Is the architect's fee for the preliminary building application justified?

I have commissioned an architect with a preliminary building enquiry for the extension of a bungalow. For this purpose, I gave him the planning documents from the original building application. It is a single-family house on which, with the same floor plan, an additional floor is to be added as part of the upcoming roof renovation.

The architect then created a drawing with a few views of the house and submitted a preliminary building enquiry to the responsible building authority.

I had previously googled the costs for a building enquiry. I had found costs amounting to €500.

Yesterday the architect’s invoice arrived, which somewhat surprised me with its amount. He charges costs amounting to €180,000. On this basis he calculates: Service phase 1: Basic evaluation; agreed 2%: €364 (performed 100%) Service phase 2: Preliminary design; agreed 7%: €1,276 (performed 100%) Plus building enquiry; agreed 5%: €456 (performed 50%)

A total of €2,096 plus 19% VAT (Is it not currently 16%?)

Now my question: He did not have to order basic evaluation or preliminary design. He simply drew a 2.5 m wall on the existing floor plan and the existing roof on top. In my opinion, he did not perform the service phases 100%. All planning documents already existed and he really only had to raise the outer wall slightly. I find the item building enquiry appropriate.

Could you perhaps briefly give me your opinion on this? Thank you very much!

Okay, he still has to adjust the VAT. But if I read your invoice correctly, the amount for the preliminary building inquiry is roughly correct. That now phases 1 + 2 are added and have to be paid for - that should probably have been clarified in advance. (Nevertheless, you see that the costs for the preliminary building inquiry depend on the volume, so they can never really be specified as a flat rate.) However, I see the advantage that you can now continue directly with this architect, since phases 1 + 2 are apparently fully completed - and paid for - so that phase 3 can proceed. So the money is not wasted but is basically just "spent in advance."

PS: Basically, [Grundlagenermittlung] means that he sits down with you and tries to find out what you want and how something like that can be implemented. The fact that you served him the plans on a silver platter probably doesn't play a big role.

Well, you ask for the costs beforehand! I have received offers between 900-2500 net for the building application for [Sauna] and [Gartenlaube]. It's like saying in a restaurant, bring me something. You wouldn't get the [Pizza Margarita] but the fancy expensive fish.

As writes, you now know next time that you should clarify the scope of services and costs beforehand. The architect can always argue that without the preliminary investigation, he wouldn't know what to do and that he made sketches (service phase 2), as you yourself wrote. Write it off as loss money and move on; there will be quite a few things during the construction.

That is exactly what you hired your architect for. Everything is fine from the architect.