We used a French architect to draw up plans for our renovation but once we reached Dossier Consultation des Entreprises we stopped and went on our own with our main contractor and the structural engineer.
Every year since the architect asks us to tell him how much we have spent on the work in the previous year.
I enquired last year and he said it was for insurance purposes. He's asked again this year and I am considering whether I have to provide this information and for how long for. Given the renovation will continue over a number of years in the future this seems a bit of a pain to have to keep answering this question.
Anyone else had this? Any architects out there can tell me is it really necessary? I can't be that he is after any additional fees can it? After all his fees were based on his estimate of the works which I found staggeringly high and I can happily say that our actual costs have come in a lower than his estimates!!
I think architects need this information to prove that they haven't overcharged you, on top of it, they are can liable if anything goes wrong, which is why they want to make sure everything goes smoothly, even if they aren't welcome to the party anymore!!
thanks - I will send him back a figure then,funny thing is though I know he won't revise his 10% of total costs at the end of the work because the contract said it would only be revised 'down' if they oversaw he work from start to finish.
With the estimates he gave us his fees were very significant and there was no way we could have done the project. As it is, we have now almost finished the main building work - almost exactly to the original plan but at a significant percentage lower cost than the estimates he gave us. We've had a couple of hassles with the engineer being slow, as you know, which would have been much quicker to sort with the architect (best buddies) but we got there in the end and with the help of friends :)
Next week I am ordering the windows and that is a massive step which I am really excited about.
So given our timeline to finish the work is probably beyond 2020 I can expect him to stop asking when he retires then...
I don't get that either, architectes and consultant fees being linked to works value.
As an example you build the same office block, but in one it's Dulux on plasterboard and in the second it's all Pierre Frey and gold leaf finishes. There is a considerable difference in cost, but there is not a considerable difference in the time the archi (or other consultants) spend on it. I have that barney on a regular basis.
Suz, This is quite normal in my book. We regularly update the architects with works values which go towards calculating their annual premiums. We even have one who is still requesting the final account figures on a building that we completed in 2010. She asks me the same question every year even though all the final accounts have been settled.