ᐅ The architect has become emotional and does not want to continue. How should I proceed now?
Created on: 11 Mar 2026 17:41
O
Ohropax
Hello,
I hired an architect in the Stuttgart metropolitan area to design a single-family house and submit the building permit / planning permission application (service phases 1-4). The architect immediately received an advance payment of 15,000 euros without doing anything.
Service phases 1-2 were basically skipped; at least, I did not receive a project schedule, summaries, cost estimates, or a timetable. She basically spent all her time working only on the design.
The first design was unusable! Our budget is 750,000 euros, which was communicated both verbally and in writing. According to three construction companies, realizing the design would have required 1.25 million euros.
So a new design was created, but it contained so many practical mistakes (corridor too narrow, wardrobe not deep enough, kitchen wall too narrow for a sliding door, ceiling heights too low, bathrooms too small), and many more. An unbelievable number of errors, which you wouldn’t normally expect from an architect (at least I didn’t). The design is now in its 10th iteration because we repeatedly had to point out illogical corners, incorrectly placed windows, etc. Many of the changes were contributed by construction companies and included in the design because it was otherwise not suitable.
It was agreed with the architect that the remaining amount of about 15,000 euros would be paid before submitting the building permit / planning permission application. However, this is too risky for us because the architect’s work is very poor technically, and we fear the application will not be approved as is. The architect charged fee zone IV for a simple single-family house and noted this in the invoice. Is that correct?
Our proposal is to pay the 15,000 euros only after approval. The architect has now completely lost it, refuses to submit the application, and demands 12,000 euros for the design.
I actually did the design myself, and she just used the software. I was not advised. She simply implemented things without pointing out poor practicality. As a layperson, I am not familiar with this and expect advice; that is part of the architect’s job, isn’t it?
What should I do now? I am emotionally exhausted...
I hired an architect in the Stuttgart metropolitan area to design a single-family house and submit the building permit / planning permission application (service phases 1-4). The architect immediately received an advance payment of 15,000 euros without doing anything.
Service phases 1-2 were basically skipped; at least, I did not receive a project schedule, summaries, cost estimates, or a timetable. She basically spent all her time working only on the design.
The first design was unusable! Our budget is 750,000 euros, which was communicated both verbally and in writing. According to three construction companies, realizing the design would have required 1.25 million euros.
So a new design was created, but it contained so many practical mistakes (corridor too narrow, wardrobe not deep enough, kitchen wall too narrow for a sliding door, ceiling heights too low, bathrooms too small), and many more. An unbelievable number of errors, which you wouldn’t normally expect from an architect (at least I didn’t). The design is now in its 10th iteration because we repeatedly had to point out illogical corners, incorrectly placed windows, etc. Many of the changes were contributed by construction companies and included in the design because it was otherwise not suitable.
It was agreed with the architect that the remaining amount of about 15,000 euros would be paid before submitting the building permit / planning permission application. However, this is too risky for us because the architect’s work is very poor technically, and we fear the application will not be approved as is. The architect charged fee zone IV for a simple single-family house and noted this in the invoice. Is that correct?
Our proposal is to pay the 15,000 euros only after approval. The architect has now completely lost it, refuses to submit the application, and demands 12,000 euros for the design.
I actually did the design myself, and she just used the software. I was not advised. She simply implemented things without pointing out poor practicality. As a layperson, I am not familiar with this and expect advice; that is part of the architect’s job, isn’t it?
What should I do now? I am emotionally exhausted...
11ant schrieb:
27k for nothing would be too harsh a punishment for your stupidity What exactly was stupid behavior? What do you mean by that?
Ohropax schrieb:
I actually made the design myself and she only used the tool. I was not advised. She simply implemented things without pointing out poor practicality. As a layperson, I am not familiar with this and expect advice; that is part of the architect’s role, isn’t it? - Why did you feel the need to step in and assist the professional, even though you recognized that you were not knowledgeable?
