Hello gentlemen,
I have posted here a few times already and received some tips, but the longer this goes on, the worse it gets. Reason: our architect!
We are currently in the shell construction phase. If I had to list all the issues we’ve encountered, I don’t think I would finish today. I’ll just mention a few points.
1. We had several rounds of planning with the architect – only to end up with a house that we don't really like. There are many small details he decided on his own without consulting us. Just to give a few examples: I assumed there would be three "proper" front doors. He planned one front door on the ground floor and simply designed the basement doors (office entrance and garden entrance) as custom-made “patio doors” by the carpenter, including frosted glass, etc. This was never discussed with us; I was not aware of the implications, he just decided. The same goes for our foundation slab, supposedly a "Swedish slab" – or not really. It’s some kind of mixed thing. As a layperson, his planning is completely unclear to me.
2. Finances. I set a fixed budget. He made the plans and assured us everything fits. Now we are about 30,000 euros (about $33,000) over budget because he left some items out of the total cost summary, 20,000 euros (about $22,000) extra because certain additional costs were not included at all, and another 15,000 euros (about $16,500) because the heating system is already more expensive than planned. (The shell construction was 15,000 euros (about $16,500) over budget too.) Other trades are still pending, but I fear further significant price increases compared to the prices given. A request for additional financing of over 40,000 euros (about $44,000) is running, and reserves are running low.
3. Construction execution. A detailed comparison of the building against the plans reveals major errors in the planning. Sometimes single measurements are wrong, sometimes the exterior design doesn’t match the floor plans and shop drawings. As a non-professional, you only notice this after something is already built incorrectly. For example, we just found a concrete wall that is one meter (about 3 feet) too short. It’s not critical since it only keeps garden debris out, but it was not agreed upon and it looks bad overall.
4. Timeline. The shell construction company already expects to need at least two more weeks than planned. I asked the architect for a valid construction schedule and he always says, “the old plan is still valid.” But that can’t be true anymore. I have to plan the current house sale, but I no longer know what to plan since all assumptions are proving wrong.
5. Tendering. Despite multiple warnings, items are being tendered that sometimes don’t even exist (a pellet stove from a company that does not produce pellet stoves, for example), that we don’t need on our build, and that were never discussed. Is this a distraction tactic? Possibly. I definitely don’t understand what is being tendered and what is actually necessary for our house.
What to do? I’ve already thought about changing the architect – but who will take over this mess without extra costs? My wife, a lawyer, is currently investigating how we can hold him liable. But apparently, this is not simple.
What would you advise me? I started the build with plenty of time and financial buffer, but I’m fast running out of both time and money. Someone this incompetent should be banned from the profession.
Regards,
Roger
I have posted here a few times already and received some tips, but the longer this goes on, the worse it gets. Reason: our architect!
We are currently in the shell construction phase. If I had to list all the issues we’ve encountered, I don’t think I would finish today. I’ll just mention a few points.
1. We had several rounds of planning with the architect – only to end up with a house that we don't really like. There are many small details he decided on his own without consulting us. Just to give a few examples: I assumed there would be three "proper" front doors. He planned one front door on the ground floor and simply designed the basement doors (office entrance and garden entrance) as custom-made “patio doors” by the carpenter, including frosted glass, etc. This was never discussed with us; I was not aware of the implications, he just decided. The same goes for our foundation slab, supposedly a "Swedish slab" – or not really. It’s some kind of mixed thing. As a layperson, his planning is completely unclear to me.
2. Finances. I set a fixed budget. He made the plans and assured us everything fits. Now we are about 30,000 euros (about $33,000) over budget because he left some items out of the total cost summary, 20,000 euros (about $22,000) extra because certain additional costs were not included at all, and another 15,000 euros (about $16,500) because the heating system is already more expensive than planned. (The shell construction was 15,000 euros (about $16,500) over budget too.) Other trades are still pending, but I fear further significant price increases compared to the prices given. A request for additional financing of over 40,000 euros (about $44,000) is running, and reserves are running low.
