Comparability of costs Architect vs. General Contractor

12 front doors Prohaus are rather rare.

The irony is in the detail ;)

But not with a general contractor who builds 15-30 houses a year...

The mentioned general contractor, who has this surcharge, builds approximately 150-200 houses per year according to their own statement

2370 x 115.6 / 113.4 = 2416 For 150 m² living space that means 360,000€ just for the building.

Many thanks, Tamstar! That gives us a good feeling! Would that also be the “eligible costs” that are always talked about? Or does the architect refer to the total volume - including outdoor facilities, carports, if he plans them?

Thank you so much, Tamstar! That gives us a good feeling! Would these also be the “eligible costs” that are always talked about? Or does the architect refer to the total volume – including outdoor facilities, carports, if he plans them?

Exactly, these costs are usually the net construction costs of the building. His fee is based on that.

Imho, you simply get more performance or better quality for your money with a good architect. If you are disciplined and don’t want major changes during execution, the estimate will more or less fit. But 10% over is probably always possible, just think of surprises with the earthworks. For me, the difference in individual and of course also professional planning alone is decisive in favor of a good architect. The general contractor basically doesn’t care whether the house is properly positioned or if it also works well in everyday life. He will build any crap as long as the client is satisfied with it. They might have a few good finished designs, but these get worse with every change. The architect plans with much more passion. Ideally, he wants to deliver top quality and plan a reference project to showcase his skills. He also thinks about practical workflows inside and around the house and deals intensively with the environment / location / development plan. If you contribute your own work, you are also much better off with the architect. Liability / warranty issues as with the general contractor are less problematic, and scheduling is also more flexible. If the architect seems good to you and is likeable, take him, your feeling about the general contractor is not wrong. The surcharges are a joke; for €2300 I can already get a nice front door and that is supposed to be just the surcharge for a different color. For me, the further spread of building with a general contractor can only be explained by people’s need for security here. And in the end, 90% still pay extra, many even significantly more than they thought at signing.

Planning with architects often becomes more expensive because you get shown nicer sample materials - trade fair novelties, higher-quality versions - and you then want those as well. :D My weekend shopping at the discount store is also cheaper than if I were let loose in the delicatessen section.