- “Or” is the correct answer: it is her responsibility to complete the design task independently (but of course based on the official fee structure for architects and engineers - HOAI).</li>
Continuing to work based on an amateur foundation is by no means an architectural service (rather, it is more of an application of the second law of gastronomy, which you apparently have also evaluated).
https://www.instagram.com/11antgmxde/
https://www.linkedin.com/company/bauen-jetzt/
11ant schrieb:
1. Why did you, despite recognizing your own lack of expertise, still feel compelled to correct the professional? I wanted to make progress. There were about 100 other things happening at the same time. A construction company noticed during the design phase that the kitchen wall was too narrow for a sliding door.
So, I passed this on to the architect, and she widened the wall. This widening then affected the hallway, which had to be "redesigned."
The architect simply didn’t think it through but used the tool without considering practicality or functionality.
11ant schrieb:
Continuing to work based on an amateur foundation is by no means an architect’s responsibility (rather an example of the second gastronomic law, which you have presumably also considered). Do you mean the architect performed poorly, which would justify a fee reduction?
What exactly was the unreasonable behavior? What do you mean by that?
Ohropax schrieb:
What exactly was foolish behavior? What do you mean by that? Would you first like to address our previous questions?
I have already explained this—by the way, not only here but many times before:
- You generally do not work with architects on the basis of mandates for only the first phase (instead, you only engage those who offer both phases and commission them initially just for "Module A" and only proceed further after the resting period);
- You never go to them with pre-made self-designs (only with your requirements and wishes description).
- An architect contract is a serious matter, not to be taken lightly.
- The architect contract should have been terminated (after a grace period for proper completion had passed) as soon as unprofessional work became apparent.
https://www.instagram.com/11antgmxde/
https://www.linkedin.com/company/bauen-jetzt/
Ohropax schrieb:
I wanted to make progress. There are about 100 other things running in parallel. A construction company noticed in the design phase that the kitchen wall was too narrow for a sliding door.
So I passed this on to the architect, and she widened the wall. This widening then affected the hallway, which had to be "redesigned."
The architect simply didn’t think it through but used the tool without considering practicality or logic. Sorry for the confusion: since the new design, the forum has a bug that does not notify you of new posts made in the meantime before you submit your own. So you only see afterwards that there have already been more posts.
@admin / @webmaster: please fix this error!
There is clearly a fundamental issue in your way of working.
Ohropax schrieb:
You mean the architect performed poorly [...] My understanding—without any guarantee that it aligns with relevant case law—is clearly that the phase model of the HOAI is to be regarded as a “recognized standard of technology” and therefore applies regardless of whether you also use its fee schedule. Phase 3 of the service cannot begin before “Module A” has been fully completed.
Ohropax schrieb:
[...] which would justify a fee reduction? No, I simply do not consider the fee here to be earned, so there is nothing to reduce. From my point of view (but see above), she did not perform professionally and therefore did not fulfill her contract. However, you should also have terminated her contract as soon as this became apparent (more precisely: request corrections within a deadline, and only after that deadline expires, terminate—while announcing this in advance with the request).
You should consult a specialist lawyer in architect contract law about how risky it would be to dispute this with her.
I don’t know of any clause stating that her claim would be invalid or subject to reduction in this situation. I see you risking several thousands of euros and a lot of time fighting over this costly lesson for your own mistake.
https://www.instagram.com/11antgmxde/
https://www.linkedin.com/company/bauen-jetzt/
11ant schrieb:
Wouldn’t you first want to address our previous questions? Which questions exactly?
11ant schrieb:
2. You should never go there with pre-made own designs (but only with a description of your needs and wishes). That’s what I did. However, the architect rigidly followed those specifications, and that resulted in poor work. For example, a house that ended up 50% over budget. From that point on, I took a more hands-on approach to the design.
11ant schrieb:
4. The architect contract should have been terminated (after a lapse of an extension period to complete the work properly) as soon as the unprofessional work became evident. Okay, so what should I do now? Terminate the contract and demand a refund due to poor performance? Or accept that the 15,000 euros already cover everything, and the design now belongs to me?
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