Is it possible to determine the eligible costs based on a rough estimate?

I can only tell you how I approach this professionally. The project. Demolition of an old, detached office building with three offices and a WC. Extension of the same usable area to another existing building. Refurbishment of the same, meaning replacement of old windows, new tiles, new electrical wiring, since it is still two-pole, new water pipes, all with a 60s old stock. Budget around half a million. The measure can in fact only be carried out with an architect. Preliminary discussion one with an office we have already worked with and had good memories of. First sketch, rough cost estimate, no, it doesn't fit. Too complicated, too expensive, too much insistence on certain design standards. You can feel it, for this project it won't work with them. Contacted craftsmen. Who has an idea which architect is around here...? One craftsman said, the one in O. is a pragmatist who can do such things well. Initial meeting on site at the object. Yes, he has inexpensive ideas, no fear of 08-15. Sketch is coming. Brief conference with colleagues. Yes, we'll do it with him. That fits. Now commissioned a realistic cost estimate. He already said orally that the budget should be enough... we'll see. I feel it, it will fit. Conclusion. You have to know what you want, then you already feel if he is the right one. You can also sense a bit from their websites and titles. Whoever presents themselves as a monument conservator is less suitable for a single-family house. Whoever calls themselves an office for urban planning probably has more expertise for larger projects. Whoever advertises commercial construction can do Aldi stores well, maybe also affordable houses. Etc. Karsten

Hello Karsten,

thank you for your reply. So you also receive a written cost estimate including the architect's fee before the order? That would also be my goal. I just don't want to start working with an architect blindly. If it ends up that he wants 85k€...sorry, I'll plan it myself. That is even a gross annual salary in a large corporation in Stuttgart.

Well, for the architect/engineer it would be half a year since 50% goes to the tax authorities, and since he supports you for 2 years and should be available around the clock for the fee, it is somehow fair. But I wouldn't want to pay that either.. and he won't want 85 either.

It will definitely be exciting! I will report what I manage to do. Thank you for your answers so far, they have helped me to look at the topic more nuanced.

We will give the architect the contract when we a) know what he wants to have built and whether it fits with our plans. b) know what he estimates for it and whether we can afford it. If both are okay, we proceed to details and make the contract with him. However, we conclude with him according to [HOAI]. He is supposed to earn something, but first it must be clear that we and he are a good match. The preliminary work he does is done by every contractor to win a client.

I thought so until now, but so far I have only received an initial conversation from 2 architects I contacted, without any other acquisition effort to win me as a customer. However, it was made clear that they would be happy to continue working with us, but this would already incur some initial costs. For me as a customer, a first conversation is too little acquisition effort in the competition.