3. Construction execution. A detailed comparison of the building against the plans reveals major errors in the planning. Sometimes single measurements are wrong, sometimes the exterior design doesn’t match the floor plans and shop drawings. As a non-professional, you only notice this after something is already built incorrectly. For example, we just found a concrete wall that is one meter (about 3 feet) too short. It’s not critical since it only keeps garden debris out, but it was not agreed upon and it looks bad overall.
4. Timeline. The shell construction company already expects to need at least two more weeks than planned. I asked the architect for a valid construction schedule and he always says, “the old plan is still valid.” But that can’t be true anymore. I have to plan the current house sale, but I no longer know what to plan since all assumptions are proving wrong.
5. Tendering. Despite multiple warnings, items are being tendered that sometimes don’t even exist (a pellet stove from a company that does not produce pellet stoves, for example), that we don’t need on our build, and that were never discussed. Is this a distraction tactic? Possibly. I definitely don’t understand what is being tendered and what is actually necessary for our house.
What to do? I’ve already thought about changing the architect – but who will take over this mess without extra costs? My wife, a lawyer, is currently investigating how we can hold him liable. But apparently, this is not simple.
What would you advise me? I started the build with plenty of time and financial buffer, but I’m fast running out of both time and money. Someone this incompetent should be banned from the profession.
Regards,
Roger
It’s quite similar to emer’s situation with us. Every contract for the individual trades is signed by us as the clients. The architect discusses every detail with us before we make the final decision.
I would consider changing the architect. Find out which documents you are entitled to since you have already paid for them. Go to the architect together with someone else and have them hand over those documents. Since you are still at the shell stage, much can be understood just by looking around, so take an inventory. Once you get to the interior work, the construction site becomes much more complex in many ways, and there should be a competent architect or construction manager involved. Things can only improve.
Have you given the architect any power of attorney? On what contractual basis is he working? Has he been appointed for all construction phases?
Regards
klblb
I would consider changing the architect. Find out which documents you are entitled to since you have already paid for them. Go to the architect together with someone else and have them hand over those documents. Since you are still at the shell stage, much can be understood just by looking around, so take an inventory. Once you get to the interior work, the construction site becomes much more complex in many ways, and there should be a competent architect or construction manager involved. Things can only improve.
Have you given the architect any power of attorney? On what contractual basis is he working? Has he been appointed for all construction phases?
Regards
klblb
Shadowblues schrieb:
.... My wife, who is a lawyer, is currently looking into how we can hold someone liable. But it seems it’s not that straightforward.... Sorry, but isn’t this a bit late— or not? Shadowblues schrieb:
....What do you advise me to do?... Once the damage is done, it is usually very difficult and expensive! => Pull the emergency brake!!! Sometimes a settlement is better than nothing!
Shadowblues schrieb:
....I started construction with a lot of time and financial buffer, but now both time and money are running out.... What kind of financial buffer did you have? Open-ended planning is not a fixed-price contract; it’s just a cost estimate!!!! This is especially true for technical systems (heating, domestic hot water, controlled mechanical ventilation). Neither architects nor general planners/contractors (GMP/GC) are usually adequately trained in these areas.
I still don’t understand why homeowners skip independent external construction supervision. The cost is negligible in the overall context; otherwise, the financial planning must be a disaster.
Best regards
S
Shadowblues22 Apr 2014 12:13Hello building expert,
I already contacted the Architects’ Association yesterday – let’s see when I get a reply. Yes, we knew that an architect could also be somewhat more expensive. He assured us of a fee range of 5%. Currently, we are at 15% and rising sharply.
Regards
Roger
I already contacted the Architects’ Association yesterday – let’s see when I get a reply. Yes, we knew that an architect could also be somewhat more expensive. He assured us of a fee range of 5%. Currently, we are at 15% and rising sharply.
