Design-Build Process in Madison, WI
You’ve done your research and gathered some great ideas for your home remodeling project. The next step is to hire a Design-Build company to bring your ideas to life.
Traditionally, when owners are looking to remodel their home (or build a new one), they utilize a process known as Design-Bid-Build (DBB). Using this process, an architect or designer and a contractor are hired separately. First, an owner hires a professional to put together a design based on their needs and wants. The final design is then used to receive bids from various contractors. In many cases, once service providers have been selected, the owner serves as the middleman between the designer and the contractor.
On the other hand, Design-Build companies offer both design and construction services under one contract. This method of construction is showing the most growth both with residential and non-residential construction projects.
So, what makes Design-Build the process of choice for home remodeling projects?
Let’s highlight the benefits of Design-Build at each step of our project development process.
Stage 1: Pre-Design
This stage includes initial discussions around your needs, budgets, and timelines. Included in this step is a Comparative Remodeling Analysis that sets realistic expectations for a remodeling budget. The budget is set with the help of historical data. This stage ends with a design agreement in place.
Design-Build Advantage:
The owner communicates ideas, budgets, and preferred timelines to one company instead of to the designer and contractor separately. This decreases the likelihood of inconsistent information being shared among the parties involved.
The Comparative Remodeling Analysis will give you a better sense of the total remodel cost as opposed to looking at design and construction costs separately. Homeowners will have an easier time tracking one budget instead of two. In fact, Project Managers assigned to the remodeling project will play a significant role in managing the overall budget.
Stage 2: Design Development
In this second stage, design professionals draw up conceptual drawings based on on-site research and the survey completed by the owner. Using these drawings, vendors and/or subcontractors conduct a walk-through and give feedback on your design choices.
Design-Build Advantage:
Working together with both design professionals and subcontractors/vendors simultaneously ensures that owners get valuable feedback from the appropriate team member in a timely manner. As a result, there is a higher likelihood that timelines are adhered to and quality is uncompromised during the process. Any necessary changes based on the team’s feedback can be implemented quickly without waiting for multiple approvals. In the Design-Bid-Build process, the approvals would be coming from multiple people from different companies.
Stage 3: Pre-construction:
Once owners have finalized and signed off on their design plans, the company will begin gathering permits, ordering materials, and scheduling the timeline. During this stage, the remodeling project will be assigned a Project Manager.
Design-Build Advantage:
Because there will be one point of contact, the risk of miscommunication about materials being used, altered timelines, or design changes will be minimized.
As materials are being ordered, it will be important to carefully track costs during this stage. Owners will be spared the minutiae of tracking every construction and design line item in the overall budget. The Project Manager takes charge of detailed budget tracking. In the long run, this could result in cost savings for the owner.
Stage 4: Construction
In this stage, the Project Manager becomes the owners’ main point of contact as work commences on the remodeling project. The assigned Project Manager will become very familiar with the details of the project and work. The Project Manager will ensure everything is running smoothly and within budget without compromising the timeline.
Design-Build Advantage:
The transition to the construction phase will be efficient as the entire bid process is eliminated when working with a Design-Build home remodeling company. This shortens the overall project timeline.
If by chance an unexpected issue does occur during the construction process, the designer and contractors will work together to find a solution. Because they are working together as one team, there is no blame placed on an individual member of the team. Instead, there is shared accountability. Everyone on the remodel project team will work towards the successful completion of a high-quality remodeling project.
At Sweeney Design Remodel, we are proud of our team of designers and contractors. Our values are the foundation of all our projects. Contact us to schedule a consultation with our talented designers. We look forward to helping you remodel your home to better fit your lifestyle.
