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...
G
Gerddieter13 Mar 2026 23:21I would like to take my virtual hat off to the thread starter!!! For still being active in this thread and patiently responding to you all!
He has a problem with his architect and wants to get some information about it. And for those of us here in the forum who have honestly ever hired an independent architect (I suspect very few) – you know that it’s not uncommon to encounter exactly the kind of situation described.
There are so many great suggestions like “Show the plan” – but why? Discussing the floor plan was not the issue!
People start speculating about why the original poster might be at fault, then they demand the forum questionnaires – but for what exactly?
Then the quality of the general contractor is criticized, even though no one here knows them.
In the end, the original poster gets absolutely NOTHING from this thread – even though he just wants to benefit from the experience of others who may have faced a similar situation – but apparently none of you have.
It’s interesting, by the way, how this forum’s community typically behaves – jumping on threads like this, tearing the original poster apart because there’s no questionnaire, no plan, and so on.
And then there’s the big complaining when the original poster disappears and stops responding in their own thread....
@TE I had a similar situation.
I tried to come to an agreement, and for the same reasons as you, I felt I was in the right.
My financial offer was too low because I simply didn’t accept more.
Then with a lawyer, the settlement amount was only slightly higher in the end – but the lawyer was really expensive. So my advice is – settle without a lawyer, part ways, write it off as a learning experience, and don’t let it spoil the rest of your build.
Gerddieter
He has a problem with his architect and wants to get some information about it. And for those of us here in the forum who have honestly ever hired an independent architect (I suspect very few) – you know that it’s not uncommon to encounter exactly the kind of situation described.
There are so many great suggestions like “Show the plan” – but why? Discussing the floor plan was not the issue!
People start speculating about why the original poster might be at fault, then they demand the forum questionnaires – but for what exactly?
Then the quality of the general contractor is criticized, even though no one here knows them.
In the end, the original poster gets absolutely NOTHING from this thread – even though he just wants to benefit from the experience of others who may have faced a similar situation – but apparently none of you have.
It’s interesting, by the way, how this forum’s community typically behaves – jumping on threads like this, tearing the original poster apart because there’s no questionnaire, no plan, and so on.
And then there’s the big complaining when the original poster disappears and stops responding in their own thread....
@TE I had a similar situation.
I tried to come to an agreement, and for the same reasons as you, I felt I was in the right.
My financial offer was too low because I simply didn’t accept more.
Then with a lawyer, the settlement amount was only slightly higher in the end – but the lawyer was really expensive. So my advice is – settle without a lawyer, part ways, write it off as a learning experience, and don’t let it spoil the rest of your build.
Gerddieter
Gerddieter schrieb:
There are great ideas like "Show us the plan" – but why? Discussing the floor plan wasn’t the question!!! No one here said anything about “discussing” the floor plan (a very weak jargon).
Anyone with a bit of insight could tell whether the design by the professional really is that bad.
It is not uncommon for the designs by professionals, meaning architects, to be criticized and labeled poor because laypeople perceive it that way, even though they may not understand why it is the way it is. And then you just have to communicate and ask the professional. But if everything is simply blamed on the architect and one does not take responsibility oneself, then I don’t know.
On my part, I am not looking to assign blame, but I try to find an approach. Only, I can’t succeed because many things are contradictory.
And you, @Gerddieter, were also not involved in the discussions or do not know the work, the many wishes, or why a house over 1 million was planned.
These “incredible many mistakes” cannot be identified by us. What kind of mistakes are they? Why are they mistakes? Or are these misunderstandings? Sender/receiver issues? Unrealistic wishes or actual incompetence of the woman?
It is always very easy to blame someone else – but that doesn’t lead to any solution.
Gerddieter schrieb:
In the end, the OP gets absolutely NOTHING from this thread I agree. Because many facts are simply missing.
Gerddieter schrieb:
I just want to tip my virtual hat to the original poster!!! For still being active in this thread and patiently answering you all! You are expressing exactly how I feel! It is just as you say.
Gerddieter schrieb:
My financial offer was too low because I didn’t see any reason to offer more. I am still offering the full fee, just not upfront. Since the architect is supposed to provide services in advance (interestingly, no one here denies that), her behavior is clearly not appropriate.
ypg schrieb:
the specialist’s design is really that bad. The “problem” is that the design is now on its 10th iteration. Now the design is okay. I have already listed many examples of what the architect did wrong. You haven’t really commented on any of that. Would you like another example?
