LPH 6+7 in listed and existing buildings: Why tendering and contract award decide on costs, quality and the reality of the building site

By Jessica Ferri25 August 2026

Historic staircase in the cultural monument V12 in Wiesbaden, conversion and refurbishment by fbnSTUDIO

A good project in an existing building stands or falls not only with the design, but also with how that design becomes a buildable and economically robust tender package. That is exactly what LPH 6 and 7, the service phases of the German fee scale for architects (HOAI), are about. In this phase, the works are described, structured and awarded in such a way that planning can actually become a workable building site.

This is especially crucial in listed buildings and when building in existing structures. After all, it is rarely enough here to tender standard items. Existing buildings mean deviation, uncertainty and often a greater need for coordination between the trades. Anything not prepared precisely enough in the tender is often decided later on the building site, at great expense, amid conflict or under time pressure. As an architecture practice in Wiesbaden specialising in heritage protection and building in existing structures, fbnSTUDIO guides clients through precisely this phase.

What happens in tendering and contract award (LPH 6 and 7)?

In LPH 6, the works are identified, structured and put out to tender in such a way that bids become comparable. The result is bills of quantities that describe the actual scope of the work precisely: quantities, qualities, execution requirements and the conditions on site. In LPH 7, the task is to review the incoming bids technically and economically and to prepare an award decision that is based not only on the lowest price, but on feasibility, quality and fit with the project.

In new builds, many of the works can be derived fairly clearly from recurring building components and standards. In existing buildings, that is different. Here, existing fabric, new interventions, heritage conservation requirements and technical retrofits all come together. That is exactly why the tender has to describe far more precisely what is actually expected. In existing buildings in particular, this phase protects against supposedly cheap bids becoming expensive later through change orders, misunderstandings or unclear scope boundaries.

Why are standard tenders not enough in existing buildings?

Old buildings, conversion and heritage protection demand a different level of precision than standardised building tasks. Junctions with existing building components, work in sensitive existing fabric, the protection of existing surfaces, phased construction and coordination with restoration and technical requirements must all be clearly taken into account in the tender documents.

If the works are described too broadly, contractors price them differently. Some allow for risks, others do not. The result is bids that look comparable at first glance but are in fact based on very different assumptions. This is exactly where many conflicts arise later. A good tender therefore provides not only quantities and items, but clarity in how the building itself is to be handled. The basis for this is a precise detailed design from LPH 5, which fixes all details before they are put out to tender.

Which sticking points arise in tendering and award in existing buildings?

In existing buildings in particular, there are recurring issues that should be described properly at an early stage. Anyone who knows them can avoid conflicts before they arise.

Demolition and dismantling: The extent depends on the existing building

These include demolition and dismantling work, the extent of which often depends more heavily on the actual existing building than is visible on the plans. Protective measures for building components worth preserving, coordinated dismantling sequences and temporary arrangements during the construction period are also points that must not be missing from the tender. In a listed building, dismantling that is tendered without clear specifications quickly puts at risk fabric that was supposed to be preserved.

Interfaces between the trades

Added to this are works at interfaces. Window junctions, internal insulation, service routes, fire-protection upgrades and work on historic surfaces often affect several trades at once. If it is not clearly regulated who is responsible for which work and how transitions are to be executed, the building site quickly becomes unsettled. Defining the scope boundaries between the trades precisely is one of the most important tasks of tendering in existing buildings.

Dealing with the unforeseen

Dealing with the unforeseen also plays an important role in existing buildings. Not every surprise can be avoided, but many can be absorbed better if tendering and award are set up realistically. This includes contingency items for likely scenarios, clear rules for work charged at hourly rates and an award logic that plans for reserves instead of ignoring them.

Why is the cheapest bid not always the best?

In listed buildings in particular, not every low-priced bid is a good bid. What matters is whether companies have understood the task, whether they bring experience with sensitive fabric and whether their pricing matches the actual complexity.

