Recommendations for a construction company or general contractor near Offenburg/Lahr

I just can’t get rid of the fear that you yourself might (partly) be part of your problems. There are indeed incompetent architects, yes, but beyond a certain amount of bad luck, I lose the firm belief in pure coincidence.

Yes, you are right, of course I/we are to blame ourselves and part of our problems. I am nuanced enough to recognize that I make mistakes as a client: I let the contractors, in this case the architect, do their job first, give advance trust and rely on the architect doing what is best for me... I try to bother the architect as little as possible, when he offers me a next appointment in 3 weeks I say oh too bad, can’t it be earlier? - and go along with it. If I notice that the architect has done nothing of what was agreed upon during the 3 weeks, I remain polite... My mistake and I am currently paying for it with a much too long planning time... GD

Yes, you're right there, of course I/we are to blame ourselves and part of our problems.

I wrote "(mit)" - and from this view you (still ?) haven't cured me. However, I thank you for the inspiration for a post with the subject "target agreements with the architect". Search Google in the first week of Advent for "hier schreibt der 11ant", before that I can't fit it into the editorial schedule because thematically it only fits after the series about the architect's roadmap. But thanks already for the hint - one often doesn't see the forest for the trees, what questions a prospective builder asks himself!

Sorry for writing so late, due to work reasons I can’t log in and read more often. Actually, I think it’s good that I agreed on the contract up to performance phase 4. If I had signed a contract with them up to performance phase 8, I would now have to go along with everything they suggest and would have no choice but to wait 5-6 months until they finish performance phase 5. Meanwhile, I have spoken with another architect who would be willing to start from performance phase 5 and continue up to phase 8, without a general contractor, because they said it’s best if each trade is applied for separately since it’s only a single-family house. I also agreed with that. I expect a definite decision next week. By the way: They also didn’t understand why the others need 5-6 months for it and said that if they don’t have time, they shouldn’t have started the project at all.

I have meanwhile spoken with another architect, they would be willing to start from service phase 5 and continue until service phase 8 and work without a general contractor, because they said it is best to apply for each trade separately, since it is only about a single-family house. I agreed to that as well. Now I expect a final decision next week. By the way: They also did not understand why the others need 5-6 months for that and said if they don't have time, they shouldn't have started the project at all.

"Beauftragen" is the correct term in this case – you assign orders to the craftsmen; they are not an authority whose actions have to be applied for. I assume German is not your native language – then it is all the more important not to be on your own when controlling the quality of the construction progress. I am glad that at least for the section of service phases 5 to 8 the same specialist will be at your side. In a good tender, each trade is an independent lot, but participants in the tender are given the opportunity to bid as general contractor. It is important not to skimp on your "own" site management even with a GC.

Actually, I think it is good that I agreed on a contract up to service phase 4. If I had concluded a contract with them up to service phase 8, I would now have to go along with everything they propose and would have no choice but to wait 5-6 months until they finish service phase 5.

Yes, I already thanked earlier for the suggestion to address the aspect of also agreeing on time targets with one’s architect in a later post. This seems to be an increasingly common issue in the current situation, that some architects handle the orders of the "publicly insured patients" at a snail’s pace, and their construction projects then advance sluggishly. A brazen five months for what essentially is "only" service phase 5 distilled from service phase 4 already borders on waiting for a specialist appointment with Dr. Godot ;-) I wish you success and am confident!

Yes, that’s exactly how it works in my opinion, patients with public health insurance should wait. I find that very unfortunate. but what can you do, you learn much more through bad experiences.
True, it should be commission. German is not my native language)
Thank you very much for your support :)

please keep us or me updated on that. I am also very interested in the topic, as we recently hired an architect and are waiting for the first drafts