Architectural planning costs 50% more expensive than agreed.

2022-03-03 08:41:05

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In advance: You are neither gullible nor naive. What is happening to you is what happens to every layperson builder. As non-experts, we assume that "on the construction site" the same rules apply as elsewhere, namely that everyone does their job well and wants to do it well, which from my point of view primarily means also considering the interests of the client, that is the builder. This is often not the case on construction sites, and in my opinion, you can be glad to have already had this experience so early in the building process. My subjective recommendation: Regarding the architect, you should see a lawyer first and get advice on what you really have to pay, initially without legal dispute, so you have a basis for negotiation with the architect. Try to write the payment to the architect off as a learning loss and console yourselves with the fact that you got the plot for free (?).

I also recommend that you start from scratch regarding the house construction. Does it have to be an architect-designed house? If not, I suggest you look around in various show home parks, leaf through catalogs, and see if the architect’s floor plan, if it is perfect for you, can be found somewhere approximately, or if you find another house that you might even like better. Maybe you can also hire an independent construction supervisor from one of the "owners’ interest associations" to help and support you.

You can also come back here in the forum for every single further step until moving in (and afterward :) ) and use the collective intelligence, hear other opinions as well as confirmations.

Afterwards, one is always wiser.

You have made a valuable experience that you would not have been spared anyway. Good that it happened right at the beginning. Now you go on your first house build with alert and smart eyes. I think that’s great. Please stop devaluing yourselves. As I already wrote above, this happens to nearly every non-expert building a house for the first time. Moreover, building conditions, like many other things, unfortunately have changed so much that the building experiences of parents and grandparents can no longer help.

Just award the trades yourselves, or start cutting.

I would advise the thread starters against awarding the trades themselves. I assume that the same will happen again as with the architect. Cutting, yes, if the money isn’t there, which I still don’t understand.

2022-03-03 11:20:14

First off: You are not blindly loyal or naive. What is happening to you happens to every layperson builder. As non-experts, we assume that "on the construction site" the same rules apply as elsewhere, namely that everyone does their job well and wants to do it well, which to me primarily means also considering the interests of the client, that is, the builder. This is often not the case in construction, and in my opinion, you can be glad to have already had this experience so early in the building process. My subjective recommendation: Regarding the architect, go to a lawyer and get advice first on what you really have to pay, initially without legal dispute, then you will have a basis for negotiation with the architect. Try to write off the payment to the architect as tuition fees and console yourselves with the fact that you got the property for free (?).

I also recommend that you start from scratch regarding the house construction. Does it absolutely have to be an architect-designed house? If not, I suggest you look around various model home parks, go through catalogs, and see if the architect’s floor plan, if it is perfect for you, can be found somewhere approximately or if you find another house that might even please you more. Maybe you can also hire an independent construction supervisor from one of the "builders’ interest representation associations" who will help and support you.

You can also get back to us in this forum at every single further step until moving in (and afterwards :) ) and make use of the collective intelligence, hear other opinions as well as confirmations.

You have had a valuable experience that you wouldn’t have been spared anyway. It’s good that it happened right at the beginning. Now you approach your first house construction with open and smart eyes. I think that’s great. Please stop devaluing yourselves. As I wrote above, this happens to almost every non-expert who builds a house for the first time. Besides, construction conditions, like many other things, have unfortunately also changed to the extent that the building experiences of parents and grandparents are no longer helpful.

I would advise the thread creators against awarding trades themselves. I assume the same thing would repeat as with the architect. Yes, you can cut costs if the money is not there, which I still don’t understand.

I would advise you exactly the same as Pinkiponk, first go to a lawyer and find out your negotiating position, you will quite certainly get that money back pretty quickly because the architect will surely receive less than the 10% being discussed.

Then I would actually go to model home parks (which region are you in?). There are countless "prefabricated house providers" who plan freely (i.e. do not just make minimal changes to finished model houses), to name just a few: Bittermann and Weiß, Streif Haus, Büdenbender, etc., and their quality is not at all questionable... Baufritz has also been mentioned here, but again belongs to the rather high-priced ones, just as a side note.
Go there with your plan and I am quite, quite sure some of them will build exactly this, or at least a very similar house according to your wishes and at a significantly lower cost! I’m convinced of that! You don’t have to tell your actual ordeal there, just say cool: "This is our dream house, can you build that?" And once you have gotten offers from a few providers, you will see how well and more cheaply it can actually be done...

2022-03-03 13:17:16

On the topic of further planning: We planned directly with a local general contractor, made the plans ourselves, and the general contractor's draftsman implemented them, together with a landscape designer who planned the position of the house and the rough outdoor facilities. Of course, this is not an architect's house, we certainly did not utilize every corner 100% perfectly, but in the end we are building turnkey, Poroton, mid-standard, KFW55EE, parquet everywhere, lift-and-slide door of 3m, basement in a white tank due to the hillside house, etc. for 2900€ per sqm (including floor slab and all site setup). With own work, the price can certainly be lowered, and if you take a closer look at your housing needs, a house within your budget can certainly be well planned.

At the beginning, we also visited some prefab house manufacturers, architects, and independent planners. The first talks were mainly to get a feeling and we learned a lot. Looking back today, we had similar candidates as you. One planned 30 sqm more with a similar statement, one architect wanted to have a contract signed immediately without discussing any needs beforehand, and other prefab house manufacturers promise miracles and in the end half is missing.

Get an overview, think about what you want, and then go into discussions prepared – the beginning is always difficult.

2022-03-03 15:28:46

In the two years there have been significant cost increases. What took you so long? In Bw and BY you have to calculate at least 2.5 to 3k today. Plus additional costs, outdoor area… You have to redesign. Regarding the architect, I would also go to a lawyer.

2022-03-03 16:00:41

First of all: You are not stupidly loyal and naive. What happens to you happens to every layman builder.

No, at most Rose Nylund from St. Olaf ;-)

I would advise against awarding trades yourself for the thread starters. I assume that the same thing will happen again as with the architect.

That aligns with my expectation. But otherwise, I also advise against handling such explosives as a DIYer.

I also recommend you start from scratch regarding house construction. Does it really have to be an architect-designed house?

That will become clear at the latest with the lawyer (or here by answering my question about the scope of the architect’s contract), whether you proceed with a settlement or insist on proper fulfillment. But you should especially know the value of architectural planning: with a (suitable) architect, you would have gotten a cheaper house whose carport is not also unexpectedly not allowed to stand at the desired location.

2022-03-03 16:41:19

But you should especially know the value of an architect's planning: with a (suitable) architect you would have gotten a cheaper house whose carport is not also unexpectedly not allowed to stand in the desired place.

I struggle with some decisions, but certainly not with the fact that we are not building an architect’s house. ;-) I still cannot understand why "ordinary mortals and average earners" want to build an architect’s house, but presumably it’s because I have such an ordinary, and I mean that seriously, taste. (We partially renovated the last house together with an architectural firm, the result was pretty dreadful; but that doesn’t matter.) I have seen beautiful architect houses, but I certainly do not belong to the target group for architect houses. Likewise, I am pretty sure that an architect house would not have been cheaper, but of course I cannot know for sure due to lack of comparison. ;-)

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Architectural planning costs 50% more expensive than agreed.

Pinkiponk

Nixwill

HnghusBY

rick2018

11ant

Pinkiponk