New construction or house purchase and renovation in Bavaria

PS: Our eldest will be 6 years old next month, we are slowly feeling the time pressure to have made a firm decision about the future place of residence before starting school.

Perfect times are: - Starting kindergarten at 3 years old - Starting school - Changing schools in the fifth grade

Hello everyone,
I would like to give you an update on our current situation.

We have a building plot in sight (verbal commitment from the municipality) and are still waiting for the notary appointment. It is a southwest-facing hillside plot with 909 m². The total purchase costs for us, including additional costs, will amount to approximately 100,000 euros (slightly variable, as the connection prices will depend on our living area, so it may be somewhat more or less). We will pay this amount from our equity.
The plot is located at the end of a dead-end street with a turning circle. The current kindergarten and the (future) elementary school are within walking distance. The playground and sports fields are also only a few minutes on foot away.

Specifically, we are currently mainly occupied with the basic room program (motto: as small as possible and as large as necessary) and "Moodboards," that is, collections of appealing exterior or interior views of single-family houses.

Perhaps you can help me with this question regarding the choice of architect: There is an architectural firm that, in my opinion, has planned and supervised very beautiful single-family houses, but is far too far away for local construction supervision. Could it make sense here to initially request only service phases 1-2 for the "idea" from this architect and, if liked, possibly continue up to service phase 5? We would then carry out the tender ourselves based on the trade planning and commission the construction supervision through a local expert.

Specifically, we have currently been focusing mainly on the basic room program (motto: as small as possible and as large as necessary) and "moodboards," i.e., collections of appealing exterior or interior views of single-family houses.

Perhaps you can help me with this question regarding the choice of architect: There is an architectural firm that, in my opinion, has planned and supervised very beautiful single-family houses, but is far too distant for local construction supervision. Would it make sense here to initially request only service phases 1-2 for the "idea" from this architect and possibly continue up to service phase 5 if liked? We would then carry out the tendering ourselves based on the trade planning and commission the construction supervision by a local expert.

Oh. In view of the aforementioned moodboards, I have the suspicion that you might have chosen the desired architect based on the house pictures from their reference gallery. That would - not least because it would very likely lead to a warning from about architects - rather not be a recommendable idea. Basically, I find the idea good - have you read my "A construction schedule, also for you: the HOAI phase model!" ? - to commission the architect within the scope of modules A and B. However, it should not depend solely on "liking" whether, after the resting phase with the decision-making, planning continues with the same architect (depending on the result of the decision, either with the entire module B or only service phase 3). To consider an architect irrelevant in the preparatory phases regardless of where they are locally based would be a misconception: carrying out design development predominantly (or even entirely during service phases 2 and 3) via video conferences can only be successfully or at least with minimal damage done by very few (architects as well as building owners).

A cut after service phase 5 is okay; that's why I have set the end of module B as the middle architect involvement phase in the construction of a site-built (“stone by stone”) house. However, conducting the tendering oneself is at least extremely risky for first-time building families. You don't fly a fighter jet with a moped license. Laypersons have an astonishingly "reliable" talent for stepping into every financial trap and essentially turning the tendering against themselves: with an awkwardly created tender, it no longer serves as an instrument for clients to control costs but rather becomes a weapon for contractors to exploit their contracts as a self-service buffet for real binge eating. I know a lawyer who - albeit in the area of public procurement - can make a good living specializing in tender disputes.

Regarding the tendering, I am happy to put you in contact with a colleague. Entrusting construction management to a local accompanying expert is again a good idea - but as said, without committing the madness of attempting the tendering yourself beforehand. By the way, where exactly in Bavaria are you? (If it comes down to a "prefabricated" house, I would think of colleagues Zink or Beuler).

Thank you for your response, 11ant. I found your blog, read it, and tried to understand everything, in the sense of "always making an effort." We are based in Lower Bavaria.

You are certainly right that remote consulting with the architect is disadvantageous; on the other hand, it is the year 2024, and discussing and solving complex topics via video calls is part of my daily professional routine, for example. Nevertheless, I have, of course, taken your objection into consideration. Under the assumption that no one in our circle of relatives and acquaintances has built with a personally engaged architect in the last 30 years, how would you specifically proceed with the selection of an architect? I would rather not start by calling through the yellow pages (I won’t even mention the user-unfriendly website of the Bavarian Chamber of Architects..) in alphabetical order.

A lot of water will flow down the Danube before we are allowed to deal concretely with the awarding procedure. Until then, we might be so enthusiastic about the architect or construction supervisor that we gladly and trustingly hand over this task.

Since it will surely be relevant later: I have attached the aerial photo we received from the municipality, as well as a section of the parcel map from the Bayern-Atlas and a photo taken from the turning bay (each view from the south, the map view is oriented north). Unfortunately, I can’t really determine the elevations using the Bayern-Atlas, so the highest point would be about 508 m above sea level, the lowest point (street) 502 m above sea level. A large part of the plot is largely a gently sloping terrace, which then steeply slopes down to the street with a strong embankment. The plot to the east remains green space. I have also attached the development plan; ours would be parcel 20. By the way, the street can be driven on via Google Streetview, then you can see for comparison how the future neighbors have approached the "embankment."

The street can be driven on via Google Streetview,

Parking below, living above - and in the east a wonderful view of the church tower. Beautiful!

Thank you for your answer, 11ant. I found your blog, read it, and tried to understand everything, in the sense of "always making an effort." We are based in Lower Bavaria.

The contact details for inquiries are not just for decoration; you are welcome to use them.

Assuming that in the circle of relatives and acquaintances no one has built with a personally commissioned architect in the last 30 years, how would you specifically proceed with selecting the architect? I would rather not go through the listing in the Yellow Pages (I prefer not to even mention the user-unfriendly website of the Bavarian Chamber of Architects...) by calling from A to Z. Was I correct in assuming how you selected the aforementioned architect?

The Chamber pages are not the worst sources; also, the industry telephone directories (you just need to know how to read them: you can rule out the large offices with multi-column ads for single-family house projects) are definitely helpful. You can also recognize suitable candidates quite well on websites; when read properly, they are also quite informative. And yes, actually calling those still on the list is part of the process. More precisely: calling them alongside the short exposé. My water also boils at one hundred degrees Celsius; I have no dealings with devils, this is "craftsmanship."