In LPH 7, the point is therefore not just to compare figures. It is about reading bids with technical expertise, checking their plausibility and recognising where risks, gaps or unrealistic assumptions are hidden. A conspicuously low price for a complex item in an existing building is often a warning sign: either the task was not understood, or the difference will be recovered later through change orders. A sound award decision protects clients from looking only at the entry price and later paying considerably more through change orders or quality problems.

How should bids be reviewed properly in existing buildings?

The technical review of bids covers several levels. First, completeness is checked: have all items been priced, and are there exclusions or alternative bids? Price review follows: are individual items conspicuously above or below the expected level? Conspicuous unit prices point to misunderstandings or speculative pricing.

Finally, suitability is assessed: does the firm have references in heritage protection or in building in existing structures? Does it have the necessary qualifications, for example for restoration work? And does its capacity fit the project programme? Only once all three levels have been reviewed does a robust award recommendation emerge. This structured review is a core service of the architect in LPH 7 and protects the client from decisions that look cheap at first glance and turn out to be expensive on closer inspection.

Why is experience in LPH 6 and 7 decisive in existing buildings?

It is precisely in tendering and award that the importance of experience with conversion, old buildings and heritage protection becomes apparent. Anyone who regularly accompanies such projects knows where works need to be described more precisely, where contractors will have queries and which risks should become visible early in the award process.

At fbnSTUDIO, we bring the necessary experience to this. We know that in existing buildings it is not only good planning that counts, but also the ability to translate that planning into tendering and award in such a way that quality, costs and the reality of the building site fit together. That is why we start early at the right levers: scope boundaries, interfaces, protective measures, issues specific to the existing building and an award logic that relies not only on price, but on viability. Projects such as the refurbishment of the cultural monument V12 in Wiesbaden show how precisely prepared awards work in practice in listed buildings.

What do clients actually gain from good tendering and award?

The benefit is greater than many initially assume. Good tendering makes bids more comparable. Good award reduces the risk of unrealistic prices. Together, they reduce change orders, improve the construction process and create greater reliability for execution.

In existing buildings in particular, this is a decisive lever. Additional costs and conflicts here often arise not only from the construction itself, but from unclear specifications and misunderstood expectations. A precise tender and a prudent award are therefore not formalities, but active cost protection for the client.

When is the right time for tendering?

Timing is a frequently underestimated factor. Tendering should begin only when the detailed design has progressed far enough for the works to be described unambiguously. Anyone who goes out to tender too early in order to save time produces bills of quantities with gaps that are later filled by change orders. The supposed time gain thus turns into its opposite.

At the same time, the lead times of the trades should be taken into account. Firms with experience in listed buildings are often booked months in advance, and certain materials or bespoke items have long delivery times. A prudent award strategy allows for these periods and tenders the trades in the order the construction sequence requires. This produces a realistic overall programme that can actually be kept on the building site.

Tendering and award in existing buildings in Wiesbaden

In Wiesbaden and the Rhine-Main region, there is a further factor: the availability of qualified firms. Craft businesses with experience in heritage protection and in sensitive existing buildings are in demand and often fully booked. A professionally prepared tender with clear documents increases the chance that the right firms will apply, because qualified businesses can tell from the quality of the tender whether a project is well organised.

fbnSTUDIO is familiar with the regional business landscape from numerous projects and knows which firms are suited to which tasks. This market knowledge feeds into the award recommendation and ensures that not only the price, but also the quality and reliability of the execution are right.

LPH 6+7: Where planning, costs and execution come together

In listed and existing buildings, LPH 6 and 7 are not mere preparation for the building site. They are the phase in which it is decided whether planning, costs and execution really come together. Good tendering and a prudent award do not save money at the project's expense; they save the project from later conflicts. In existing buildings in particular, this is often one of the most important steps towards a calm construction process. You can read about what happens next on the building site in the article on construction supervision in listed and existing buildings (LPH 8).

Arrange an initial consultation with fbnSTUDIO. We professionally prepare the tendering and award for your existing-building or heritage protection project in Wiesbaden and the Rhine-Main region.

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