CONTROL THROUGH EMPOWERMENT
Our process is fundamentally about giving you a windshield view of your project. That gives you the ability to steer scope and budget to meet your needs and desires. Information is power.
The Beginning
An Idea, An Initial Concept
Sometimes we are involved at this stage. Often we are not. At this point, you’ve recognized a need or desire and are thinking of how you can address it. You’re looking for inspiration – what might it look like? And thinking about logistics – who needs to be involved, what is your next step.
We are happy to kick things around together at this high level at no charge. It will help you move forward and will give us an initial understanding of your project. We can share with you lessons learned and best practices to help you avoid pitfalls. Contact us – we are happy to help!
We empower you by offering our expertise and experience so you can take another step towards your goal.
Depending on your situation and your priorities, you may be thinking of costs first, or of shapes and space first, or possibly time and how long this will take and when you’ll start. Regardless, our involvement in this stage is helpful because we can share coarse metrics to begin to understand project costs. We can help you understand the professional services that will be needed, and the process that each City or County will require you to go through. We can work through high level schedules with you to paint the picture in terms of time.
We empower you to decide if, and how, to move forward.
Sanity Check
Is This Feasible?
Sanity Check
Is This Feasible?
Depending on your situation and your priorities, you may be thinking of costs first, or of shapes and space first, or possibly time and how long this will take and when you’ll start. Regardless, our involvement in this stage is helpful because we can share coarse metrics to begin to understand project costs. We can help you understand the professional services that will be needed, and the process that each City or County will require you to go through. We can work through high level schedules with you to paint the picture in terms of time.
We empower you to decide if, and how, to move forward.
Design Start
Getting the Schematics Together
This stage is led by Architecture with a supporting cast of consultants, engineers, and us in the general contracting role. We can assist with gathering necessary initial information such as property surveys, soils reports (which drive the design of building foundations), and environmental reports (not necessary for new construction, but if we are remodeling, we have to know if there is asbestos, lead paint, etc.)
As the Architectural design takes shape, we can begin to count things – square feet of this and that, numbers of interior doors, exterior windows, that sort of thing. Our biggest job at this point is to see what is not yet there. We will likely have the shape of a room for instance, but no lights drawn, nor electrical outlets shown. We count those things that aren’t shown yet – so we can also estimate costs for those items. We are getting into a pre-construction agreement together at this point.
The objective is to empower you to control project scope, cost, and schedule to suit your priorities. We call it the windshield view.
Architecture continues to lead the charge through this phase. Plans are coming together. The structural and civil engineers are in the midst of their efforts. Sometimes an interior designer is also getting involved to assist with layout refinements and begin fixture and finish selections.
Our role is to update project costs and schedules, as well as provide buildability feedback (think – can a hammer or drill fit in there…, that sort of thing).
The culmination of this phase is submission of the building permit application and drawings. And the initiation of the bidding process, when we go to the proverbial market now that the level of information is sufficient for a trade partner (aka, subcontractor, but trade partner is more respectful and reflective of the relationship) to understand and quote the cost of the work. Many things remain allowances at this point (tile, flooring, plumbing and lighting fixtures), but many things are fully biddable (excavation, foundations, framing…)
Again we are getting additional data points to empower you to control the direction and magnitude of your project.
Design Development
Revising and Refining
Design Development
Revising and Refining
Architecture continues to lead the charge through this phase. Plans are coming together. The structural and civil engineers are in the midst of their efforts. Sometimes an interior designer is also getting involved to assist with layout refinements and begin fixture and finish selections.
Our role is to update project costs and schedules, as well as provide buildability feedback (think – can a hammer or drill fit in there…, that sort of thing).
The culmination of this phase is submission of the building permit application and drawings. And the initiation of the bidding process, when we go to the proverbial market now that the level of information is sufficient for a trade partner (aka, subcontractor, but trade partner is more respectful and reflective of the relationship) to understand and quote the cost of the work. Many things remain allowances at this point (tile, flooring, plumbing and lighting fixtures), but many things are fully biddable (excavation, foundations, framing…)
Again we are getting additional data points to empower you to control the direction and magnitude of your project.
Construction Documentation
Getting Ready for Construction
As the City or County reviews the permit drawings, the design team is working on locking down final specifications and selections. These are things that aren’t a health or safety issue (otherwise it would be in the building permit submission), but rather fixtures, finishes and details.
We bid the items whose information and specificity allow it as they reach that point. We are also coordinating with trade partners on the sequencing and duration of their work, so we can more accurately build out a detailed schedule.
The cost estimate and schedule become exhibits to the construction contract that we collectively sign as we prepare to move out of design and permitting stage, and into the construction phase. We work mostly in a cost-plus contract scenario. That contract structure makes a lot of sense given our open-book accounting and our collaborative cost control approach.
The construction phase begins with site mobilization. We get the porta-potty on site, a dumpster, perhaps install security fencing, that sort of thing.
We handle the City and County inspections. There are typically a bunch at foundation phase, then more at the end of framing and again after we have roughed-in ducts, pipes, and wires.
As we move through the construction process, we meet with you regularly to address information needed, next steps, and review costs and schedule.
There is always change as a construction process unfolds. We use cloud based project management software that helps us track changes against the benchmark estimate and the baseline schedule. You have visibility into this – no black boxes here.
We invoice monthly, and you get a summary page of the costs, as well as the backup information that shows the costs at a more granular level. Its about building and maintaining trust.
Construction
We Start Making the Sausage
Construction
We Start Making the Sausage
The construction phase begins with site mobilization. We get the porta-potty on site, a dumpster, perhaps install security fencing, that sort of thing.
We handle the City and County inspections. There are typically a bunch at foundation phase, then more at the end of framing and again after we have roughed-in ducts, pipes, and wires.
As we move through the construction process, we meet with you regularly to address information needed, next steps, and review costs and schedule.
There is always change as a construction process unfolds. We use cloud based project management software that helps us track changes against the benchmark estimate and the baseline schedule. You have visibility into this – no black boxes here.
We invoice monthly, and you get a summary page of the costs, as well as the backup information that shows the costs at a more granular level. Its about building and maintaining trust.
Closeout
Getting You To Move-in
As the project comes to fruition, we complete the final inspection process with the City of County. And then work through our punch list process with you. We prepare our own punch list – capturing the little things that need to be addressed for us to feel good about the final product. And then we bring you in to add anything further that you feel needs attention. And then we fix those items.
We also provide you with the product information for those items that have gone into your project – install and operations manuals, service logs, warranty documentation that sort of thing. Don’t worry, these days that is electronic so you don’t have to remember where the binder went. As needed, we will also meet with trade partners so you get the training you need to operate your home, typically this is mechanical relative to thermostats and systems, and quite possibly also low voltage and home control systems.
Finally, we collectively sit down… take a breath… and raise a glass.