Comparability of costs Architect vs. General Contractor

About the BKI: There are cost groups (100-800: land, development, building construction, technology, outdoor facilities, equipment, ancillary costs and financing costs). The BKI particularly focuses on the 300+400 cost groups (=building costs). These correspond to roughly 100%, the remaining costs are added on top. In the 2019 BKI (i.e. the value should still be indexed to 2021), for example, €2370/m² living area(!) gross is given as an average for the building costs(!) for a basement single-family house with medium standard. The remaining cost groups are then on average 40% on top. About cost tolerance: Yes, there are tolerances. At the beginning even up to 30%. If you set a cost ceiling, the architect is also liable (therefore he will be reluctant to agree to that).

So, I actually believe that steel stringer is cheaper than concrete ;)

In our case, the concrete staircase without covering would be 10,000 euros more expensive. I do have some doubts about that :) But: I just don’t know, that’s why you simply don’t have a good feeling. Friends of ours have the offers from 2-3 staircase builders, that’s really the reality.

Why don’t you take a general contractor (GU) who has anthracite in the construction service specification?
For us, the whole anthracite package cost 2300. In the construction service specification, the wooden door in a color of choice was listed :)

That would be an option, sure. Only, you don’t have a huge amount of choice in the region, there aren’t 10 GUs/general contractors. And regarding “it’s included in the construction service specification”: if the concrete staircase were included in the specification, we would probably pay extra for a steel stringer staircase (that’s how it seems to us currently) :D

Regarding the BKI:
There are cost groups (100-800: land, development, building construction, technology, outdoor facilities, equipment, incidental costs, and financing costs). In the BKI, the 300+400 cost groups are particularly highlighted (=building costs). They correspond to 100%, so the remaining costs are added on top. In the 2019 BKI (i.e., the value would still need to be indexed to 2021), for example, €2370/m² living area (!) gross is given as the average for building costs (!) for a basement single-family house with medium standard. The remaining cost groups are then on average 40% on top.

Regarding cost tolerance:
Yes, there are tolerances. At the beginning even up to 30%. If you set a cost ceiling, the architect is also liable (so he will be reluctant to agree to that).

Thanks Tamstar! Do you have experience on how this value can be indexed? I think prices have risen sharply since 2019! As I said, the architect initially (in the first meeting) calculated with just under €3000

In our case, the concrete staircase without covering would be 10,000 euros more expensive.

Yes, then it is very likely due to the circumstance itself for the general contractor! Concrete staircases are either poured or simply prefabricated parts lifted into the story by a crane. No idea if the crane needs to come for each floor. The general contractor will also have good conditions with the staircase builder. For the concrete staircases, he would now have to commission a subcontractor, determine prices, and arrange logistics. And then there is the building structure, which might have to be adapted to the staircase. Decoupling from the staircase? I lack some expertise, but all of that can contribute to the pricing.

I always find it amusing how often the same worries arise. The architect estimates! the house price for houses HE designs! If I now choose a BDA architect in the Stuttgart area, I quickly realize that a different standard is applied here than perhaps in eastern Germany. But again, it is an estimate, which can deviate both upward AND downward.

Deviations occur when the plan is deviated from. The architect will never deviate from the plan without consultation.

I believe that with identical execution, the same discipline of the clients regarding the budget and their equipment wishes, the total price is similar to that of the general contractor and additionally with the architect simply more flexible.

In my opinion, the most common price variables upwards arise from changed wishes of the clients and not because the architect has grossly miscalculated. And as an indicator of the league the planner plays in, you can quite quickly recognize it by the price per cubic meter or square meter applied as a basis.

If you yourself can realize that standard construction is not for you, then always architect!

And many also forget that with a well-working architect I always have absolute cost control at any time!

He doesn't just come around after 6 months and say: Tadaa here is your house for 2 million...

Thank you Tamstar! Do you have experience with how this value can be indexed? I think prices have risen sharply since 2019! As I said, the architect initially calculated (in the first meeting) with just under €3000

So we are building with an Austrian architect who based €2300 net in 2021. Maybe a reference point for you