ᐅ Assessment/Evaluation of the Architect’s Work in Home Renovation
Created on: 13 Sep 2023 16:57
R
r.dahlhausenR
r.dahlhausen13 Sep 2023 16:57Hello community,
My home renovation has been ongoing since January 2022 and has been supervised by an architect throughout. It has been a challenging process, but we are now planning to move in in about four weeks.
The architect has certainly helped steer several aspects in the right direction, but there have also been points that did not meet my expectations. I am unsure whether these issues are just part of a renovation project of an older building, where not everything can be planned in detail, or if things could have been handled better. Specifically, I would appreciate your assessment on the following questions: (A chronological description of the renovation follows below.)
1. Should the coordination of the trades have been better?
* For example, recognizing earlier that missing electrical work was holding up other trades
* Obtaining quotes earlier, for example for painting work
* No schedule for the trades was created. No construction log was maintained
* The renovation has taken 18 months in total so far. Do you think it could have been completed somewhat faster?
2. The drywall contractor worked on an hourly and material basis without a formal quote, often with 1-2 workers and many interruptions (invoiced work, no undeclared labor). The final costs were never predictable and ended up at around 55,000 EUR.
The drywall company took a very long time to complete the work. This repeatedly delayed other trades, for example, the painters, because the boxing of pipes with drywall was not finished. The painter complained bitterly to me about the architect.
Shouldn’t a written tender have been issued for the drywall work and possibly a (larger) company hired?
3. I would have appreciated better advice on the expected costs. For example, when we considered remodeling the conservatory with the installation of a steel beam, the architect estimated the cost at 14,000 EUR. However, this was only for installing the steel beam. That there would be additional costs for drywall cladding and ceiling suspension was probably obvious to the building professional, but not apparent at first glance to a homeowner dealing with renovation for the first time.
4. The parquet floor in the living room was initially covered with cardboard for protection starting January 2022. Over the months and years, the cardboard deteriorated increasingly and no longer adequately protected the floor from scratches, paint spots, etc. Looking back, it probably should have been recognized earlier that better protection, such as with HDF boards, would have been more suitable.
5. No formal tenders were issued for the trades. Almost all trades worked based on quotes that I had obtained.
5. Because the original electrician dropped out, I consulted a lawyer who told me that the craftsman and the architect have joint and several liability. In your opinion, did the architect fulfill his responsibilities?
The property is a mid-terrace house built in 1927, located in a city in the Ruhr area. Most major renovations were carried out around 1975.
The following renovation work was agreed upon with the architect in October 2021:
- New windows
- New electrical installation
- New heating and water pipes
- Removal of a non-load-bearing wall between the kitchen and dining room
- Remodel of the conservatory including installation of three steel beams. Structural calculations were necessary, and a building permit/planning permission had to be obtained.
- Terrace extension (steel framework) behind the kitchen
- Restoration of the garage opening with a garage door (garage entrance was bricked up in 1980)
- Renovation:
* New tiles and fixtures in the bathroom
* Painting
* Flooring
An offer was prepared according to HOAI: Fee zone III, middle rate, 10% surcharge for remodeling, covering service phases 1-8. The (chargeable) costs were estimated at 280,000 EUR, although it was already clear at the time that this budget might not fully be met. When asked, the architect said that his fee would not increase even if the total costs were higher later.
After demolition of wall cladding and a closer examination of the old building, as well as due to the significant increase in gas prices, the planned measures were expanded to include:
- Energy improvements:
* Insulation between rafters in the attic, insulation of the top floor ceiling
* 6 cm (2.4 inches) internal insulation of the exterior walls
- Six drywall (gypsum board) lining partitions between rooms to improve sound insulation
Renovation progress:
The first contracts were awarded in December 2021 to a personnel agency/general contractor known to the architect, with whom he had worked on a few house renovations before. Demolition, drywall, electrical, and heating work were contracted through this agency.
Work began in February 2022. Except for demolition, progress was very slow. The electrician installed some channels and cables in May 2022 (about 15% of the work), repeatedly postponed by the architect, and in December 2022 informed the architect that he had no more capacity to complete the work. I then urgently searched for a new electrical company and was able to commission one by the end of December 2022, which then continued the electrical work from early March 2023. This caused delays for other trades; for example, drywallers in the bathrooms could not complete cladding until the wiring was done.
