The architect will be able to explain to you in detail upon your inquiry how he arrived at the individual trade prices - provided that an appropriate, detailed preliminary design planning (Lph 2) - already including quantity determination (partial service LPH 6) - has been done.
- How many m2 of heated net floor area/living space are to be converted in your existing building?
- Will the floor plans be changed significantly/will the structural integrity be affected?
- Will the roof structure be completely renewed/will the attic be converted?
- How large is the planned new building (net floor area/living space)
New construction/building in existing structures has become significantly more expensive in the last 3 years. It is not for nothing that your architect rightly added the note "without inflation surcharge during the planning and construction period" at the end of his cost estimate. The construction costs arise from the size/condition of the property, the wishes of the client(s), and the wage and material prices, over which the architect has no influence.
The architect will be able to explain to you in detail upon your inquiry how he arrived at the individual trade prices
--> He actually cannot explain it in detail. He calculated it with a program (a tool recommended by the Chamber of Architects) and came up with over €900,000. He then recalculated manually and arrived at a value of over €800,000. He himself is surprised that the total costs are so high and cannot explain them.
An appropriate, detailed preliminary design planning (Lph 2) - already with quantity determination (partial service LPH 6) - provided.
--> If quantity determination is only provided in phase 6, we do not have it yet.
How many m2 of heated net floor area/living space are to be converted in your existing building?
--> It involves an increase in area from 116 m² to approximately 170 m².
Will the floor plans be changed significantly/will the structural integrity be affected?
--> Yes, we are planning, among other things, two extensions where load-bearing walls need to be relocated. In addition, the old load-bearing walls have to be supported by steel beams and columns.
Will the roof structure be completely renewed/will the attic be converted?
--> Yes, the roof will be supplemented by two dormers. However, the architect has not planned for a renewal of the roof structure because he believes the roof can be preserved. However, we know from an identical house that the entire roof had to be renewed because the rafters are too thin and the roof would not support the dormers. So it is quite certain that the costs of a new roof will be added. This fact additionally unsettles us.
How large is the planned new building (net floor area/living space)
--> The living space after the conversion would be about 170 m².
New construction/building in existing structures has become significantly more expensive in the last 3 years. It is not for nothing that your architect rightly added the note "without inflation surcharge during the planning and construction period" at the end of his cost estimate. The construction costs arise from the size/condition of the property, the wishes of the client(s), and the wage and material prices, over which the architect has no influence.
--> That is certainly all true. However, in our opinion, costs of over €800,000 are still clearly too high for this conversion work. You can get a complete new build elsewhere for that. Especially since we had given a benchmark of €500,000 and at no point in between were we informed even in a single word that the costs are currently significantly surpassing the target. Besides, we have been in planning since February already.