A designer’s appointment should define the project objectives and services before the fee calculation becomes contentious.
Archive article, reviewed and updated on 12 November 2026. The original publication date is retained.
Scope comes before fee calculation
Specify the planning and supervision tasks, stages, deliverables and interfaces with specialists. Distinguish basic services from additional work and record changes to the brief.
Use the correct HOAI regime
For current appointments, the fee agreement and section 7 HOAI require attention. Historic contracts can raise different questions. A present-day fee table is not a substitute for identifying the contract date and applicable law.
Four practical examples
Illustrative scenarios: the appropriate steps depend on the contract, evidence and applicable law. These are not reports of client matters.
An incomplete brief
Agree the initial planning task and approval process.
Repeated design changes
Record the extra services and fee basis.
A supervision dispute
Identify the actual duty and site evidence.
An old unpaid invoice
Check the applicable regime and limitation before calculating the claim.
Further guidance
Legal framework & further reading
Reviewed: 12 November 2026. Statutory references are to German law unless stated otherwise.