General planner – tasks, contract and specialist planners

What is a general planner?

A general planner is a technical expert who takes on the coordination and planning of a construction project or project. This involves working with various specialist planners to ensure that all aspects of a project are brought together in a single, coherent plan.

What are the advantages of working with a general planner?

Working with a general planner offers numerous advantages for clients, investors and project developers. These include

• Efficiency: A general planner coordinates all specialist planners and individual planners, which speeds up the planning and construction process and makes it more efficient. This centralized control reduces the likelihood of delays and misunderstandings.
• Communication: Working with a general planner simplifies communication between the various parties involved. The general planner acts as a central point of contact, which facilitates coordination and the transfer of information and therefore speeds up the decision-making process.
• Cost control: A general planner always keeps an eye on the overall costs of the project and helps to ensure that the budget is adhered to. Thanks to their experience, they can identify potential cost risks at an early stage and initiate appropriate countermeasures.
• Quality assurance: The general planner is responsible for compliance with the quality standards of the project.

What are the possible disadvantages of a general planner?

Although there are many advantages to working with a general planner, there are also some potential disadvantages that you should consider:

• Costs: In some cases, general planning can be more expensive than directly commissioning individual planners, as the costs for coordination and planning services are added. However, an experienced general planner can often achieve savings in overall costs through more efficient planning and project management.
• Dependence: Working with a general planner means that the client or project developer is more dependent on a single party. If the general planner does not perform as agreed, this can affect the entire project. It is therefore important to pay attention to the general planner’s experience and references when selecting a general planner.
• Loss of control: Some clients or project developers would like to maintain closer contact with the individual specialist planners or be more involved in the planning processes themselves. This can be limited when working with a general planner, as they take over the coordination and communication between the specialist planners.

What is a general planning contract?

Once the project content, schedule, approach and commercial components are settled, a general planner contract is concluded. A general planner contract is a contractual agreement between a client or project developer and a general planner. This contract defines the services, responsibilities and duties of the general planner within the scope of a specific construction project or project. The general planner contract regulates, among other things

• Scope of services: The contract describes in detail the services to be provided by the general planner as part of the project. This includes the planning, coordination and supervision of the various specialist planners and individual planners involved in the project.
• Remuneration: The remuneration of the general planner is regulated in the general planner contract. This can be agreed on the basis of a fixed price, a lump sum or as a percentage of the project costs. In addition, adjustments to the remuneration can be made in the event of changes to the scope of services or the duration of the project. Liability and warranty: The contract specifies the general planner’s liability for any defects or delays in the project. An upper liability limit can also be
• Liability and warranty: The contract specifies the general planner’s liability for any defects or delays in the project. An upper liability limit can also be agreed.

Which specialist planners does the general planner coordinate?

The general planner coordinates a network of various specialist planners. Specialist planners are specialists in particular areas of the planning and construction process. Within a construction project, different specialist planners may be required to cover all aspects of the project. Here are some of the most important specialist planners working in the construction industry:

• Architects: Architects design buildings and create detailed construction plans that meet the aesthetic, functional and technical requirements of a project.
• Structural engineers (structural engineers): Structural engineers are responsible for planning and calculating the supporting structures of a building to ensure the stability and safety of the structure.
• TGA planner (technical building equipment): TGA planners are responsible for the planning and integration of heating, ventilation, air conditioning, sanitary and electrical installations in a building.
• Landscape architects: Landscape architects design outdoor spaces, such as gardens, parks and open spaces, and integrate them into the overall concept of a building project.
• Fire protection planner: A fire protection planner is an expert who specializes in the planning and implementation of fire protection concepts in construction projects.