I requested a wardrobe in the entrance area. It was included but without any measurements!! When I asked how deep the wardrobe actually is, the answer was 50cm (20 inches). I have always communicated that I want all wardrobes/furniture to follow IKEA Pax dimensions, meaning at least 60cm (24 inches). 10 cm (4 inches) less is problematic because it was taken from the kitchen space behind it, and the kitchen had to be redesigned accordingly.
Do you understand my point? I NEED to know exactly where each piece of furniture will be placed!! That’s why I have an architect.
One more thing. Regarding the 10 iterations, I am not an expert. I don’t know all the tasks an architect must fulfill, what she must explain to me, or advise me on. She likely omitted many things I didn’t notice because I am not familiar with them.
ypg schrieb:
I agree as well. Because many facts are missing. I get the impression you are trying to defend the architect, but why? Two specific questions for you: The architect is obligated to complete the building permit / planning permission application first and only then receive payment, right?
What do you think about her behavior to want the money FIRST or to stop working entirely? Is that proper behavior for an architect?
My time is running out, not hers.
Ohropax schrieb:
I don’t know everything an architect has to do. What they have to inform me about, what they have to advise me on. Informing and advising would fall under the duties of a notary, but she chose to become an architect. Architects have their “bible,” the HOAI, which outlines their procedure, and they follow it step by step. What she specifically has to do for your project is defined in your contract, which you as an equal party helped shape (and if you took that lightly, you can only blame yourself for that mistake—not Yvonne).
Other users post twenty or thirty pages of detailed work specifications or window quotes here; we still don’t know the content of your architect contract, except that it’s supposed to be just one short page. If it really only says something like: “It is agreed that Ms. architect will design Mr. Ohropax a single-family house with a roof terrace as tall as possible. The fee is based on HOAI service phases 1 through 4 at 30k, payable half in advance,” then you shouldn’t be surprised that you have to make up for the missing pre-design discussions in a back-and-forth of misunderstandings. I have personally been writing here for nine years on how to handle this less awkwardly—and others before me as well.
However, I won’t continue in this thread now; with the emperor’s new house design, I’m slowly running out of patience, as Trapattoni said. After the weekend, either we’ll literally get a picture of how unbelievably this was planned, or you will have lost my attention for your topic. My mental screen has been showing only “no signal” on a black background for days. I can’t work like this.
https://www.instagram.com/11antgmxde/
https://www.linkedin.com/company/bauen-jetzt/
11ant schrieb:
Architects have their bible, the HOAI, which outlines their procedures, and they follow it step by step. What do you think about this, as this is the main issue here:
"Two specific questions for you. The architect is required to prepare the building permit application first and then receive the payment, correct?
What is your opinion on her behavior of wanting payment first or not doing anything at all? Is that appropriate conduct for an architect?
I am running out of time, not her."
Ohropax schrieb:
"Two concrete questions for you. The architect is obliged to prepare the building permit application first and only then receive payment, right?
What do you think about her behavior, wanting the money first or not continuing work at all? Is that appropriate behavior for an architect?
I am running out of time, not her." I already answered question 2:
11ant schrieb:
What exactly she has to do for your project is stated in your contract, which you negotiated as an equal party Regarding question 1, my answer partly refers to question 2 (only you know what you agreed in your contract) and partly I have to refrain, as I am not a lawyer and do not know enough about how the building regulations and relevant case law interpret this. I can only assume that consumer protection—at least if you are not a business—entitles you to expect the architect’s performance as a precondition and that she is not simply permitted to withhold further work. However, as I said, it was up to you to include clear terms in the contract. If you are not completely sure that the building code provides a fallback solution for every point you omitted, you need to write down the important issues yourself.
As a businessperson, I am fully aware that a contract with this fee volume certainly does not fall under minor transaction rules (and you must take full responsibility for your contractual omissions). To my knowledge, an architect’s contract is not subject to formal requirements, but the following basic principle applies: “What the building regulations do not cover for you, you must handle yourself!”
https://www.instagram.com/11antgmxde/
https://www.linkedin.com/company/bauen-jetzt/
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