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Right from the very moment you begin to consider building a new home, questions
flow like water. When the answers are not easily found uncertainty takes root,
and it’s at that point you begin having doubts. One of the purposes of this column is
to help potential clients discover the building process as it exists today and
to take the uncertainty out of it.
I have a strong belief in the design-build process. That’s not to say that most custom builders don’t take architect or client plans and build what they have decided upon. It just
means, in the absence of plans, I think the design-build process offers key
advantages to all involved.
Building is affected by many outside factors that no one has any control over.
Weather is a big factor that comes to mind, and then rapid changes in material
costs can and do occur without warning. Since there are a multitude of players
involved with most building projects, there are the nuances of each of their
systems and processes that must be meshed together in order for a project to
flow smoothly. There are the variety of material compatibilities and financing,
and there is always the potential of human error. When all of these things are
taken together, the best scenario is to build as much control into the process
as possible. That’s where design-build comes in.
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Right from the beginning, all players are brought together to perform as a team.
That means there’s a greater likelihood that the plumber will know the electrician will be
installing a recessed light in the spot he would like to run his vent pipe. It
means the sub contractors will know the general contractor expects each of them
to have active safety programs. It means the suppliers of the bathroom fixtures
will know those fixtures need to be on-site at a specific time. Perhaps, even
more importantly, it means the clients will know what is being built and what
it will all cost so there are no surprises.
Is design-build perfect? No. But it is a very wise way to build.
By Stephen Hann, CGR, GMB, GMR, CGP
Hann Builders
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