The vapor barrier in the sloping roof areas was not correctly installed (e.g., placed over sharp nails, causing immediate leaks; no proper airtight wall connection). The architect eventually acknowledged that this was unacceptable. From October 2022, another company (drywall/masonry) commissioned by the architect took over this work. It took until the end of April 2023 for the roof slopes and dormers to be insulated with mineral wool and covered with drywall. Other work—such as closing cable channels, boxing in pipework, suspending ceilings, drywall in bathrooms—was repeatedly done in between.
From September 2022 to January 2023, the steel beams were installed in the conservatory area.
New windows were installed between March 20 and March 27, 2023. Interior insulation was installed by the end of April 2023. Tiling work in the kitchen and bathroom started at the end of May 2023. Painting was contracted on April 13, 2023, and carried out from late July 2023.
My home renovation has been ongoing since January 2022 and has been supervised by an architect throughout. It has been a challenging process, but we are now planning to move in in about four weeks.
The architect has certainly helped steer several aspects in the right direction, but there have also been points that did not meet my expectations. I am unsure whether these issues are just part of a renovation project of an older building, where not everything can be planned in detail, or if things could have been handled better. Specifically, I would appreciate your assessment on the following questions: (A chronological description of the renovation follows below.)
1. Should the coordination of the trades have been better?
* For example, recognizing earlier that missing electrical work was holding up other trades
* Obtaining quotes earlier, for example for painting work
* No schedule for the trades was created. No construction log was maintained
* The renovation has taken 18 months in total so far. Do you think it could have been completed somewhat faster?
2. The drywall contractor worked on an hourly and material basis without a formal quote, often with 1-2 workers and many interruptions (invoiced work, no undeclared labor). The final costs were never predictable and ended up at around 55,000 EUR.
The drywall company took a very long time to complete the work. This repeatedly delayed other trades, for example, the painters, because the boxing of pipes with drywall was not finished. The painter complained bitterly to me about the architect.
Shouldn’t a written tender have been issued for the drywall work and possibly a (larger) company hired?
3. I would have appreciated better advice on the expected costs. For example, when we considered remodeling the conservatory with the installation of a steel beam, the architect estimated the cost at 14,000 EUR. However, this was only for installing the steel beam. That there would be additional costs for drywall cladding and ceiling suspension was probably obvious to the building professional, but not apparent at first glance to a homeowner dealing with renovation for the first time.
4. The parquet floor in the living room was initially covered with cardboard for protection starting January 2022. Over the months and years, the cardboard deteriorated increasingly and no longer adequately protected the floor from scratches, paint spots, etc. Looking back, it probably should have been recognized earlier that better protection, such as with HDF boards, would have been more suitable.
5. No formal tenders were issued for the trades. Almost all trades worked based on quotes that I had obtained.
5. Because the original electrician dropped out, I consulted a lawyer who told me that the craftsman and the architect have joint and several liability. In your opinion, did the architect fulfill his responsibilities?
The property is a mid-terrace house built in 1927, located in a city in the Ruhr area. Most major renovations were carried out around 1975.
The following renovation work was agreed upon with the architect in October 2021:
- New windows
- New electrical installation
- New heating and water pipes
- Removal of a non-load-bearing wall between the kitchen and dining room
- Remodel of the conservatory including installation of three steel beams. Structural calculations were necessary, and a building permit/planning permission had to be obtained.
- Terrace extension (steel framework) behind the kitchen
- Restoration of the garage opening with a garage door (garage entrance was bricked up in 1980)
- Renovation:
* New tiles and fixtures in the bathroom
* Painting
* Flooring
An offer was prepared according to HOAI: Fee zone III, middle rate, 10% surcharge for remodeling, covering service phases 1-8. The (chargeable) costs were estimated at 280,000 EUR, although it was already clear at the time that this budget might not fully be met. When asked, the architect said that his fee would not increase even if the total costs were higher later.
