Why Choose Design/Build For Your Home Project?

If you’re not familiar with the term “design/build” and are in the market for a home renovation or remodeling project, it’s a term you will want to get to know. Keep reading and we’ll let you know why!

What is Design/Build?

Design/build has become increasingly popular over the last fifteen years, or so, as an innovative method of project planning and delivery in the remodeling industry. Instead of working with multiple teams, from architects to general contractors to carpenters, that may or may not directly interact, a design/build team works together under one cohesive contract that combines the design of the project all the way through the building process and through to completion. Instead of the headache of receiving multiple bids for the building process after the design phase, design/build eliminates the need for managing multiple contracts and coordinating separate contractors attempting to envision a singular project.

Let’s take a peek at these advantages more closely:

• Cost

The entire team has an understanding of the total budget from start to finish. This means they are better able to accurately budget along the way which keeps you from accidentally under-budgeting in key areas. Both design and construction teams have ongoing dialogue, which means the construction arm can keep the design arm in line, and they can collaborate to produce the greatest value from the original design. Construction costs can be quickly and accurately estimated into the overall project plan, giving us decision points well in advance of when they can cause an upheaval in the project plan or pose unexpected challenges.

• Quality

Having one consistent team means that the quality is known well before the first nail is hammered. This means that expectations are set early and documented along the way, leaving no room for misinterpretation later on in the game. There is total accountability throughout the project, including the end-result. Designers are accountable to the project manager and builders and vice versa, meaning there is greater attention paid to ensuring both teams are taken into consideration. The builders must make sure that they adequately achieve the designer’s vision, and designers must make sure that they design in such a way that the builders can reasonably and accurately achieve the expected end-result. There is no conflict of interest, meaning that what you see from the designer is what you get from the builder.

• Time

Because the teams are within one organization and overlap, construction can begin much more quickly. And because there is no need for putting the project out for bid and the ensuing bidding wars and evaluations, the time between phases is eliminated. Team collaboration means that deadlines are a shared responsibility, and efforts toward that goal are combined. Communication between teams is freer, removing the need for callbacks and clarification. And as a client, you can sit with both the design team and the build team at the same time, allowing you to make quicker and more informed decisions. This also eliminates time needed to redesign or renegotiate parts of the project.

With one cohesive team of designers and builders, you are working with individuals who understand the full scope of your project and are fully responsible for the end-result, not just their part. This reduces misunderstandings, over-budgeting, time necessary for bidding and researching additional teams, and removes the lag time between designing your project and beginning construction.

When you are looking for a team to complete your next home project, you should consider a design/build team!