"Design and build" is becoming a familiar catchphrase in the construction industry. But do you know what that term means in practice? Don't worry if you shake your head no to that question. As consumers search for a contractor, they don't always know what sets one apart from another. At Corvallis Custom Kitchens & Baths, we love helping our potential clients make informed decisions. We'll take you through the highlights of the design build process and how it can impact your home construction.
What Is Design Build Construction?
Every home remodel has a process, a workflow for how design, construction, and all the other moving parts get completed. This process is called a project delivery system. It determines who is in charge of each part of your project and how they manage it.
Design and build is an example of a project delivery system. In the design and build model, you work with one company for all parts of your home construction; this significantly simplifies the home remodeling process and differs from traditional project delivery systems in several important ways. We'll break these differences down below.
The Traditional Approach to Getting a Remodel:
Your home remodeling project consists of two major phases: the design of the room or home and the actual building process. In the traditional design-bid-build model, you work with a designer or architect to make remodeling plans. Then, you hire a separate contractor to bring the designs to life.
The problem with this method is that your designer and contractor may not always be on the same page. They may have disagreements about the feasibility of the plans and how long or much it takes to build them. If that's the case, you're left to play mediator while your remodel hangs in limbo.
Here's an example of how this scenario works in real life:
First, you start working with a designer. They give you what you ask for from an aesthetic point of view. Not a fan of how small your bathroom is? Easy! We just move a wall back a couple of feet, and you've opened the room up for a large walk-in shower and a freestanding tub. You're thrilled, pay for the designs, and begin looking for a contractor. Enter the builder.
The contractor builds what the designer dreams up. Traditionally you hand over the plans, and your builder begins the logistics of making them happen and providing an estimate. When they get back to you with a cost estimate, you're devastated to find out the remodel costs far more to build in actuality. You might become unhappy with the designer, contractor, or both.
Honestly, neither is trying to mislead you. They just aren't on the same page because they aren't in direct contact. Connecting the two can help solve the budget problem, but those back and forth changes take extra time and money. Plus, miscommunication is common when a designer and contractor aren't used to working with one another. Design and build services solve this problem by creating an environment where design and construction professionals work side-by-side.
What Is the Advantage of Design and Build?
Where traditional processes fail, the design and build business model shines. Your design build contractor does both the designing and building in-house. Keeping a project streamlined meets the goal of delivering on design promises within an agreed-upon budget.
Your designer and builder work towards your goals from two different perspectives. Together, they balance each other out. For example, a designer may want to include something grand in your remodeling plans to really wow you. But sometimes, these ideas aren't always practical. Having a builder around ensures your designs are actually able to be executed on budget and within a reasonable time frame. On the flip side, the builder may want to do more traditional builds, while the designer is inclined to explore and enhance the space in a less conventional approach.
Additionally, design changes get done quickly and efficiently when you have both sides of the team under one roof. Anytime there is back and forth on the design, it requires time and money; this can bring a job to a halt while your builder waits for your designer to come back with changes. In design build construction, the job site calls the office, the designer makes the changes, and it's back on track with no bumps that potentially push the timeline out by weeks or, in some cases, months.
There are many ways to remodel your home, and no one method is the "right" way. Still, we're firm believers that design and build contracts create better quality for our clients. See the difference for yourself in CCKB's project spotlights. Contact us with questions or to utilize our design and build services for your remodel today.
