ᐅ Tips for Finalizing an Architect Agreement

Hello everyone,

We have more or less decided on an architect and have a final meeting on Friday to discuss the last details. However, we are still quite uncertain about what should be included in an architect contract…

Could you possibly give us some tips on what we definitely need to fix in writing or what we should pay attention to? I'm thinking, for example, of points like:

• Maximum construction costs
• Latest completion date
• ...

On the other hand, I’m not sure if too many strict conditions could be counterproductive, since we will be working closely together for the next two years, and distrust might have a negative effect.

We also plan to commission the architect for all 9 service phases right from the start. Do you see any risks with this approach, or would you recommend commissioning the phases step by step?

Furthermore, I have read something about the “partial acceptance rights,” but I don’t really understand the potential risks involved. As mentioned, we want to commission all 9 service phases with our architect. Should we reconsider this in that context?

Thank you very much.

Best regards,

Matze

It makes sense to assign all service phases in stages.
You should definitely set a maximum construction cost.
The rest is outlined in the HOAI, which you should then refer to in the contract.
No architect will guarantee the latest completion date; for that, you will need to go to a general contractor. However, deadlines for the service phases can be agreed upon.

Construction costs should be explicitly declared as a maximum budget cap; otherwise, there will only be disputes. We stumbled over this point, and afterwards it was only recognized as a "non-binding guideline," including the related process.

An important point is also a clear definition of the scope of services, meaning exactly what is included within the work phases.

A clear and fixed cost structure should also be established.