What if I am unsure
about jumping into a full design process, but still want to get a sense
of what I can do and how much it will cost?
There are some instances when it makes sense to proceed with an
abbreviated design contract rather than with the full design process.
In such cases, we typically propose a separate Feasibility Study. The
Feasibility Study comes with a flat fee based upon a fixed, abbreviated
number of design hours to research zoning, measure the house, complete
as-built drawings, and to complete selected schematic drawings. A
Feasibility Study generally extends the design schedule.
The Feasibility Study is not a substitute for the full design process,
but if you proceed with the full design process after the Feasibility
Study, the fee is credited against the full design fee. Times when a
Feasibility Study makes sense include: (1) The cost of the scope of
work far exceeds the budget and homeowner is not sure what scope of
work will fit within their budget; (2) there are major zoning questions
which bring into question what/if you can build; (3) you want to ease
more slowly into the design process.
Do you do construction for work
that is already designed?
This is what we call Pre-construction Services. Each year we build
several projects designed by architects that were retained directly by
homeowners. We are happy to review a set of drawings “on our
dime” and provide you with a ballpark budget for
construction, although if you would like a detailed construction cost
estimate, we will require a retainer due to the investment of time and
resources required to prepare it. Generally, the fee for
preconstruction services is 2%-3% of our initial ballpark for
construction. The retainer is fully credited to the construction
contract once you proceed.
How long will design and
construction take?
We will provide you with an estimated timetable for design and then for
construction. If you have a defined timeframe for design and
construction (for example, if you have a baby on the way or need to
move in as soon as possible) we will let you know whether we can
realistically achieve the schedule you would like. Since design is a
process where the most important ingredient is your approval, the
quicker you are able to make and approve design decisions, the quicker
the process is likely to proceed.
Why should I hire a design/build
firm rather than hire an architect then a contractor?
We strongly believe that our integrated process from design through
construction has many advantages over the old-style three-party
relationship of architect, homeowner and builder, whereby a homeowner
hired an architect then looked for a builder when the design was
complete.
Some of the advantages of
design/build include the following:
-
Budget Check - In our design/build model, the
budget is much more closely followed throughout the process so that the
design isn’t completed before there is a check on likely
costs. In an old-style process, if the homeowner is provided with a
sense of how much a project might costs to build, it likely
isn’t until near the end of the project. Since costs are
highly dependant on who completes the work, the data may or may not be
accurate. Also, in this three-party relationship, the architect may be
responsible for helping to solicit bids, but it is ultimately the
responsibility of the homeowner to find a quality builder who can
complete the project within their budget and timetable and to their
standards. Often, the budget becomes an issue only after the project is
fully designed. When the project far exceeds the budget, the tough
choices are made tougher by the lateness of the moment.
-
Value Engineering
– Unless value engineering takes place during the design
process, as with design/build, it has little value.
-
Construction
Integration - Our process allows for feedback and input from
the construction side of the business, not only in terms of price, but
in terms of constructability, sequencing, schedule and other
construction details and methods.
- Accountability
– If an issue arises during construction, unlike with the
architect-owner-contractor model, there is no question about who is
responsible and no finger pointing.
- You
are on the schedule. - The design portion is part of the
process and your project moves into production upon completion of the
drawings. With the architect-owner-contractor model, you may just be
getting in line with your contractor after the conclusion of months of
design work and your may have to wait for the contractor’s
schedule to open up.
- Zoning and Permitting
- At the beginning of our design process, our permit department reviews
the prospective scope of work with respect to zoning rules and other
regulations to determine if there will be any special hurdles to clear.
If you are in a historic district, a “Fine Arts”
district, or in a neighborhood with an architectural review board, we
will alert you. We can work with these groups to ensure that your
project meets their requirements, although the associated additional
fees are not typically included in our standard design contract. When
the permit drawings are complete and the construction contract signed,
our permit specialist fills out and submits the proper applications,
answers any questions posed by the local authority, and obtains the
permit.
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