How
may we determine if Design / Build is right for us and how do you provide
your services?
Contact
us
for a no cost initial consultation to discuss the feasibility of your
project.
We
will then determine what your budget will allow and discuss several
proposed ideas, options and costs.
Should
you want to develop our ideas and options, we will draft a Design /
Build contract tailored specifically for your project. The cost of which
will be determined upon the total scope of work needed.
At
the completion of the design contract, you will have copies of the drawings,
specifications and the contract for construction. You are not obligated
to sign the contract for construction, however, it is our goal to be
able to build for each and every design / build client.
After
we have entered into the contract for construction, the permits are
procured and the project schedule is assembled with the starting and
completion dates set.
What
exactly is Design / Build?
The
design and build phenomenon that has occurred over the last 25 or 30 years
is a result of a spontaneous hybrid between the traditional concepts of
General Contractor, Architect and Consumer. Although, some would argue
that the concept is not at all new and has been practiced throughout history
and point to structures such as the pyramids and the cathedrals of Europe
as examples of projects completed using this process. It would be helpful
for you to understand how the process works and what Design / Build can
do for you.
The goal of the Design / Build process is to maximize
the ability to meet the client's needs. This may be accomplished by
using our in house resources or by having separate Designers, Architects,
Engineers and Contractors working cooperatively together under the same
letterhead. One contract, a neat clean transaction that makes jobs go quicker
and smoother. In a project as complex as a home, addition or renovation,
there is a significant advantage to having the entire project from design
through construction, completed by a unified professional team. The separate
entities or companies form a symbiotic relationship, which I feel is the
only "win/win" method to use in the industry today.
What
Design / Build is not.
The term
today has become very popular, but can be misleading. It is not a company
without professional design resources advertising that they have become a Design
/ Build firm. This would be a marketing usage of the term and an attempt
to incorporate whatever phrase may be in vogue. The genuine article involves
real professionals committed to producing complete contract documents including
plans, specifications and the contract for construction.
What is the process and how does it
work?
We
may start with nothing more than a concept or an idea but may also begin
using prepared or purchased plans. In all cases, an initial meeting
is made to determine the intent of the project and a cost feasibility study
is prepared. When the budget restrictions have been established the
Design Build contract is drafted and the design phase begins. All
design solutions are presented to the client with the actual costing options
and project specifications. Final documents are prepared along with
the contract for construction, which then leads directly into the permit
applications.
This of course provides only an overview of what can
be an involved process depending upon the nature of the work and the variety
of design solutions needed, but does provide and outline of how the process
proceeds. For a more in depth explanation of actual projects, please
read our Case Studies in Design Build
and the Flow Chart of the Design/Build Process.
Do
you have examples of how the Design / Build process works when applied to actual
projects?
At
our initial consultation, we will be able to provide examples of previous
design work and several references of clients that have completed the process.
