Home design & Building project

• One Responsible Party- One company is responsible for every aspect of the construction project. The owner does not waste time coordinating communication between the various parties involved.

• Cost Savings- Having the contractor, designer, and builder under one roof allows the process to be more streamlined and efficient. Everyone is on the same page with the delivery schedule which reduces the cost of extra time, equipment, and manpower that is often associated with different parties responsible for different components.

• Time Savings- The Design Build process eliminates the competitive bidding process that often adds to the project completion time. Furthermore, the design and construction portion occur at the same time, saving time during the beginning of the project.

A Design-Then-Build firm is a company that offers one-stop shopping, in that it can lead the client from initial concept to the final product. You will help the client evaluate and plan the project before building, and provide them with a road map, that will lead them from the initial concept all the way to the end of the project. In general, this type of contractor will do larger jobs that require some form of design. Kitchens, baths, master suites, home theaters, basements, attics, additions and whole house renovations make up the lion’s share of this niche. DTB can be a highly profitable niche, in that you can reap the profits from the design, product selection and consultation, material purchases, and building the actual project.

When a client hires you to design the project, you are virtually assured of getting the job because they have already invested time and money in you. (I keep the contracts for design and building separate.) You will also maintain control over the whole job, which I believe to be of utmost importance. In addition to what I spoke about in the General Remodelers article, here are some of the services that you may offer your clients if you are a design-then-build company.