Regards
Roger
S
Shadowblues22 Apr 2014 12:23Hello Euro,
Is it too late now to address the liability information? Do you always handle that upfront before any problems arise?
What exactly do you mean by "pulling the emergency brake"? And how do you proceed afterward? I can hardly just stop construction now and sell or demolish it to start over. What speaks against continuing the build? The house doesn’t have to be bad; at least I haven’t noticed any serious structural defects—except that it doesn’t fully meet the requirements. But the damage from demolition would likely be comparatively greater, right? Your statement seems too general without considering both alternatives.
You also write that you don’t understand why some homeowners skip construction supervision. So, I have to pay an expert to oversee my expert? I’m familiar with this from the IT sector, and it often leads to suboptimal results because the experts can’t find common ground. But please, I’m open to advice—unfortunately, there’s no clear information like that online. Maybe that’s why no one does it? Please explain to me the benefits of this construction supervision, the approximate costs, and how to find suitable supervision. A clear cost-benefit analysis could convince many people, but as I said, I can’t find one anywhere...
Roger
Is it too late now to address the liability information? Do you always handle that upfront before any problems arise?
What exactly do you mean by "pulling the emergency brake"? And how do you proceed afterward? I can hardly just stop construction now and sell or demolish it to start over. What speaks against continuing the build? The house doesn’t have to be bad; at least I haven’t noticed any serious structural defects—except that it doesn’t fully meet the requirements. But the damage from demolition would likely be comparatively greater, right? Your statement seems too general without considering both alternatives.
You also write that you don’t understand why some homeowners skip construction supervision. So, I have to pay an expert to oversee my expert? I’m familiar with this from the IT sector, and it often leads to suboptimal results because the experts can’t find common ground. But please, I’m open to advice—unfortunately, there’s no clear information like that online. Maybe that’s why no one does it? Please explain to me the benefits of this construction supervision, the approximate costs, and how to find suitable supervision. A clear cost-benefit analysis could convince many people, but as I said, I can’t find one anywhere...
Roger
S
Shadowblues22 Apr 2014 12:44For me, there are two options:
1. Stop construction, demolish, sell, etc. This means significant stress, costs, and I still won’t have a new house afterward, plus ongoing expenses for the old house.
2. Continue with construction, which also involves costs, but I will have a house in the end...
Both options are financially unpredictable for me, and at least with option 1, the consequences are hard to foresee. I generally prefer option 2, but I would like some assurance that the path won’t lead nowhere. Would getting a second architect provide that assurance? Or another expert to review the situation?
Is there a third alternative?
Regards,
Roger
1. Stop construction, demolish, sell, etc. This means significant stress, costs, and I still won’t have a new house afterward, plus ongoing expenses for the old house.
2. Continue with construction, which also involves costs, but I will have a house in the end...
Both options are financially unpredictable for me, and at least with option 1, the consequences are hard to foresee. I generally prefer option 2, but I would like some assurance that the path won’t lead nowhere. Would getting a second architect provide that assurance? Or another expert to review the situation?
Is there a third alternative?
Regards,
Roger
B
Bauexperte22 Apr 2014 13:01Hello Roger,
even though I am not directly addressed, I would like to respond here.
First of all, "experts" are still only human, and secondly, there are just as many good as bad ones.
With all due respect, this is not comparable. The IT field is still relatively young and has many more self-promoters than other industries. I believe I can assess this well through my job. The situation in house construction is somewhat different, also because reliable comparisons are possible.
That is not quite true.
Take a look at forums, magazines such as Wiso, consumer advice centers or energy agencies, the Association of Private Homeowners, or even the frequently criticized Bauherren-Schutzbund – every recommendation points to external construction supervision. Nowadays, it is so loud that it’s hard to miss.
