Building with an architect - your experiences?

Oh man, we just want a floor plan that is practical for us as a family and that we like. It doesn’t help me if others think a floor plan is great and it doesn’t work for us.

One more question... Does anyone perhaps have experience with subcontracting individual trades themselves/doing work on their own? Do you discuss this with the architect and then he is basically only responsible for everything else?

We can’t do an unlimited amount (working and small children), but we have an electrician and a tiler among our friends. I can lay parquet, plaster, and paint myself, I have done that in this house and with some support I could manage that time-wise as well. The sanitary installation could probably be done by my brother-in-law. So these are all things that usually happen towards the end of the renovation. So could one basically agree with the architect on an "almost turnkey" house and the collaboration ends when, for example, only wall and floor coverings and the bathrooms are missing?

if others find a floor plan great and it’s not suitable for us.

There is no such thing as “great.” A (good) architect plans according to feasibility with regard to the development plan, terrain, and financial aspects. He brings individuality, needs, and the family’s future plans together under one roof in terms of consideration, privacy, flexibility, a feel-good atmosphere, and individual development.
Well… an architect has studied every kind of need and requirement… he already knows how to arrange rooms so that everything works, as one imagines and functions. Because that is the meaning and purpose of a home or residential building. However, most laypeople don’t know this and plan something clumsily themselves.
Until your specifications are presented here, I - sorry, honestly - classify you in the same category as one has to classify the last few discussions here as well as 80% of design discussions by laypeople. Just read up a bit.
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Electrician and a tiler in the circle of friends.

Well, what does circle of friends mean? Since you have to have work done on invoice and with warranty, a friend might possibly later make 2 outlets out of one. He could also provide advice. That a friend takes over the entire trade would virtually prolong the house construction—assuming he takes his annual leave and has time for you. Maybe you get discounts on materials at the companies they work for?

Sanitary installation

The same applies here, but warranty is even more highly rated.

Could one therefore quasi agree on an "almost turnkey" house with the architect

You can (almost) do everything. “Turnkey” is a marketing word… architects don’t advertise with that… especially flexible when it comes to general contractors.

I can lay parquet, plaster, and paint myself; I have also done that here in the house and with some support would manage the timing as well.

Flooring and painting work usually have to be added as own contributions since hardly any general contractor offers those inclusive anymore. But you want to build with an architect. He will also calculate own contributions. You just have to be careful that his values for these are realistically set, because he will be paid according to HOAI, that is, based on construction costs.

One more different question... Does anyone maybe have experience with awarding individual trades themselves / carrying out parts as own work? Do you discuss that with the architect, who then is basically only responsible for everything else?

We [...], however have an electrician and a tiler among our friends. I can lay parquet, plaster and paint myself, I have also done that here in the house and could manage it time-wise with some support.
Sanitary installation could probably be done by my brother-in-law. So all things that rather happen at the end of the renovation.
Could one basically agree with the architect on an "almost turnkey" house and the collaboration ends when, for example, only wall and floor coverings and the bathrooms are missing?

Thanks for the unintentionally given push, that I should also complement my house construction schedule with a remodeling schedule after the expansion by the alternative procedures!

I would not cause a mess with awarding contracts by interfering with the architect's work. Discuss the normal tender with the architect, in which the brother-in-law and yourself also participate. The renovation in the (spatial) construction phase of the old building and the extension are hardly reasonably separable in practical terms – or do you want to complete a preliminary rump apartment first in the (time-wise) construction phase I, to be followed by a successive finishing of more living space? – as far as I know, neither the building code nor the HOAI restrict your contractual freedom at the point of responsibility transfer for construction management. I would summarize the construction coordination with the construction schedule including all helpers and own contributions in the hands of the architect. And I too constantly oversee more projects than my list of services can cover, so I am happy to advise about designing the collaboration with the architect.

If the concert is to succeed, I would NEVER exclude myself or my brother-in-law from playing under the baton of the same conductor as all other participants!

To give an answer to the initial question: we have just completed the renovation of 190sqm living space built in 1936 (we have 2 small children, 1 and 4 years old).

1) Yes, repeatedly with an architect. Otherwise, we would have been pretty lost; the money is definitely well spent if you have it.
2) No, do not plan any DIY work with 3 children alongside your job. If you manage something, fine – but don’t rely on it. We didn’t want to spend all our free time on the construction site as well. There are already countless meetings and phone calls that have to be squeezed into everyday (work) life.
3) Definitely find someone experienced in both old and new buildings.
4) Definitely find someone you get along with personally, or whose way of working you can tolerate well.
5) Trust your gut feeling.
6) Have the architect prepare the tender and listen to his/her recommendations for craftsmen. Experienced architects are usually well connected and the craftsmen’s offers are reasonable because they want to continue working with the architect in the future. We tried in two cases to get cheaper deals through friends’ recommendations, but in the end, both were significantly more expensive. It’s also important that everyone on the construction site gets along reasonably well.
7) Be prepared that even with an architect, an extremely large number of decisions will come your way that can consume a lot of time. Prioritize the things that are truly important to you and otherwise let yourself be advised. Examples: We could certainly have spent many hours choosing window handles, but we simply took the "standard" from our architect. It looks good and we don’t really pay attention to it. Skirting board height 6, 8, 10, or 12 cm? Again, we just followed the recommendation and it works well. Tiles in the bathroom, on the other hand, always please me every time I see them – we chose those ourselves, at least partially.
8) At least be prepared for surprises during the renovation part and stay flexible. For example, the original plans showed a single-layer masonry, but in reality, it was double-layered. This leads to, for example, needing two steel beams when creating new window openings and not being able to run pipes inside the wall. One increases costs, the other changes planning.
9) Look carefully at the cost estimate from the architect and plan a proper buffer (20% upwards). For neither us nor anyone else we know personally who worked with an architect did the cost estimate end up accurate in the end. Mainly because some smaller things are not included (possibly gutting and disposal, portable toilet, ...).

Take a close look at the cost estimate from the architect and plan a proper buffer (20% upwards). Neither for us nor for everyone else we personally know who were/are working with an architect has it turned out right in the end. Especially because some smaller things are simply not included there (possibly gutting and disposal, port-a-potty, ...).

You basically only need to look at the bill for the car repair to see what proportion the little screws / clamps / rubbers / washers make up.