You Have a Third Option: The Studio Z Team Approach

Are you thinking about remodeling your house or designing a new custom home? You’ve likely researched multiple articles, heard opinions about where to start (and possibly horror stories), and questioned how and when to engage a builder or architect. There isn’t one correct answer. The best approach requires that you:

Understand your options and the associated cost vs. value
Find a team you can trust to represent your interests
Have clear and solutions-based communication between all team members

At Studio Z, we’ve worked with many clients who thought there were only two delivery options: Design-Bid-Build and Design-Build, with the former dividing design and construction services and the latter combining the two into a “one-stop-shop.” There are pros and cons to both Design-Bid-Build and Design-Build, but here at Studio Z, we offer a third alternative: the Team Approach.

Understanding Basic Project Delivery Methods

Design-Bid-Build

In the Design-Bid-Build process, the client hires an architect to design their home and create a thorough set of construction drawings to guide the builder. Once the drawing set is complete, the owner sends the bid documents to contractors to bid the project.

After the bids are returned, the owner works with the architect to determine which bid is the best. (The lowest bid might not be the best bid because that contractor may have left some important things out of their bid.) The owner would then negotiate and sign a contract with the construction company with the best bid.

Often the clients work with the architect (or the builder) to redesign or remove items that may have caused budget overages–or add items if the cost comes in under budget. The architect may or may not be hired at an additional fee to ensure that the project is built according to the drawing set.

The key element of this delivery method is that the designer and builder are hired separately, and their working relationship can be at-best a cross-check collaboration, and at worst… unpredictable.

Design-Build

The Design-Build method is often characterized by heavy collaboration at the front end of the project between the architect, contractor, and owner. The contractor is seen as more of a partner in the project (and generally assumes more of the risk than with the traditional Design-Bid-Build because there isn’t a complete drawing set to be followed).

Design-Build firms often operate as a “one-stop-shop” for home design and construction. Many have both designers and builders on their team, working together. Other Design-Build relationships bring the selected architect and the selected builder together with the owner before the design process begins.

This integrated approach has advantages in that ideally everyone will be on the same page from the start and in constant communication. Doing so can possibly prevent surprise construction costs down the road. A disadvantage can be that the owner is effectively committing to a full team early in the process, which limits flexibility down the road–for example, with Design-Build, the owner gets one cost estimate from her/his pre-determined builder.

Granted, this can typically be reworked, but the owner does not receive comparative pricing. If the owner wants to obtain additional prices from outside contractors, they may be in for a surprise: the design-build firm likely owns the copyright to the drawings they produced, and it may be against the law to take those drawings to other contractors.

An Alternative: The Studio Z “Team Approach”

The Team Approach: A Hybrid Delivery Method

Studio Z Architecture can work with either project delivery method outlined above. However, we like to use the Team Approach because of the value and flexibility it provides our clients and their builders.

Like Design-Build, we involve the builder early in the project, however, the Team Approach offers greater flexibility in your choice of contractors.

To begin, Studio Z learns a lot about you, working through phases of the discovery process to create a home design that you love. We complete the schematic design phase (which is basically enough design to receive reliable estimates, but not a complete set of construction documents). Then, we bring in up to three contractors to review the design and offer you estimates. These contractors can be recommendations from Studio Z or those of your choosing.

What we like about this approach is that it enables you, the owner, to get to know the contractors to see which feels like the right personality fit. You will also get a better understanding of what is possible given your budget. Our clients appreciate knowing the numbers early on, while also feeling they have options.

Studio Z Architecture prefers the Team Approach for these reasons:

Unlike Design-Bid-Build, there isn’t the potential “back to the drawing board” phase that requires revising detailed construction drawings—and extra time and often additional fees.
Unlike Design-Build, the owner has a choice of contractors (and cost proposals).
We can get to know owners in the early design process, and recommend builders that we feel will be a good fit.
The builders are at the table early in the process, but not before the owner has worked through his/her ideal vision with the architect.

When you’re ready to start your home remodel or custom home design, reach out to both architects and design-build firms. You can also contact us to see if we’re a good fit and what value we will bring to your project.

Do you have more questions about the home renovation or new home design process?

We’ve created a guide that will answer your questions and shed light on what to expect. Complete the form below to receive your copy of “What to Expect During Your Design Consultation.”