Hello everyone,
I need your help again.
We are still looking for an architect, and I’m still unsure about the best way to approach this.
- Unfortunately, we have no recommendations from friends, acquaintances, or family.
- We have asked owners of houses we like that are currently being built or recently completed, but none of them worked with an architect; they handled the planning themselves.
I have now gathered some addresses, focusing on firms located near us. Their websites don’t provide much information, and none seem to specialize exclusively in single-family homes—most also offer commercial projects, and so on.
Should I simply call and arrange a non-binding consultation to find out whether they can deliver what we want and if the personal chemistry feels right? Should I contact three different ones to have a choice?
What if they design a draft that we don’t like at all?
Is it possible to agree upfront that the service will only involve planning and drawing the floor plan and nothing more? How are the costs for floor plan planning usually handled? So far, I understood that architects’ fees are calculated based on the construction budget. But how can costs be estimated if I only want the floor plan drawn? Whether I build it using more affordable or the most expensive materials doesn’t initially affect the floor plan itself.
I really have a thousand questions in my head and don’t know how to start.
I’ve already looked at hundreds of floor plans from providers offering turnkey builds online, but never found one that really fit.
We don’t want a super fancy design house with unusual architecture, but we do have a few specific requirements, which is why we’re considering working with a designer.
Does anyone have any tips for me?
I need your help again.
We are still looking for an architect, and I’m still unsure about the best way to approach this.
- Unfortunately, we have no recommendations from friends, acquaintances, or family.
- We have asked owners of houses we like that are currently being built or recently completed, but none of them worked with an architect; they handled the planning themselves.
I have now gathered some addresses, focusing on firms located near us. Their websites don’t provide much information, and none seem to specialize exclusively in single-family homes—most also offer commercial projects, and so on.
Should I simply call and arrange a non-binding consultation to find out whether they can deliver what we want and if the personal chemistry feels right? Should I contact three different ones to have a choice?
What if they design a draft that we don’t like at all?
Is it possible to agree upfront that the service will only involve planning and drawing the floor plan and nothing more? How are the costs for floor plan planning usually handled? So far, I understood that architects’ fees are calculated based on the construction budget. But how can costs be estimated if I only want the floor plan drawn? Whether I build it using more affordable or the most expensive materials doesn’t initially affect the floor plan itself.
I really have a thousand questions in my head and don’t know how to start.
I’ve already looked at hundreds of floor plans from providers offering turnkey builds online, but never found one that really fit.
We don’t want a super fancy design house with unusual architecture, but we do have a few specific requirements, which is why we’re considering working with a designer.
Does anyone have any tips for me?
Panama17 schrieb:
And he was really glad that we didn’t come with hand-drawn plans . Instead, we had a detailed room program with our wishes includedWhen he’s ready, you’ll present your design before submitting the building permit / planning permission application, right? It’s really enjoyable to work through small mistakes and improvements that way
Regards, Yvonne
B
Bauexperte27 Nov 2014 00:38Good evening,
That’s a good key question; answers to Wanderdüne’s questions are needed here.
Regards, Bauexperte
Panama17 schrieb:Net amount?
In terms of process, he counts the initial consultation as client acquisition. The next step would be for him to prepare a first draft, including elevations and sections. He would charge a flat fee of €2,000, which we would only have to pay if we decide not to commission him afterwards. We think that’s fair.
Do you have any experience with this? Is that common? Is it too much?
That’s a good key question; answers to Wanderdüne’s questions are needed here.
Regards, Bauexperte
Wanderdüne schrieb:
First of all: it’s certainly not too much.
The crucial question is what scope this "first draft" is supposed to cover. In terms of price, it might just fit within the HOAI service phases I and II, which means it would be a preliminary design with a cost estimate that only provides a very rough direction. But detailed plans and sections going beyond a general sketch would likely go beyond what HOAI covers.
And what if the collaboration works and could be fruitful, but the "first" draft doesn’t convince?
What would then be payable?
By the way: What exactly is the service that is owed as the basis for an approvable planning?
Flat rates can work and be HOAI-compliant, but things can quickly become complicated.Hey Wanderdüne,
I’m not sure if I’m understanding your answer correctly—I’m just not very familiar with the topic.
It’s only about a preliminary draft to see which direction it could take. But it will already be drawn properly, not just a hand sketch on paper. After all, it’s meant to be a basis, a first idea, on which we can decide whether we can imagine working with the architect. I think that when the first draft is presented, we can already better judge whether the collaboration will work or not. I imagine the architect explaining a lot about the plan, so we can assess the thinking and reasoning behind it. After only a one-hour initial meeting, that’s really difficult.
If we decide to work together, he would sign a normal architectural contract with us according to HOAI. I don’t know if it specifies what happens if the first draft is not satisfactory—I’ll ask about that.
Intuitively, I would say that 2-3 revisions should be included without charging extra for the additional effort, or am I wrong?
We only pay the flat fee as compensation for work if he does not receive a commission from us. I come from marketing and know this from advertising agencies as a "pitch." You let several agencies develop something and pay them a fee for their effort if they don’t get the contract.
In my opinion, this can’t yet be the basis for an approvable planning anyway. There is neither a building site survey nor documents from a surveyor. We also haven’t talked much about technical details, insulation, etc., which also influence wall thickness.
@ypg - of course, I will upload plans as soon as I have a first draft—I definitely want to make use of the forum’s extensive experience
@Bauexperte - I’ll have to ask, he didn’t mention it.
B
Bauexperte27 Nov 2014 14:41Panama17 schrieb:
There are neither a soil survey report nor any documents from the surveyor available. Not good!
A geotechnical report is, among other things, important for deciding whether to include a basement; a preliminary site plan is crucial for working with elevations in relation to the often referenced finished floor level when maximizing eave and ridge heights. It is also essential to know the location of the sewer line and the depth of the invert.
Had I known this earlier, I would have strongly recommended commissioning these surveys first. Everything the current architect can present now may not necessarily be feasible later—even if the initial design happens to be convincing by chance. You will need both surveys anyway, no matter which architect or builder you decide to work with later.
Regards, Bauexperte
I know!!! I would have liked to have done this a long time ago as well. But my husband said we should wait until we have an architect. They often have people they prefer to work with.
Since there used to be a house with a basement on the property, I’m just hoping that building a basement will work out. A waterproof concrete shell or something like that wouldn’t be a dealbreaker for us. I know, hoping is not the same as knowing.
Since there used to be a house with a basement on the property, I’m just hoping that building a basement will work out. A waterproof concrete shell or something like that wouldn’t be a dealbreaker for us. I know, hoping is not the same as knowing.
There are so many good house building companies, whether prefabricated or masonry, offering countless houses, designs, roof types, and more. You can almost design the entire floor plan yourself, there are many reference houses, the companies know what they are doing, and the quality is right – so why insist on having an architect-designed house? It’s not like you’re planning an extraordinary $2 million villa, right? No offense – just my opinion...
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