Structural engineer according to HOAI or flat rate offer?

Good evening, we are about to commission a structural engineer for the following project:
New construction of a semi-detached househälfte (--> Hälfte!), without a basement, 140 sqm. Structurally "not quite simple" according to the architects.

We have now received an offer from the structural engineer for 28,000 EUR for service phases 1-6. According to the HOAI calculator, this is appropriate in relation to the eligible costs.

Nevertheless, that is of course a very high fee - two questions on that:
a) Should we look for a fixed price offer (possibly from another structural engineer)?
b) Does a "more expensive" structural engineer ideally provide smarter solutions, e.g., by not designing the entire ground floor full of support columns?

Thank you!

We also need a very good structural engineer for our house and have received two offers, both based on HOAI. We found the recommendation of the architect and the meeting before signing important, in which the architect, among other things, made it clear that there would be no supports and what he expects. In the end, after negotiations, both agreed on a fixed price.

In my opinion, clearly overpriced.

Are you sure the billable costs are correct (only shell construction, only proportionally, etc.)?

As a rule, fixed prices are significantly below HOAI; if you are actually building something statically complex (which I can hardly imagine for a semi-detached house), HOAI would be the upper limit, but I would definitely ask others for a fixed price.

As far as one can tell, the market is declining, so why not look which office (also 1-2 person offices) has capacity at the desired time?

(as always layman's opinion!) no matter how you look at it, even after deducting costs for software, insurance, and taxes, a self-employed structural engineer can expect to spend 2 months on it. In my opinion, that's too much (significantly too much). I would try to get a fixed price for max. 5-6K. We received structural engineering for a semi-detached house, foundation slab, and stairs/balconies.

Good evening, we are about to commission a structural engineer for the following project: New construction of a semi-detached househälfte (--> half!), without a basement, 140 sqm. Structurally "not quite simple" according to the architects.

We have now received an offer from the structural engineer for 28,000 EUR for service phases 1-6. According to the HOAI calculator, this fits in relation to the eligible costs.

Nevertheless, that is of course a very large fee - two questions regarding this: a) Should we look for a flat price offer (possibly from another structural engineer)? b) Does an "expensive" structural engineer ideally provide smarter solutions, e.g. by not planning the entire ground floor full of support columns?

Thanks!

Would you like to give hints as to what might not be quite simple structurally? (e.g. huge corner glass surfaces, spans beyond... (okay, hardly imaginable with 140 sqm), very very difficult soil conditions or similar.)

Maybe you could also just present the property and floor plans?

Would you like to give hints about what should not be quite simple structurally? (e.g. huge glass surfaces around corners, spans beyond... (okay, hardly imaginable with 140m²), very very difficult ground conditions or similar.)

Exactly these points or no walls aligned above each other are the cost drivers…