with one named contact.
- Established trade teams for interior fit-out, drywall, floor laying, plumbing and electrical work, bathroom renovation and heat pumps, instead of changing subcontractors.
- Materials straight from the manufacturer: Building materials, doors, floors — and furniture, wardrobes and kitchens in manufacturer quality without a middleman. That shortens delivery routes and makes prices traceable.
- Interior design built in: Materials, lighting and spatial effect are planned in by our interior designer from the start, not added afterwards — more on interior design at Lidstein.
A full renovation rarely fails on a single trade — it fails at the transitions between them.
Checklist: the right questions for any provider
- Which trades do you carry out with your own teams, and which do you subcontract?
- Who is my named contact during the construction phase?
- How are the chains of dates between trades secured?
- Where do the materials come from, and how transparent is the costing?
- How is the warranty arranged — one partner or many?
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between a general contractor and separate trade contracts?
A general contractor takes on the entire works as a single partner and often passes trades to subcontractors. With separate contracts you engage each trade yourself and coordinate the interfaces on your own.
Is a general contractor more expensive than separate trades?
On paper, often yes — the mark-up is usually 10 to 20 per cent. In practice, uncoordinated schedules, duplicated call-outs and disputed variations frequently eat that advantage up again.
Who is liable for defects after the work?
With a general contractor or a full-service provider, one partner for everything. With separate contracts each trade is liable only for its own part — defects at interfaces, such as moisture between the waterproofing and the screed, must first be attributed to a culprit by the client.
Does Lidstein also take on site management alone?
Yes. If you have already awarded individual trades, Lidstein will take on site management and coordination on request — get in touch.
Planning a full renovation?
Describe the property, location and scope — you will get an honest first assessment of which model suits your project.