Design Build Is An Innovative Approach to Remodeling
Every homeowner wants to get the best value for their remodeling dollars. While it may seem ordinary to bid a project before you choose a contractor, there may be some very good reasons why that option is not always the best choice. Parker Design Build Remodel is pleased to share our insight and experiences on why the Design Build Is An Innovative Approach to Remodeling and welcome your feedback.
Design Build (DB) vs. Bidding
The Design-Build process, also referred to as DB, is a process where the homeowner typically hires a Design Build firm, such as Parker Design Build Remodel, to be responsible for the entire remodeling project, from concept to completion. “Once our clients truly understand the Design-Build process, the benefits are indisputable, from a cost, time and client experience perspective,” said Chris Parker, owner of Parker Design Build Remodel.
Most contractors, in a bid situation, are worried they will lose the job based on price. For this reason, many contractors cut corners to get the job. They make lower-quality substitutions, omit key components, understaff a job to cut costs – whatever it takes to win the bid by bringing the cost down! The most common practice, in the industry as a whole, is to figure out a way to make up the difference later. This often happens during the middle of the project, when the client is too far in to do anything about it. This lack of transparency creates a shell-game where the contractor is focused on making up the difference. The homeowner doesn’t trust anything they say, and results in the remodeling industry having a large number of complaints, according to the Better Business Bureau.
We believe that the bid model is outdated. We rely on processes that are focused on design, value-engineering, and completing the project on-time and on-budget. When you begin each project this way, there is complete transparency and a win/win scenario for the homeowner and contractor alike.
Complete Accountability
In a Design-Build model, the contractor takes full responsibility for the entire project from concept to completion. This means that your contractor is responsible for keeping your project on-budget and on-time throughout every phase of the project. Finger pointing is eliminated and costs are compared to the initial design and specification estimate. By stark contrast, in a bid model, the specifications are often vague. This leaves room for the contractor to upsell later. We just don’t think that is the right approach.
Feasibility & Value Engineering
Since the Design-Build firm is involved in the process from the beginning, they are often able to point out areas, during the design process, that need to be considered or evaluated further. The firm can also make recommendations for value engineering to keep the project in line with the customer’s budget before the drawings are finalized. Since the firm is involved at the very onset of the project, permitting and other related factors can be planned and prepared for to keep the project on-budget and on-schedule. This saves time and money. By having these discussions during the design phase, the construction process proceeds much more smoothly. There will almost always be issues that arise as the project progresses. However, our experience is that these issues will be minor and our approach is to come to the table with solutions in hand.
Costs
Often, the Design-Build firm consults with specialty trade contractors for best practices to ensure a solid final working set of designs. This also helps to ensure the most advanced and efficient products are incorporated into the design. The Design-Build firm also considers the customer’s budget throughout the design process, to ensure that the drawings provided are indeed feasible.
The Design-Build firm holds the homeowner’s hand and takes ultimate responsibility for every aspect of the project. The project is run smoothly and efficiently with high levels of collaboration and communication.
Many homeowners may think the Design-Build process costs more. But the facts point out just the opposite. In addition to saving money, the Design-Build process saves time and headaches. There are a multitude of case studies on the advantages of the Design-Build vs. Design-Bid-Build process. One study showed that “DB projects took less time, had less cost growth, and were less expensive to build in comparison to DBB projects.”
Parker Design Build Remodel has utilized both methods and now only utilizes the innovative Design Build approach. Why? “We know how disrupting the home remodeling process can be. We promise to provide our customers an empathetic approach to this process and a pleasant remodeling experience. We have seen, firsthand, dramatically different results in costs, efficiencies and our ability to keep our customer’s happy by using the Design-Build approach. We will never go back to the old way,” says Chris Parker, owner of Parker Design Build Remodel.
Why Use The Old Approach?
After you truly understand the real benefits of Design/Build, many customers ask, “Why would contractors still use the old bid approach versus the more innovative design/build approach?” The answer, in our opinion, is very simple. Design/Build requires more time, effort, and accountability from the contractor. If you want to learn more about the Design/Build approach, Download our Free Guide: Why You Should Consider Design-Build or schedule a complimentary consultation, contact us today!
