LPH 6+7 in new builds: why tendering and contract award decide on cost clarity and construction quality
A new build is not well prepared just because the design is finished. A project only becomes truly reliable when the planned works are described and awarded in such a way that a clear, comparable and workable construction site can result. This is exactly what LPH 6 and 7 deliver.
For clients, this phase is often less visible than the design or the construction itself. Yet this is precisely where it is decided how precisely the works are defined, how reliable the costs remain and how smoothly the transition from planning to implementation goes. As an architecture practice in Wiesbaden, fbnSTUDIO guides new-build projects through tendering and contract award with the aim of providing, in the end, not just prices but a sound basis for the construction site.
What happens in tendering and contract award (LPH 6 and 7)?
LPH 6 and 7 are service phases of the German fee scale for architects (HOAI). In LPH 6, the works are structured, described and put out to tender on the basis of the design. The result is bills of quantities that record quantities, qualities and execution requirements for each trade. In LPH 7, the bids received are examined and evaluated, and the award is prepared. The aim is not just to obtain prices but to create a reliable basis for implementation.
In new builds in particular, it is often underestimated how strongly this phase shapes the later course of the project. Even though new builds appear more predictable than projects in existing buildings, many problems arise not only on the construction site but already where works are described unclearly or bids are not properly examined. The basis for a precise tender is provided by the detailed design from LPH 5, in which all the details have already been settled.
Why is a good tender more than a bill of quantities?
A good tender does not consist only of items and quantities. It must describe the works in such a way that companies understand the project in the same way and can calculate on a comparable basis. Only then does a price comparison say anything at all.
If qualities, interfaces, material requirements or execution standards remain unclear, bids differ not only in price but already in their substantive basis. A bid may then appear cheaper, although it simply includes less. This is exactly what later gives rise to change orders, disagreements and uncertainty. LPH 6 is therefore the phase in which planning is made readable in economic terms.
Which sticking points arise in LPH 6 and 7 in a new build?
In new builds too, many risks lie at recurring points. Anyone who knows them can defuse them in a targeted way in the tender.
Interfaces between the trades
The interfaces are a central issue. This concerns, for example, window junctions, waterproofing, transitions between the structural shell and the fit-out, service penetrations or building elements that matter for fire protection. If it is not clearly described here what is to be delivered and how the works interlock, gaps between the trades quickly arise. Every one of these gaps becomes a discussion on site about who carries out the work and who pays for it.
Definition of materials and quality
Another sensitive point is the definition of materials and quality. The less clearly it is described what is intended, the wider the range in the calculation becomes. For clients, this often means that bids are only apparently comparable. If one firm prices a simple standard quality and another the higher-grade finish that the design intended, the prices differ considerably without producing a meaningful comparison.
Construction time and sequence
Construction time and sequence also depend indirectly on LPH 6 and 7. The more clearly the works are structured and awarded, the more stable the later construction generally becomes. An award strategy that takes the dependencies between the trades into account prevents idle time on site and schedule shifts that run through the entire project.
Separate trade contracts or a general contractor: which suits the project?
A fundamental decision in this phase concerns the form of award. With separate trade contracts, the trades are tendered and commissioned individually. This requires more coordination but gives the client full transparency over the costs and influence over the choice of firms. When the contract is awarded to a general contractor, one company takes on the entire construction and coordinates the subcontractors itself.
Both routes have their merits. Separate trade contracts are generally more economical but require closer support from the architect. Awarding the contract to a general contractor reduces the client's coordination effort but generally costs a premium and limits influence over details. Which form is suitable depends on the size of the project, the budget and how much involvement the client wishes to have. This decision should be made deliberately, not out of habit.
Why should the contract award not stop at the lowest price?
LPH 7 is not just about setting bids side by side. What matters is to assess them on their technical merits. Is the price offered plausible? Has the full scope of work been understood? Are there recognisable gaps or unrealistic assumptions? Is the company a good fit for the project in terms of content and organisation?
A good award decision protects against looking only at the cheapest headline price. The apparently cheapest bidder is not automatically the most economical choice. If works have been priced incompletely or quality requirements have not been properly understood, it usually becomes more expensive later. A conspicuously low unit price for a complex item is often a warning sign and not a bargain.
How do you assess bids properly in a new build?
The technical evaluation of bids takes place on several levels. First, completeness is checked: have all items been priced, and are there exclusions, reservations or deviating alternative bids? Next comes the price comparison: how do the bidders' unit prices relate to one another and to benchmark values from comparable projects?
Finally, the suitability of the company is assessed. Do references, qualifications and capacity fit the project? Can the firm deliver within the planned time window? And is the working relationship viable in organisational terms? Only when all levels have been checked does a reliable award recommendation emerge. This structured evaluation is a core service of the architect and protects the client from decisions that look inexpensive at first glance and turn out expensive at second glance.
Why does experience make so much difference in LPH 6 and 7?
It is in this phase in particular that the value of experience becomes clear. Anyone who regularly plans new builds and takes them through to the award recognises early where specifications need to be sharpened and where bids should be examined more closely.
At fbnSTUDIO, we have the necessary experience for this. We know that a good new build is decided not only by the design and detailed planning but also by how precisely the works are described and how astutely the awards are prepared. That is why we start early with the levers that matter: clarity in the bill of quantities, cleanly defined interfaces, transparent quality standards and an award review that considers price and project reality together.
What specifically do clients gain from good tendering and contract award?
The benefit lies on several levels:
- More comparable bids, because all bidders calculate on the same substantive basis
- More reliable costs, because fewer items remain open and have to be added later
- Fewer change orders, because scope boundaries and quality standards are settled before construction begins
- Better cooperation on site, because everyone involved knows what they are obliged to deliver
For clients, this is one of the most economically important phases of the project. This is where it is decided how clearly the building project is presented to the market.
Tendering and contract award in Wiesbaden and Rhine-Main
In Wiesbaden and the Rhine-Main region, there is a practical factor as well: the workload of the trade firms. Good firms are often booked months in advance, and their willingness to submit a bid depends noticeably on the quality of the tender documents. A well-structured bill of quantities signals to a firm that the project is well organised and that working together is likely to go smoothly.
fbnSTUDIO knows the regional landscape of firms from numerous projects and knows which firms are suited to which tasks. This market knowledge feeds directly into the award recommendation and increases the likelihood that, in the end, not only the price but also the construction quality is right.
A practical tip for clients: the number of firms approached per trade also needs careful thought. Too few enquiries lead to a weak price comparison with no real basis for comparison. Too many enquiries reduce firms' willingness to price the work at all, because the chance of being awarded the contract falls. In practice, three to five carefully selected bidders per trade have proved effective, firms that genuinely fit the project in terms of expertise and timing.
LPH 6+7: where planning becomes a reliable basis for the award
In a new build, LPH 6 and 7 are the phase in which planning becomes a reliable basis for the award. What counts here are clarity, comparability and an award decision that looks not only at the price but at the whole project. A good tender and a proper award create cost clarity, reduce change orders and improve construction quality. That is exactly why LPH 6 and 7 shape a project's success more strongly than it may appear at first glance.
Arrange an initial consultation with fbnSTUDIO. We professionally prepare the tender and contract award for your new build in Wiesbaden and the Rhine-Main region.
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