ᐅ Design phases 1-3 / design phases 1-4 by architect for new single-family house construction

Hello everyone,

We are currently planning our single-family house and have already spoken with several prefabricated house suppliers. Since we are not completely satisfied with the proposed designs and the process behind them, we are considering hiring an architect for design phases 1-3 or 1-4 and then approaching the suppliers with this planning. Unfortunately, we don’t know anyone in our area with experience in this approach, so I’m hoping to get some input here. We want to avoid "throwing money out the window" by ending up with a plan that isn’t feasible or that the house supplier completely changes.

We have already read the building schedule from 11ant but are also interested in experiences and exchanges with other home builders.

So here are my questions for you:

• How did architects respond to the approach of commissioning phases 1-2 first and then deciding whether to proceed with phases 3 or 3-4 afterwards?
• How did the house suppliers react when you presented your design to them? Were they able to offer the design exactly as planned, or were there changes?
• Do you have any tips for selecting an architect? We have several initial meetings planned and want to focus mainly on mutual rapport.

If anyone can recommend an architect in northern Bavaria or who works online, we would be very interested as well.

Thank you!

greeny52 schrieb:

Since we are not completely satisfied with the offered plans and the process behind them so far,

... it would be interesting and helpful to explain in more detail what exactly you are dissatisfied with.

greeny52 schrieb:

we are considering commissioning an architect for design phases 1-3 or 1-4 and then presenting this plan to the providers.

It’s important to find an architect who does not primarily offer only these initial phases. Especially those who prefer or push this limited planning are often, unfortunately, “@Gerddieter warns” architects. But even if you do not intend to commission the later phases anyway, you will be worse off with an architect who rarely or never works on them. Only architects who also handle tendering and construction supervision themselves regularly adjust their cost estimates to current reality. An “artist” who estimates costs based on a construction cost index from their student days or a statistical factor will consistently plan a house that is too expensive.

Regarding the scope of the overall contract that suits you, I agree with the “prefabricated house expert” in that it makes sense to omit design phase 4 to avoid their expensive and unnecessary duplication of work, which would occur when proceeding – something I clearly advise against! – “without tendering to the general contractor” (regardless of whether Holzer or Steiner). So if you – and I repeat, I advise against this! – want to proceed directly to a general contractor, then definitely commission phases 1 to 3 instead of 1 to 4. But still allow a “rest period” (even if you want to skip the crucial decisions).

greeny52 schrieb:

We have already read 11ant’s house building roadmap,

When and how far: only the initial sequence, or also the (not yet completed) “reloaded” episodes that address deviations from my standard recommendations?

greeny52 schrieb:

We want to avoid “throwing money out the window” and ending up with a plan that can’t be realized or is completely changed by the house provider. [...] How did the house providers react when you approached them with your design? Were they able to offer the design exactly as is, or were there changes?

If you are focused on Holzer (why?), the first step to avoid poor compatibility of their plans is not to choose an architect who thinks “in stone” (but even here, the “rest period” helps enormously). Changes are always inevitable if the architect is not explicitly trained in the system of the house manufacturer: even within factions 625 (majority) and 833 (most others), the construction methods differ.

greeny52 schrieb:

How did architects respond to the approach of commissioning design phases 1-2 first and then deciding whether to continue with phases 3 or 3-4?

The architects I look for understand this approach. However, from others searching for architects, I often hear that architects looked at them incredulously, surprised, or confused like Martians and tried to sell their standard: “phases 1 to 9!, cancellable after each phase” or “phases 1 to 4” (beginners) or “phases 1 to 3” (budget). The larger and less specialized in single-family homes the firm, the more common the standard “1 to 9”; closer to prefab house scenes, more often “1 to 3”. The vast majority of suitable architects offer the standard “1 to 4”, sometimes “1 to 4, cancellable after each phase”.

If you want to avoid changing architects after the rest period, the easiest is probably to choose phases “1 to 3” as a single contract package and just agree to a pause after phase 2.

greeny52 schrieb:

Do you have any tips for selecting an architect? We have several initial meetings planned and want to especially focus on mutual sympathy.

Focusing on sympathy unfortunately helps little. For initial meetings, see also “The first date with the architect: better not in the office.” I have unfortunately heard from several architects I would only conditionally or not recommend that the couple’s impression of sympathy was good or even very good.

greeny52 schrieb:

If anyone can recommend an architect in northern Bavaria or who works online, we are very interested.

What exactly do you mean by northern Bavaria: closer to Aschaffenburg or Coburg?
“Online” – never ever, absolutely not – but quick!
At least “design phases 1 to 3” must be seriously included; “sending cadastral extracts and soil reports by email plus phases 2 and 3” is clearly not the same. The architect absolutely must visit the site personally and have actual hands-on experience in rubber boots. It’s best to do the hand-drawn sketch discussion (no CAD-only architects, those just produce poor work!) at your home, ideally with the children present. I also always do coaching as house visits: after all, your true selves will live in the house, not your Sunday-best selves. And all stakeholders should be around the campfire, hence the children. However, I always come without a guitar (I cannot play and know it). We (both myself and my partner, who works in a completely different profession) often do Zoom calls but are careful not to overestimate that tool.

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