When it comes time to renovate your Sewickley home, you have a variety of options. You can opt to follow the design-bid-build route, hiring a designer and a builder in order to complete the project; you can DIY your renovation (which we do not recommend); or you can choose to hire a design-build contractor.
No matter what you select, if you are like most homeowners, you desire a process that will run smoothly, produce a beautiful and functional outcome, save you money during the process, and preserve the integrity of your historic home. These reasons and more, are the advantages to using the design-build process.
What Is the Design-Build Process?
The design-build process is true to its name. Through this process, a design-build company provides both the design and the construction aspects of your home renovation or addition. A homeowner works with a single company to manifest every facet of their renovation. By contrast, taking the design-bid-build route means homeowners work with two separate entities, hiring a designer or architect to draw up their remodel’s plans and then finding a contractor to complete the project
There are many reasons to hire a design-build contractor over an architect. Here are 6 of the major benefits a design-build contractor brings to the table.
1. Open and Constant Communication
A key component of the design-build process is communication. Working together, a homeowner and remodeling contractor can create a design that is beautiful, cohesive with the rest of the home, and functional. Design-build contractors provide quick and effective communication to make the process run smoothly and end with a result that matches a client’s needs. And homeowners can have immediate communication with both the designers and construction team when going the design-build route.
2. Owner Collaboration
If you want to play a role in your home’s remodel, then hiring a design-build contractor is the way to go. Active involvement in your home’s design will help you keep the integrity and elements of your historic Sewickley home. The design-build process relies on homeowner involvement to ensure all of your renovation goals are being met. After all, it is your home!
Work with a design-build contractor who opens a dialogue between the design-build team and yourself. You will receive expert opinions on what might work for your project, while also being able to provide your input and ideas.
3. Singular Responsibility
An amazing part of the design-build process is the streamlined method. By working with a home remodeling contractor, you eliminate the middleman where a project is designed and then bid upon by various contractors. This creates a single point of responsibility, and that central focus fosters a sense of teamwork and communication. Everyone is on the same page and working toward the same goal.
4. Faster Project Turnaround
Who doesn’t want their renovation to move quickly? When hiring a separate designer and contractor, you have to wait for bids once your design has been completed, as well as work with two separate company timelines. But having every aspect of your remodel come from a single company saves you time. Design-build companies will never experience the same time issues because their construction teams are ready to complete your project immediately after the designers have your approval.
And when construction issues arise due to the design or as a result of the common problems of a historic home, the design-build team can have instantaneous communication with one another to work on a solution.
5. Cohesive Expertise
Design-build contractors can work on many different types of residential homes: new builds, historic, architectural, and more. A contractor should seamlessly integrate a new home addition or any cosmetic changes with your current home. As a Sewickley homeowner, it is important to keep the integrity of your historic home no matter what changes you make. A design-builder has a construction team that works with designers to overcome common historical home issues such as water damage, small and closed off rooms, or older roofs and windows, while also giving you a design that fits your style and your needs.
This helps the team (and you) prioritize the most important items, such as ensuring the renovation is structurally sound or faulty electrical has been replaced. Then the design can be built on a solid foundation.
6. Budgeting/Savings
Homeowners experience no greater headache during a renovation than loving a design and realizing it costs more than their budget affords. And this is a serious problem that arises when following the design-bid-build route. A designer can create a beautiful and functional design, but once the project gets to a separate contractor, the project cost can be higher than expected. Designers (on their own) are not experts in pricing projects, so although they create beautiful structures, they do not keep a homeowner’s needs and costs in mind.
The design-build process avoids this flaw because the designers work directly with the construction team. They work together to create a design that matches a homeowner’s budget. And if budgetary needs arise, you and the teams are able to communicate with one another to find a cost-saving solution. This can also help you avoid surprise costs down the road.
Feel Confident in Your Contractor
Allowing an outsider to work on your home can feel unnerving, so you need a contractor that gives you confidence. Our Action Builders team works hard to provide accurate cost estimates based on the state of your home and your needs.
Every one of our home additions comes with a five-year workmanship warranty. We believe in our work and in meeting all of your needs. See our design-build process for more information on how our team can work with you to create a beautiful home.
Contact us to schedule a consultation today.