I assume your wife, as a lawyer, has clarified the contractual side before you entered the agreement with the architect. But is she able to review the tender documents? Does she know the requirements related to current standards/energy-saving regulations/renewable energy heating laws, etc.? Or do you? Personally, I find external supervision indispensable in house construction when working with a general contractor/general builder, and it certainly should not be missing where the architect alone is fully responsible!
Because of accompanying circumstances, I have had a second area of work for about four years; this mainly deals with the evaluation of construction documents and preliminary supervision *before* a contract is signed. You would be surprised what hides behind some flattering descriptions or what is missing; a layperson usually does not recognize it. I always recommend afterward commissioning an external expert to monitor the construction project; usually, five inspections are enough, always at points where work can no longer be corrected later.
Since the term “expert” is not legally protected in Germany – for example, I am considered an expert because I have been doing my job for 18 years – it is recommended to search, for instance, via the Association of Independent Experts. There you will find regional experts with different backgrounds but mostly verifiable qualifications; nothing like attending a two-hour seminar at the local Chamber of Industry and Commerce.
My experience: no reputable architect, general contractor, or developer objects to external supervision. On the contrary – many people are involved in building a single-family house, so errors are inevitable. The four-eyes principle is therefore very welcome. Costs start at around €3,000 (about 3k USD) with certification bodies like TÜV, and for experts, depending on training and scope, they range from about €3,000 to €3,500 (about 3k - 3.5k USD) and can go higher.
Best regards, Bauexperte
even though I am not directly addressed, I would like to respond here.
Shadowblues schrieb:
What, I have to pay an expert now to supervise my expert?
First of all, "experts" are still only human, and secondly, there are just as many good as bad ones.
Shadowblues schrieb:
I know this all too well from the IT sector, and it always ended with a suboptimal result because the experts couldn’t find common ground.
With all due respect, this is not comparable. The IT field is still relatively young and has many more self-promoters than other industries. I believe I can assess this well through my job. The situation in house construction is somewhat different, also because reliable comparisons are possible.
Shadowblues schrieb:
But please, I am happy to accept advice – unfortunately, there is no such information available on the internet. Perhaps this is why no one uses it? Please explain to me the benefits of this construction supervision, the approximate costs, and how to find suitable supervision. A clear cost/benefit analysis could convince many people, but as I said, I can’t find one anywhere…
That is not quite true.
Take a look at forums, magazines such as Wiso, consumer advice centers or energy agencies, the Association of Private Homeowners, or even the frequently criticized Bauherren-Schutzbund – every recommendation points to external construction supervision. Nowadays, it is so loud that it’s hard to miss.
I assume your wife, as a lawyer, has clarified the contractual side before you entered the agreement with the architect. But is she able to review the tender documents? Does she know the requirements related to current standards/energy-saving regulations/renewable energy heating laws, etc.? Or do you? Personally, I find external supervision indispensable in house construction when working with a general contractor/general builder, and it certainly should not be missing where the architect alone is fully responsible!
Because of accompanying circumstances, I have had a second area of work for about four years; this mainly deals with the evaluation of construction documents and preliminary supervision *before* a contract is signed. You would be surprised what hides behind some flattering descriptions or what is missing; a layperson usually does not recognize it. I always recommend afterward commissioning an external expert to monitor the construction project; usually, five inspections are enough, always at points where work can no longer be corrected later.
Since the term “expert” is not legally protected in Germany – for example, I am considered an expert because I have been doing my job for 18 years – it is recommended to search, for instance, via the Association of Independent Experts. There you will find regional experts with different backgrounds but mostly verifiable qualifications; nothing like attending a two-hour seminar at the local Chamber of Industry and Commerce.
My experience: no reputable architect, general contractor, or developer objects to external supervision. On the contrary – many people are involved in building a single-family house, so errors are inevitable. The four-eyes principle is therefore very welcome. Costs start at around €3,000 (about 3k USD) with certification bodies like TÜV, and for experts, depending on training and scope, they range from about €3,000 to €3,500 (about 3k - 3.5k USD) and can go higher.
Best regards, Bauexperte
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