Are the financial resources really sufficient??

Then the coordination there worked really well.

My brother-in-law is currently building his second house with an architect. The first construction went quite well, the second is at a standstill because the coordination with the different trades is currently not working.

It always depends on the interacting factors.

If things get stuck with us, the general contractor is liable. He then has to pay a “penalty“.

Example from our house construction:

Delivery of stones: The shell builder orders the stones. Stones are not delivered. Call from the foreman to the delivery company near Bonn. Answer: UPS, there was something.... Delivery at the earliest three days later.
Foreman calls a company in Darmstadt. Stones arrive on the morning of the same day.

Additional delivery costs? Not at our expense. The general contractor clarifies. Time as a factor in winter.... definitely important.

2nd example: Delivery of the ceiling. Ceiling is in place, concrete mixer truck does not come.
Foreman calls the company. Company overslept.
Another company arrives two hours later.

3rd example: Roof

Crane much too heavy, sinks into the crane parking spot and on the pavement. Another company arrives within a short time with a smaller crane.

Costs? General contractor or whoever. Not my problem.

Can be read in our blog.

Everything can work perfectly and one trade fits into the next. But there can also be delays.
The timber framework of my brother-in-law is temporarily covered by him, exposed to rain and snow. The tarp is now half gone and the wood is wet.

As a conclusion, I can write the following:

House construction is individual, costs money and nerves. There are many providers and architects on the market. All want your best, your money!
Inquire in various directions, read up, go to trade fairs, have various offers made for the same house type and read and compare the offers meticulously. Always examine the financial side anew. Do not decide based on the opinion of various updates but build the way you think is right.

Edited: delete "Fortschreiber," insert "Forenschreiber." T9 and me....a neverending story

Well, an architect works for you and, besides money, from a philosophical point of view wants the best for you.

A general contractor thinks (and has to) commercially...

But anyone building with architects also has decisions to make – you have to be aware of that. The main reason why we only build that way...

BTW: T9? Do you still have a feature phone?

Nope, a tablet. But it also constantly changes the words. oops:

As a client, you have to make many decisions. From financing to the efficiency standard....interior construction,....there's a lot. There are no differences between an architect or a general contractor.

Sorry, but with [GU] a lot of decisions are taken off your hands - you basically don't have anything to determine in detail anymore... What you call are fundamental decisions, of course there is no difference.