After demolition of wall cladding and a closer examination of the old building, as well as due to the significant increase in gas prices, the planned measures were expanded to include:
- Energy improvements:
* Insulation between rafters in the attic, insulation of the top floor ceiling
* 6 cm (2.4 inches) internal insulation of the exterior walls
- Six drywall (gypsum board) lining partitions between rooms to improve sound insulation
Renovation progress:
The first contracts were awarded in December 2021 to a personnel agency/general contractor known to the architect, with whom he had worked on a few house renovations before. Demolition, drywall, electrical, and heating work were contracted through this agency.
Work began in February 2022. Except for demolition, progress was very slow. The electrician installed some channels and cables in May 2022 (about 15% of the work), repeatedly postponed by the architect, and in December 2022 informed the architect that he had no more capacity to complete the work. I then urgently searched for a new electrical company and was able to commission one by the end of December 2022, which then continued the electrical work from early March 2023. This caused delays for other trades; for example, drywallers in the bathrooms could not complete cladding until the wiring was done.
The vapor barrier in the sloping roof areas was not correctly installed (e.g., placed over sharp nails, causing immediate leaks; no proper airtight wall connection). The architect eventually acknowledged that this was unacceptable. From October 2022, another company (drywall/masonry) commissioned by the architect took over this work. It took until the end of April 2023 for the roof slopes and dormers to be insulated with mineral wool and covered with drywall. Other work—such as closing cable channels, boxing in pipework, suspending ceilings, drywall in bathrooms—was repeatedly done in between.
From September 2022 to January 2023, the steel beams were installed in the conservatory area.
New windows were installed between March 20 and March 27, 2023. Interior insulation was installed by the end of April 2023. Tiling work in the kitchen and bathroom started at the end of May 2023. Painting was contracted on April 13, 2023, and carried out from late July 2023.
r.dahlhausen schrieb:
2. The drywall contractor worked without a formal quote, at the architect’s request, billing by hourly rate and material usage, usually with 1-2 workers and many interruptions (invoiced work, no undeclared labor). Unfortunately, the final costs were never predictable and ended up around 55,000 EUR. Did you install drywall partitions in front of the interior insulation, or where does that amount come from? 55,000 EUR is extremely high. We have also had a few small jobs done on short notice, but for that scale I definitely would have requested a formal quote.
r.dahlhausen schrieb:
3. I would have appreciated better advice about the resulting costs. For example, when we faced the question of remodeling the conservatory by installing a steel beam, he estimated the cost at 14,000 EUR. 14,000 EUR just for steel beams also seems very high to me. That is almost half of our costs, and we had nearly 15 steel beams installed, some up to 5 meters (16 feet) long.
r.dahlhausen schrieb:
That additional costs, for example for cladding with drywall and re-suspending the ceiling, would come on top is probably obvious for a construction professional, but not immediately clear for a homeowner dealing with a renovation for the first time. That was listed as an additional item in the architect’s cost estimate for us, although it was greatly underestimated (2,000 EUR budgeted, but it will end up in the five-digit range).
r.dahlhausen schrieb:
4. The parquet floor in the living room was covered with cardboard for protection at the start of the work in January 2022. Over the months and years, the cardboard deteriorated more and more and no longer adequately protected the floor from scratches, paint spots, etc. Here it probably would have been better to recognize earlier that a more durable protection, such as HDF boards, would have been more suitable. I agree with that.
r.dahlhausen schrieb:
5. No competitive tendering for the trades. Almost all trades worked based on quotes I obtained. That is not acceptable if you have paid for project phases 1-8.
The main delay seems to have been caused by the first electrician?
Overall, many things in our renovation are also happening more spontaneously than I expected. For example, decisions on routing cables were only made after the steel beams were installed; whether to suspend certain ceilings only decided shortly before the painter started (because previous electrical and plumbing work still caused a lot of vibration through the house...). Many tasks also seem to progress somewhat at random (the electrician might be absent for three weeks, then two days, then another two weeks), but I believe that is normal.
