Small issue:
I am planning (or rather planned) a new build.
An architect was recommended to me who had previously worked on a similar semi-commercial building for someone else.
I contacted him and explained my plans.
He agreed to take on the project. However, it turned out to be extremely slow. He never met the promised deadlines, not even the ones he committed to later. It was very frustrating, and it took almost six months for me to receive any initial floor plan draft. Dozens of promised deadlines were missed, and I always gave him a week before following up.
He then wanted to look into a detail regarding fire protection.
Again, no response came.
At this point, I got fed up and stopped following up.
If I already have to chase him like this now, how will it be once the construction phase starts?
Four months have passed since then, and because I stopped reaching out (yes, with him, you have to keep following up every time a deadline lapses, only to be postponed three more times), he has now sent me an invoice for more than 1000€ for the draft.
I don’t think this amount is reasonable, as it is supposedly based on 21 hours of work, which seems unlikely. If the charge were around 200€, I would pay it since I did receive something and he did do some work.
However, I was never informed that I would have to pay for such a draft. There was no contract, only a few emails where we exchanged drawings.
Now the question is: am I required to pay this (in full)?
He could just have asked for 3000€ straight away, just like that. This can’t be right.
I am planning (or rather planned) a new build.
An architect was recommended to me who had previously worked on a similar semi-commercial building for someone else.
I contacted him and explained my plans.
He agreed to take on the project. However, it turned out to be extremely slow. He never met the promised deadlines, not even the ones he committed to later. It was very frustrating, and it took almost six months for me to receive any initial floor plan draft. Dozens of promised deadlines were missed, and I always gave him a week before following up.
He then wanted to look into a detail regarding fire protection.
Again, no response came.
At this point, I got fed up and stopped following up.
If I already have to chase him like this now, how will it be once the construction phase starts?
Four months have passed since then, and because I stopped reaching out (yes, with him, you have to keep following up every time a deadline lapses, only to be postponed three more times), he has now sent me an invoice for more than 1000€ for the draft.
I don’t think this amount is reasonable, as it is supposedly based on 21 hours of work, which seems unlikely. If the charge were around 200€, I would pay it since I did receive something and he did do some work.
However, I was never informed that I would have to pay for such a draft. There was no contract, only a few emails where we exchanged drawings.
Now the question is: am I required to pay this (in full)?
He could just have asked for 3000€ straight away, just like that. This can’t be right.
Q
QlriPower13 Apr 2017 13:37But you are assuming that he actually worked on it for 21 hours, which I seriously doubt since he only redrew my sketch neatly. I showed it to another architect, who pointed out that the floor plan in this form would not be approved because it contains significant errors concerning certain regulations. So, I didn’t get what I wanted; I only have my amateur draft with a few adjustments made to look "nice." And as it is, it can’t even remain that way.
TriPower schrieb:
that he really worked on it for 21 hours. Which I highly doubt, since he only finalized my sketch. I showed it to another architect who pointed out that the floor plan is not approval-ready because it contains serious errors regarding certain regulations.Is the plan author listed as a registered architect / is he even authorized to submit plans in the approval process?
Thanks to various low-budget CAD programs for Windows, sometimes *ahem* "dog groomers" dare to draw "building plans." That’s no problem for dreamers, but anyone who actually becomes a client needs plans that are approval-ready.
Did “fire protection research” maybe mean just looking up where to write “F 90” next to a door on the floor plan?
https://www.instagram.com/11antgmxde/
https://www.linkedin.com/company/bauen-jetzt/
Q
QlriPower13 Apr 2017 19:10Since the architect had already completed a similar project, I chose to work with him.
Regarding fire protection, the question was what is required between commercial and residential areas, but he didn’t know that.
The second architect pointed out that the access points to the residential area, as drawn, are not permitted at all, also due to fire protection regulations.
In response to other comments, I want to emphasize that I am not willing to write off over €1000 as a learning cost. €300 is acceptable... but not that amount. Considering the work done, that doesn’t seem proportional. I estimate that so far, at most 3 hours of work have been spent, not 21.
Regarding fire protection, the question was what is required between commercial and residential areas, but he didn’t know that.
The second architect pointed out that the access points to the residential area, as drawn, are not permitted at all, also due to fire protection regulations.
In response to other comments, I want to emphasize that I am not willing to write off over €1000 as a learning cost. €300 is acceptable... but not that amount. Considering the work done, that doesn’t seem proportional. I estimate that so far, at most 3 hours of work have been spent, not 21.
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