Design & Build
About Design & Build
Over the last 30 to 35 years a concept has evolved which is known as the “design/build” approach to residential construction. It is a hybrid between the concept of a separate General Contractor, an Architect and an Interior Designer. One company, one source of responsibility providing all of the above functions to the consumer. The advantages to the consumer are extensive. As your Building Consulting, we want to help deliver the best solutions to meet your needs.
The goal of the approach is to minimize the hassle and stress of constructing a single family home to the client and to provide the client with the knowledge and peace of mind that their home will be designed, budgeted, and built in as professional a way as possible. In a project as complicated as a custom single family home, having a unified professional team in charge of all phases from conception to final completion is the optimal approach.
Your Alternative
Competitive Bid
In our opinion and experience, competitive bidding doesn’t work in any fashion and results, usually, in stress, confusion and disappointment to the owners. Decisions based on the competitive bid approach to custom home construction and especially remodeling are the riskiest decisions anyone can make. The builder typically misrepresents the scope of work with some vague terms in the contract or specifications, gets the job and exploits the owner through modifications to the scope of work via bait and switch or exorbitant change orders.
If you feel you must use the competitive bid method and select your builder for your custom home or renovation using this method, there are several ways to protect yourself. The first is a detailed specification sheet listing all items down to quantities and model numbers. On items such as flooring, wall covering, cabinets, brick, lighting, etc., make these allowance items, with each phase having a said amount to work with. You set the allowance amount to protect yourself from low estimates that do not reflect a reasonable amount to work with.
Secondly, the more detail your plans show the better. Include on your site plan setbacks, driveway lengths and area of concrete for turnarounds, patios and walks, limits of clearing and excavation.
If you have any questions on design build or Worley Construction Inc., putting together a competitive bid package for you, Contact Us.
