1 year ago
If you're thinking of building a new home, you might be wondering if it's better to use a design and build company. The answer depends on several factors — such as how much time you have, how involved you want to be in the process and how much money you're willing to spend. According to the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB), 66% of new homes sold were built by design/build firms, compared with only 25% built by traditional contractors.
Design build means that instead of having to hire an architect, contractor, and builder all separetly, you can instead choose one company to do all of them. They’ll have your home designed by their architect, and their general contractor will get the job done. Once that’s done, they'll bring a builder as well.
The idea behind this system is that you can save money on hiring a separate team of professionals. It also makes it easier for contractors who specialize in certain areas to work with each other on projects. For example, if you need a roofer for your house, but don't want to pay for the added cost of hiring a roofing specialist like roofing contractors in Harare because they have specialized knowledge about roofs and so on, then hiring a general contractor with ties to roofers might be ideal for this situation.
Now that you know what design build is, here are some things you should know before choosing a design build company:
Design-build allows you to get the services of an architect and builder from one company. Because of this, design-build homes tend to be more expensive than traditional homes designed by architects and built by builders who are not affiliated with each other. However, this doesn't mean that it's going to break your bank, and if you plan your budget ahead of time you will enjoy the following benefits
To make sure you won't be surprised by unexpected costs during your project, you need to plan your budget. If possible, start planning your project at least three months before you need it complete. Doing this will give you time to find the right design-build company and have everything figured out upfront.
And that's the best part! The beauty of design-build is that they do everything for you, from architecture to building construction. They come with their architects and subcontractors. You don't have to hop from contractor to contractor asking for BOQs, requesting bids and what not.
That being said, you'll probably have more say than you think. Designing your own home can be fun and empowering, but remember that as a homeowner, it's also your responsibility to ensure that the final product meets code requirements and is safe and functional for your family's needs.
So while there's no doubt that having control over every aspect of the design process is exciting and empowering, it's important not to get too carried away with the details — or else risk overspending on unnecessary features that don't improve your quality of life or enjoyment of the home itself.
See, traditionally, you'd have to first talk to an architect about your goals and dreams for your home, get a design and floor plans, hop from contractor to contractor comparing prices. End up confused, given that every contractor wants to be different from another and offers some sort of upselling that you don't even understand. Finally, you chose the cheapest solution which may not be the best for your home.
But now things have changed, you only have to deal with one person. The design build company! They will bring their own team who handles everything for you. All other questions you might have, revisions and changes, you just deal with one person.
Okay, this is a little obvious but I felt I should mention it. Don't just choose a company based on price. There will always be someone cheaper. Look at the quality of their work and see if it fits your style. If a company is good, their work will speak for itself.
Ask around the neighborhood, and your friends for referrals, if they are happy with their home, there's a good chance the design-build company will do the same for you. Check their credibility, ask to see their portfolio of previous projects they have worked on.
You have to have a clear vision for your home and what you want it to look like. You can hire a design build company to help you create that vision, but if you don't communicate your expectations clearly and thoroughly, it could end up being an expensive mistake.
If you're hiring a design build company for the first time, it's important that you do your research first. Before contacting any company, make sure they have experience working with clients like yourself and have a proven track record of success.
Once you've found a potential design build company, ask them if they offer free consultations or tours of their workspace so that you can see exactly how they work behind the scenes. This will give them an idea of what kind of results you're looking for before sending them over any initial proposals or estimates.
Make sure you communicate your vision and expectations clearly to the firm so that they can translate those into accurate estimates for building materials and labor costs.
The design-build process might look like it's taking longer because you don't have "hands-on" access to the project. However, if communication is clear between you and the design-builder this will not be an issue. Your patience will also be needed to ensure the project completes without pointing fingers.
It is important to remember that they are only human, and they make mistakes just like you and me. When this happens, the best thing to do is to communicate with them. Most likely, they decided with the best intentions, and they want the best for you and your project. If you feel that they have made a mistake and they are unwilling to correct it, then you may want to find a new contractor.
These are all great things to question and discuss with your contractor, but in the end, these are their businesses, and they know what they’re doing. They decided for a reason, and you can’t always question their motives. It’s important to have an open line of communication with your contractor and be upfront with your concerns.
Make sure that you let them know if something seems out of place or if you have a question. Sometimes they may make decisions that you might question, This could be deciding on material, extra people to hire, and extra steps to include in the construction process. Rest assured that in most cases they know what they are doing and it's not to rip you off!
It's best for you and them because if they do good work that's a source of future reference. So trust the process, will you?
Be flexible and do what you love, and enjoy your journey into homeownership. It is a long process, but when you are done and sitting on your front porch with your family at the end of it, you will enjoy every moment of it.
Stay flexible and stay tuned for our next blog for more in-depth information about this journey.
Hopefully, this blog has helped you get a better idea of what you can expect when working with a design build company. We encourage you to give some of the tips here a try the next time you're working with a design build firm.
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