Well, to be honest, this is probably a bad joke. The architect definitely did not deliver phases 1 through 8 of the service contract: in phase 1, the fundamentals must be determined, which is the opposite of "dealing with the old building after removing wall coverings.” You also can’t have a piecemeal approach with billing based on quantity and time if phase 5 (detailed planning) was completed. And preparing (phase 6) and conducting (phase 7) a tender includes— even if some or all packages are awarded to a general contractor—obtaining bids from all trades based on the specifications and determining quantities and volumes. Naturally, the architect should have also produced a construction schedule in phase 5. Accepting a labor leasing company—especially one that, in turn, only has subcontractors for part of the tasks and cannot provide essential (master electrician or equivalent licensed) trades—as the general contractor already raises some concerns. I honestly can’t say much more due to being at a loss for words. In the Mainz area (and, as far as I know, also partly available and willing to provide remote consultations), there is a highly experienced construction lawyer; try searching for "Bauglück" / Reibold-Rolinger. I wouldn’t even try to handle this with a general practitioner lawyer. Go directly to a specialist for properly filing formal and timely complaints. P.S.: oh, and regarding your comment about "moving in within four weeks": also consider the issue of “implied acceptance.”
https://www.instagram.com/11antgmxde/
https://www.linkedin.com/company/bauen-jetzt/
https://www.instagram.com/11antgmxde/
https://www.linkedin.com/company/bauen-jetzt/
Others here know more about HOAI than I do.
But I wonder why, after a year and a half… or a year of problems since the start… one resorts to a big rant in a forum, using phrases like “should have done this” and “should have done that.”
Building a house is not a walk in the park. There will always be something that doesn’t go smoothly. And with a renovation, you can expect some stumbling blocks. You work through them together. This doesn’t mean that responsibility is split exactly 50/50. One party is paid, the other has the interest as the owner.
But the frustration should be addressed early on, not brought up later with “if only, if only.” You also have to free yourself from the idea that the architect is the boss of the tradespeople.
What about the quotes you obtained yourself instead of having the architect get them? Why didn’t he do it? You accepted the situation by taking on a large task yourself.
Yes, the architect probably did not do some things.
But before I stand on bare parquet flooring with only cardboard to protect it, I would make sure myself that the flooring is not (further) damaged. Whether I lay down the cardboard myself or tell the architect or tradespeople to do it… I would probably never seriously criticize this point later.
If things progress slowly at the beginning, you could ask about it. Many homeowners ask before construction starts because they are concerned about how long it will take. If I recall correctly, the year 2022 was also marked by a shortage of tradespeople. So, I would have spared myself such a post now.
I know you don’t want to hear this. But life doesn’t work by trying to clean up afterwards instead of addressing problems as they happen.
But I wonder why, after a year and a half… or a year of problems since the start… one resorts to a big rant in a forum, using phrases like “should have done this” and “should have done that.”
Building a house is not a walk in the park. There will always be something that doesn’t go smoothly. And with a renovation, you can expect some stumbling blocks. You work through them together. This doesn’t mean that responsibility is split exactly 50/50. One party is paid, the other has the interest as the owner.
But the frustration should be addressed early on, not brought up later with “if only, if only.” You also have to free yourself from the idea that the architect is the boss of the tradespeople.
What about the quotes you obtained yourself instead of having the architect get them? Why didn’t he do it? You accepted the situation by taking on a large task yourself.
Yes, the architect probably did not do some things.
But before I stand on bare parquet flooring with only cardboard to protect it, I would make sure myself that the flooring is not (further) damaged. Whether I lay down the cardboard myself or tell the architect or tradespeople to do it… I would probably never seriously criticize this point later.
If things progress slowly at the beginning, you could ask about it. Many homeowners ask before construction starts because they are concerned about how long it will take. If I recall correctly, the year 2022 was also marked by a shortage of tradespeople. So, I would have spared myself such a post now.
I know you don’t want to hear this. But life doesn’t work by trying to clean up afterwards instead of addressing problems as they happen.
N
NatureSys14 Sep 2023 10:17In addition to what @11ant has written, you should also be aware that certain claims might already be forfeited due to implied conduct and the failure to raise objections in a timely manner.
In general, it is never advisable to let things proceed initially and only address them much later. If something is bothersome or unacceptable, it should be addressed early on in a cooperative and solution-oriented way.
In general, it is never advisable to let things proceed initially and only address them much later. If something is bothersome or unacceptable, it should be addressed early on in a cooperative and solution-oriented way.
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