Planning a major home renovation or custom build is an exciting milestone, but the traditional construction process can often feel overwhelming. Between hiring an architect, finding a general contractor, and managing budget expectations, homeowners frequently find themselves caught in the middle of misaligned plans and unexpected costs.
That is where the Design-Build approach and Custom Dwellings comes in.
Instead of juggling separate contracts and competing priorities, design-build offers a streamlined, collaborative experience from initial concept to the final walkthrough. Here is a step-by-step look at how the design-build process works at Custom Dwellings and why design-build has become the preferred method for residential remodeling.
- MEET AND GREET
Every successful project begins with a conversation. During the initial consultation, we take the time to understand your vision, lifestyle needs, aesthetic preferences, and budget goals.
- What Happens: We discuss your ideas, evaluate your current space and determine potential feasibility.
- The Outcome: A clear understanding of your project scope and a realistic alignment between your dream design and your target investment
- DESIGN DISCOVERY
Once we establish the core goals, we enter a fixed fee ‘Design Discovery’ agreement with our client and our design team gets to work developing preliminary concepts. Unlike traditional methods where an architect designs in a vacuum, design-build integrates construction expertise right from the start.
- What Happens: Our design team will make a ‘house call’ document existing conditions, taking preliminary measurements and photos. From there we create initial floor plans and spatial layouts while simultaneously estimating actual construction costs.
- The Outcome: You get a clear visual representation of your new space along with budget feedback before finalizing any plans.
- DESIGN AGREEMENT
With a solid concept in place, we enter into a new agreement to further design and collect a retainer to be billed against hourly. This schematic design phase is where we take the plans beyond just a basic floor plan and start hashing out the details.
- What Happens: Our design team creates interior and exterior elevations as appropriate and preliminary electrical plans. Finish schedules, and preliminary product selections are also started at this point. With more information, estimating is revised as appropriate to more accurately reflect the cost of the evolving design.
- The Outcome: A complete set of schematic plans, preliminary selections and allowances for unselected products with a revised estimated cost of construction.
- LETTER OF INTENT (LOI)
Once a finalized set of schematic plans has been created, along with the accompanying estimate, and before we finalize plans and specifications, we ask our clients for a Letter of Intent. This LOI is a commitment that the client intends to move forward to construction with us. We collect another retainer, part of which is used to finalize the design and the rest is applied towards construction costs.
- What Happens: The design team continues working to create Construction Documents. This includes structural layouts and engineering, building sections, foundation details, finalized electrical plans, cornice details, cabinet and tile layouts, trim details, and final product selections. In other words, everything is required to build the project. Once this work is complete, we have a ‘bid day’ where we invite various trade partners to come to evaluate the project in person so they can provide accurate bids.
- The Outcome: A complete construction ready set of plans and a final projected price for construction.
- CONSTRUCTION & PROJECT MANAGEMENT
With a final set of plans and specifications in place and a firm grasp of expected costs, we enter a construction contract. There is a fixed fee due at signing and from that point forward invoicing is done on a cost-plus basis. Once the contract is executed, the plans on paper start to become reality. Because our design and construction teams work together under one roof, communication is seamless throughout the build.
- What Happens: With a contract in place and permit in hand, our dedicated project manager oversees daily site operations, coordinates trade partners, maintains safety standards, and provides you with regular updates. There will be an initial preconstruction meeting to make sure everyone is on the same page and a meeting before drywall is installed to make sure everything is correct before being covered in the walls. We hold monthly meetings to review the budget, schedule, selections, and anything else that needs to be covered to make the project run as smoothly as possible.
- The Outcome: Quality craftsmanship built strictly according to the approved designs, delivered with minimal stress for you.
- FINAL WALKTHROUGH AND ENJOYING YOUR SPACE
As construction wraps up, we conduct a detailed final walkthrough with the you to ensure every detail meets our high standards – yours.
- What Happens: We address any final punch-list items, review warranties, and hand over the keys (sometimes literally, sometimes figuratively) to your newly transformed home.
- The Outcome: A beautifully designed, expertly crafted space tailored specifically to your lifestyle.
WHY CHOOSE DESIGN-BUILD?
- Single Point of Contact: You have one dedicated team responsible for both design quality and construction execution.
- Budget Realism Early On: Cost estimating happens during design, preventing the frustration of unbuildable plans.
- Faster Project Delivery: Design and pre-construction tasks ovelap, saving weeks or months compared to traditional delivery methods.
READY TO START YOUR PROJECT?
Whether you’re planning a full-home remodel, kitchen overhaul, or custom addition, our design-build team is here to bring your vision to life. CONTACT US TODAY to schedule your initial consultation!