ᐅ Architect misses renovation deadlines and forgets agreements. What to do?
Created on: 28 May 2021 08:43
S
Sube
Hello everyone,
I’m new to the forum. A brief introduction: about a year ago, my wife and I purchased a townhouse in need of renovation in Munich. For the renovation, we had proposals and preliminary plans made by various architects and chose what seemed to be the most convincing offer at the time. We added a two-month buffer to the estimated timeline, planned to move into the house by the end of April, and accordingly sold our apartment.
However, over the past year it has become clear that our architect works very informally and, for example, often forgets many (agreed) tasks and apparently does not visit the construction site very frequently. This has also been partially confirmed by the tradespeople involved. The April move-in date has long been missed, and there is no end in sight. The last verbal update from the architect was that we could move in within four weeks. But the current status is that the heat pump is only expected to arrive next week. Our extension is unfinished. The screed (floor leveling) is still missing, as are the floor finishes.
I am now wondering how to most effectively put pressure on the architect. I am (still) hesitant to take legal action. Here are a few of the major issues that have gone wrong:
1) Heat Pump Planning: At the end of 2020, we repeatedly emphasized that we wanted to decide on the heat pump as soon as possible so that the BAFA grant application could be submitted. Contrary to our wishes, a meeting with the heating engineer did not take place until February 2021. Since the BAFA funding rules changed in 2021, there was confusion in ordering the heat pump, resulting in the pump only arriving next week.
2) Electrical Connection for Heat Pump: The existing house electrical supply needs to be upgraded, which apparently requires an application to the utility company. Despite repeated inquiries to the architect about whether everything necessary had been arranged, I never received a clear answer. When I became suspicious, I contacted the electrician directly today—shortly after, I received an email from the architect attaching the application to the utility company, filled out over a month ago, asking for signature and submission. The architect had assumed that I had already received this application from the electrician for signing.
3) Decentralized Ventilation Planning: In February, we decided on a decentralized ventilation system and clearly communicated this. We only received the contract from the window manufacturer to sign afterward; it includes trickle vents (window frame vents), which must not be present with a decentralized ventilation system. Additionally, the current cost estimate lists the decentralized ventilation as "optional." This was clearly against our wishes and can now only be reversed with considerable effort (sealing the trickle vents, retrofitting electrical connections for the decentralized ventilation).
4) Overall Planning: We have never received a detailed schedule, despite my persistent requests over several months. We are currently staying with a small child in temporary accommodation and keep extending our stay every few weeks. Each time, the architect says that the available time will definitely be sufficient. Currently, we have four weeks left, which surely will not be enough (see above). We have not received a schedule for the upcoming weeks, and our current request to at least organize advance purchasing of tiles and parquet flooring has also been ignored.
5) Price Increases: Many tasks are being carried out by a renovator who has worked with the architect for many years. While the cost estimates for all other trades have been roughly maintained (except for unforeseen issues), the "drywall work" item (before tax) has increased from €15,000 to over €47,000 between the February and May estimates. After tax, this represents a price increase of more than 9% of the original total cost.
I would be very grateful for any advice on how to proceed.
Best regards,
Stampfbeton
I’m new to the forum. A brief introduction: about a year ago, my wife and I purchased a townhouse in need of renovation in Munich. For the renovation, we had proposals and preliminary plans made by various architects and chose what seemed to be the most convincing offer at the time. We added a two-month buffer to the estimated timeline, planned to move into the house by the end of April, and accordingly sold our apartment.
However, over the past year it has become clear that our architect works very informally and, for example, often forgets many (agreed) tasks and apparently does not visit the construction site very frequently. This has also been partially confirmed by the tradespeople involved. The April move-in date has long been missed, and there is no end in sight. The last verbal update from the architect was that we could move in within four weeks. But the current status is that the heat pump is only expected to arrive next week. Our extension is unfinished. The screed (floor leveling) is still missing, as are the floor finishes.
I am now wondering how to most effectively put pressure on the architect. I am (still) hesitant to take legal action. Here are a few of the major issues that have gone wrong:
1) Heat Pump Planning: At the end of 2020, we repeatedly emphasized that we wanted to decide on the heat pump as soon as possible so that the BAFA grant application could be submitted. Contrary to our wishes, a meeting with the heating engineer did not take place until February 2021. Since the BAFA funding rules changed in 2021, there was confusion in ordering the heat pump, resulting in the pump only arriving next week.
2) Electrical Connection for Heat Pump: The existing house electrical supply needs to be upgraded, which apparently requires an application to the utility company. Despite repeated inquiries to the architect about whether everything necessary had been arranged, I never received a clear answer. When I became suspicious, I contacted the electrician directly today—shortly after, I received an email from the architect attaching the application to the utility company, filled out over a month ago, asking for signature and submission. The architect had assumed that I had already received this application from the electrician for signing.
3) Decentralized Ventilation Planning: In February, we decided on a decentralized ventilation system and clearly communicated this. We only received the contract from the window manufacturer to sign afterward; it includes trickle vents (window frame vents), which must not be present with a decentralized ventilation system. Additionally, the current cost estimate lists the decentralized ventilation as "optional." This was clearly against our wishes and can now only be reversed with considerable effort (sealing the trickle vents, retrofitting electrical connections for the decentralized ventilation).
4) Overall Planning: We have never received a detailed schedule, despite my persistent requests over several months. We are currently staying with a small child in temporary accommodation and keep extending our stay every few weeks. Each time, the architect says that the available time will definitely be sufficient. Currently, we have four weeks left, which surely will not be enough (see above). We have not received a schedule for the upcoming weeks, and our current request to at least organize advance purchasing of tiles and parquet flooring has also been ignored.
5) Price Increases: Many tasks are being carried out by a renovator who has worked with the architect for many years. While the cost estimates for all other trades have been roughly maintained (except for unforeseen issues), the "drywall work" item (before tax) has increased from €15,000 to over €47,000 between the February and May estimates. After tax, this represents a price increase of more than 9% of the original total cost.
I would be very grateful for any advice on how to proceed.
Best regards,
Stampfbeton
11ant schrieb:
A plan that only works under the unlikely condition of zero deviations, or that does not provide effective measures for handling deviations, is worthless. That is neither a plan nor a report, but merely a wish list. That is true. It should be considered, though, that the plan was probably put together very last minute, and we are only a few weeks away from moving in. In this situation, if the critical path doesn’t hold, making corrections is difficult.
By the way, the architect has now been on vacation for two weeks 😎 As a result, I am communicating much more with the various tradespeople than before and coordinating the work. I regret not having done this earlier. It actually seems to be working: now there are real daily progress updates on the construction.