Designers aren’t the people you want building your home.
And builders may have some wonderful ideas, but they sure aren’t designers!
Then why do we do both?
Well, because we have amazing designers, and amazing builders, and through collaboration, they can provide a better experience for our clients. They work together every day, sharing the knowledge and expertise that is unique to their skillsets and training. Through this repeated collaboration, often spanning hundreds of projects over many years, our amazing designers have learned what designs REALLY work well in construction, and what the cost implications of certain decisions will be. Our builders (the project managers and site leads) are a part of each of their projects from the onset of design. They bring our trade partners through the house to get early feedback as we commence design of your renovation. Their practical “construction” insight helps the designer and homeowners hone in on the layout that will cause minimal distruption to the mechanical systems behind the walls.
In our industry, many companies who advertise “design/build” sub out the project management, site supervision and design. For us, by bringing the design and construction together, fully in-house, by building a team of wonderfully talented, full-time, long-term seasoned experts, we can design and build/renovate homes that are actually in alignment with the priorities of our clients.
With this collaboration, we are able to design a project to maximize what our clients can accomplish within their budgets, as we’re getting real time pricing feedback as we’re journeying through design.
We have seen COUNTLESS cases of homeowners bringing us their completed drawings and wonderfully detailed specifications for their upcoming home build, or renovation after completing design with another individual or firm. Their dream fireplace has been specified. The hardwood has been sourced and they even know what brand of door handles are to be selected. So many exciting decisions have been made, and they have their hearts set on it all! They get us (and often a few other firms) to look at their designs, only to find out that the construction cost estimate is 2x (or more) than they’d imagined! They have invested a great deal of money into a wonderful design, by a talented designer, and now it needs to be completely re-designed to their target budget.
What went wrong?
Alignment and expectations.
They hired the design firm to put their dreams on paper. The designer did exactly what was asked: design the project that the homeowners want. The blissful design project allowed them to dream up all of the wonderful design ideas they’d been hoping for, free from the harsh reality of budgetary and feasibility concerns.
Then things hit hard, when design is done, and the builders insight sheds light on the reality of costs, site challenges, and feasibility.
For us, by providing design and construction together, we’re able to design the project that MESHES the aesthetic tastes and preferences of our clients with the reality of their budget constraints.
Our design/build process will allow you to enjoy the design process knowing that your design decisions will be made within the context what fits the budget. You’ll know EXACTLY what you’re getting, and what it will cost, BEFORE we start construction!
Beautiful designs are great. Beautiful designs that get built on budget are even better!
