If you have home remodeling or home renovations on your mind, you probably need some help with the work. Where do homeowners turn first? An architect? A contractor? How about a combination of both? A design-build firm is one entity that handles it all!
We’ve been designing and building home additions and remodels for decades in Pennsylvania. From our experience, there are several advantages to this model over the alternative, making the plans with one party and then accepting bids from different parties.
We mainly work with people that want to improve their forever homes. Maybe they need more space for a loved one, maybe they’d like to redo their kitchen, or maybe something in between. We love working with homeowners to understand their wants and completing a beautiful project they love.
Would you rather coordinate with one company or several? A streamlined communication channel that’s opened at the very start of the project and remains open throughout the entire process is a massive bonus for a homeowner. The same idea applies to keeping the people you're paying accountable. You know exactly who is responsible for the project at every stage.
There’s a process called value-engineering that a firm and their client will work through to fine-tune the cost of the project. This could mean replacing materials for more cost-effective options, for example, to keep your budget under control.
When working with a design-build firm, the architects and the builders are all on the same page. This ensures there won’t be any discrepancies or arguments between the two parties. It’s a more collaborative effort that pays off for the homeowner.
There’s no handing off, onboarding or catching up with design-build firms. It’s all under one roof (just like your home!). Working with an architect and a construction contractor separately adds a step that doesn’t exist within a full-service firm.
The design-build firm route ensures every important team member is involved in the process from the start. For you, this means a more efficient and quicker project - and less wrangling of people and resources for you.
A design-build firm isn’t for everyone. It’s great for homeowners who are a fit. For example, there are people who prefer to work with one specific designer and that designer will never lift a hammer. There’s nothing wrong with that, but if you’re not open to working with a firm that will handle everything, this approach isn’t for you. Design-build firms typically manage the entire project but make sure you talk with your builder to see what your options are.
If you have any interest in learning more about design-build firms, let us know! We’ve been in the industry for three decades. We’re happy to share some more tips!