ᐅ Comparability of Costs: Architect vs. General Contractor
Created on: 4 Mar 2021 16:57
A
askforafriend
Hello dear forum,
We are currently in the planning phase for a single-family house. We have requested quotes from several general contractors and have also spoken with a very approachable architect. We would be happy to present our building project (BVH) in detail at a later stage!
Overall, we much prefer the transparency and approach of the architect compared to the initial consultation with the general contractor. We understand that over time, we will also speak with an architect/planner through the general contractor who will discuss details with us. We have thoroughly researched the advantages and disadvantages both in this forum and through various guides.
At this stage, our main focus is on comparing the cost estimates from the general contractors versus the architect. The general contractor states the costs as a fixed price (based on the building and scope of services description) plus our additional requests (extra electrical outlets, KfW standard, etc.). A rough total for the house including additional requests was, for example, 410,000 euros. This naturally also includes architectural/planning/engineering services according to the scope of work description.
Land leveling.
Discussions about your building project together with you during planning and construction meetings. Preparation of building permit/planning permission documents at a scale of 1:100 in the required number of copies for the authorities.
You will receive an additional set of plans for your personal records.
Development of working drawings (scale 1:50) as well as any necessary detailed drawings.
Creation of structural engineering plans (standard structural design for the respective house type) including any required building physics reports for thermal and fire protection.
Calculation of energy demand and preparation of the energy performance certificate. A copy will be provided for your records.
Preparation of public funding applications, if required.
Site management and construction supervision up to handover of the house.
Support during the warranty period.
When we first met with the architect, he took out a book labeled BKI to provide a rough estimate of the feasibility of the building project based on this data. He calculated roughly 3,000 euros per square meter and 150 square meters (1,615 square feet) of living space, resulting in a total of 450,000 euros.
The big question now is: Does this amount exclude his fees or do these average construction costs per square meter already include the services mentioned above? This might be a somewhat naive question, but it’s really unclear to us. Is there a list of costs that are included in these average rates?
We have an appointment with him next week for a more detailed cost assessment.
Thank you very much for your feedback, and I wish you a pleasant week.
We are currently in the planning phase for a single-family house. We have requested quotes from several general contractors and have also spoken with a very approachable architect. We would be happy to present our building project (BVH) in detail at a later stage!
Overall, we much prefer the transparency and approach of the architect compared to the initial consultation with the general contractor. We understand that over time, we will also speak with an architect/planner through the general contractor who will discuss details with us. We have thoroughly researched the advantages and disadvantages both in this forum and through various guides.
At this stage, our main focus is on comparing the cost estimates from the general contractors versus the architect. The general contractor states the costs as a fixed price (based on the building and scope of services description) plus our additional requests (extra electrical outlets, KfW standard, etc.). A rough total for the house including additional requests was, for example, 410,000 euros. This naturally also includes architectural/planning/engineering services according to the scope of work description.
Land leveling.
Discussions about your building project together with you during planning and construction meetings. Preparation of building permit/planning permission documents at a scale of 1:100 in the required number of copies for the authorities.
You will receive an additional set of plans for your personal records.
Development of working drawings (scale 1:50) as well as any necessary detailed drawings.
Creation of structural engineering plans (standard structural design for the respective house type) including any required building physics reports for thermal and fire protection.
Calculation of energy demand and preparation of the energy performance certificate. A copy will be provided for your records.
Preparation of public funding applications, if required.
Site management and construction supervision up to handover of the house.
Support during the warranty period.
When we first met with the architect, he took out a book labeled BKI to provide a rough estimate of the feasibility of the building project based on this data. He calculated roughly 3,000 euros per square meter and 150 square meters (1,615 square feet) of living space, resulting in a total of 450,000 euros.
The big question now is: Does this amount exclude his fees or do these average construction costs per square meter already include the services mentioned above? This might be a somewhat naive question, but it’s really unclear to us. Is there a list of costs that are included in these average rates?
We have an appointment with him next week for a more detailed cost assessment.
Thank you very much for your feedback, and I wish you a pleasant week.
askforafriend5 Mar 2021 16:1911ant schrieb:
Extra charge for doors in different colors is related to quantity discounts:
This doesn’t make much sense anyway, since we’re usually talking about PVC doors here, and “anthracite” doors are actually white underneath, just covered with a foil. Charging 2,300 euros for that clearly means paying a princely 300 euros for the foiling and about 2,000 euros as a markup and as a “sauna club house” price for an ordinary fairground beer.We see it exactly the same way.
11ant schrieb:
Concrete stairs are more expensive than steel stringer stairs:
The “crane” solution is very likely the perfect fit here. Shuttering concrete stairs on site has become quite “out of fashion,” partly due to a shortage of skilled workers, but prefabricated concrete stairs can’t just be carried in by two movers like a piano from mom’s place in Massachusetts—they usually require a dedicated crane appointment (including road closures and all the other fuss). Steel stringer stairs only need a small truck-mounted crane. Also, there is a mindset shift, and the metalworker is left idle during the installation of concrete stairs because they aren’t needed then.Makes sense, and we would have expected to get this kind of transparent and trustworthy information from the general contractor’s advisor—but we didn’t. Instead, it’s just: yes, it simply costs more!
Thanks to 11ant for the valuable contributions.
askforafriend5 Mar 2021 16:24nordanney schrieb:
You can always light it. The fire is always cozy and nice—except for the height of summer 😉 . But of course, it also adds to the costs.
Usually, the architect-designed house becomes more expensive because the client keeps coming up with new ideas. But that’s not the architect’s fault. I think so too. Yes, a fireplace fire is really something special. We will probably opt for a steam-based version—if at all 🙂
askforafriend schrieb:
That makes sense, and we would have expected to receive such information from the general contractor’s consultant for transparency and trust—but we didn’t. They just said: Yes, it simply costs more! Well, where should one even begin or end trying to explain all the details to laypeople about why certain aspects require more work? By the way, I’ve also heard of quite reserved architects—just last Sunday, I read here about one who dismissed @Kapitänin’s request for an entrance vestibule by saying that such things are no longer built today.
Have we actually talked about the area where the architect is being sought?
https://www.instagram.com/11antgmxde/
https://www.linkedin.com/company/bauen-jetzt/
askforafriend5 Mar 2021 16:3511ant schrieb:
Well, where should one start and where should one stop when trying to explain all the details to non-experts about what requires more effort and why. By the way, there are apparently also quite taciturn architects—just last Sunday I read here about one who dismissed @Kapitänin’s wish for a vestibule, saying that such things are no longer built nowadays.
Have we actually already talked about the region where the architect is being sought?Living in Bavaria. At home in the world.
askforafriend schrieb:
At home in Bavaria. At home in the world. So, Erding?
https://www.instagram.com/11antgmxde/
https://www.linkedin.com/company/bauen-jetzt/
askforafriend5 Mar 2021 17:1111ant schrieb:
So, Erding?No 😉 But nice catch on the joke. We are building in a rural area, within the triangle formed by Nuremberg, Ingolstadt, and Augsburg.