As a consultant to the client, an architect has a list of tasks that can quickly become confusing, resulting in incorrect cost calculations. To prevent this from happening, clients and architects can refer to the Fee Structure for Architects (HOAI).
The net fee is calculated based on three basic factors:
- The construction costs
- The 5 fee zones
- The 9 service phases
What are the different service phases?
When building a house, the architect offers nine service phases from the initial planning to the finished building. If you do not want complete support through all nine phases, you can select individual phases to be carried out by the architect. If the client omits individual phases, the services relating to the actual construction can be carried out by a general contractor.
The service phases are divided as follows:
- 1. Phase: Basic evaluation (2%)
- 2. Phase: Preliminary planning (7%)
- 3. Phase: Draft planning (15%)
- 4. Phase: Approval planning (3%)
- 5. Phase: Implementation planning (25%)
- 6. Phase: Preparation for awarding contracts (10%)
- 7. Phase: Participation in contract award (4%)
- 8. Phase: Construction supervision (32%)
- 9. Phase: Property management (2%)
What does approval planning involve?
Approval planning is a planning stage in the fourth service phase according to HOAI. This stage incorporates all documents from the draft planning and supplements them. The architect uses these documents to prepare a building application and obtains the necessary permits and approvals from the authorities. It should be noted that only persons authorized to submit building applications may submit a building application to the responsible building authority.
The following documents are mandatory for a successful building application to the building authority:
- Building application
- Statistical survey form
- Building description
- Area calculation in accordance with DIN 277
- Thermal insulation certificate in accordance with GEG (formerly EnEV)
- Living space calculation
- Calculation of built-up areas
- Proof of parking space
- Proof of stability (statics)
- Proof of insurance
- Architect's building permit
- Statements on the location from the so-called "public authorities"
How are the costs distributed?
The architect's fee is calculated based on the total construction cost. The fee table (HOAI table) specifies fixed base rates depending on the total construction cost.
If all nine service phases are provided by the architect for a house costing €500,000, the fee is €62,900 net.
It should be noted that there are five fee zones in the HOAI table. The architect's fee is also based on this. The five fee zones are based on objective evaluation criteria, with corresponding property lists helping to assign the different zones. The fee zones range from very low requirements (zone 1) to very high requirements (zone 5) for the building by the architect.
