Design/Build—What Is It?
Fitzpatrick—In terms of getting started with professionals, I’ll thank Peg and her snarky comment about Design/Build for inspiring me to start here. Since I’ve worked for independent interior design studios as well as for a remodeling contractor who billed himself as Design/Build, I think I speak objectively on the issue.
Design/Build came to home improvement via commercial construction by way of manufacturing and the TQM (Total Quality Management) model that gained popularity in the late 1980s. America finally figured out Japan was kicking our butts in industry because they—shockingly—integrated the expertise of the average floor worker to improve the efficiency of the overall manufacturing process. As buildings became more complex, architects enlisted the aid of HVAC (Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning) and electrical contractors, the folks who actually do the work, to “value engineer” the projects, i.e., suggest tricks of the trade, of which architects and engineers might not be aware, to improve the building and lower it’s cost.
A better project for less money—that’s what Design/Build is supposed to accomplish, by combining your general contractor and your designer/architect in one place and sometimes, in one person.
The next post lists the pros and cons of Design/Build for the homeowner.
Design/Build came to home improvement via commercial construction by way of manufacturing and the TQM (Total Quality Management) model that gained popularity in the late 1980s. America finally figured out Japan was kicking our butts in industry because they—shockingly—integrated the expertise of the average floor worker to improve the efficiency of the overall manufacturing process. As buildings became more complex, architects enlisted the aid of HVAC (Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning) and electrical contractors, the folks who actually do the work, to “value engineer” the projects, i.e., suggest tricks of the trade, of which architects and engineers might not be aware, to improve the building and lower it’s cost.
A better project for less money—that’s what Design/Build is supposed to accomplish, by combining your general contractor and your designer/architect in one place and sometimes, in one person.
The next post lists the pros and cons of Design/Build for the homeowner.
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