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Why Design & Build

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Shepel Homes rated 5/5 based on 22 reviews.

Building a custom home can be a stressful and time-consuming process, given that you want your dream home to be built correctly and within budget. Sometimes, homeowners can get from excited to frustrated because of having to micromanage the process. You might have to go from your busy day job to home construction meetings, sacrifice some quality time with your family, and try not to completely lose your mind in the process. That is why most homeowners choose design-build — a more efficient option of home construction that offers a better experience from start to finish.

When it comes to construction projects, there are two types of contractors that can help you through the process: a single design-build contractor or two separate architectural and construction firms. The architectural design and construction process as separate entities was commonplace in the early- to mid-twentieth century. After World War II, this practice began to diminish for commercial projects, most especially because of the fact that it resulted in "double handling" of the design work, and created a splitting of authority at a critical time in the delivery of services.

Although design-build contracting has been around for many years, it was only a couple of decades ago when residential contractors began adapting the system. Initially, it was only for rich clients who can afford the luxury of hiring a single company to do everything for them and consequently being less stressed and having more time for their family. However, today the concept of design-build has become more accessible than ever, pushing the envelope for middle-class homeowners looking to build their own house.

We at Shepel Homes believe that design-build is the way to go because this approach allows for a unified management team to perform all required services all throughout — from the planning phase through design presentation, construction completion, and turnover of facilities. Time and again, we have seen how this seamless method is great for both the design and construction team but also for the clients.

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Design-build makes home construction and renovation more enjoyable for the client.

The design-build concept is a great solution for finding an all-in-one partner to meet all of your project needs. It also lets you stay involved, but only when you want to participate. In our experience, clients love design-build because it is less stressful than having to speak with multiple companies or tradesmen and explaining your vision and requirements again and again.

Since the client has a single contact, there is no need for micromanaging on the client’s end. Our dedicated project manager is focused on making sure that the process is a success. Additionally, when you have a single project manager who oversees the project from start to finish, you can be assured that all aspects of the project and all tradesmen are in sync.

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Design-build offers better quality control.

One of the best things about design-build is that you have a single point of responsibility for design quality and the construction team. With other team structures, you typically have multiple individuals that don’t necessarily work together. Separate architecture and construction teams have different priorities, often leading to miscommunication and design flaws.

It is much better to have a unified firm focus on quality control from start to finish of a building project for project success. Sometimes when you have different teams handling the project, you are dealing with people who might not have the incentive to cooperate or have the same levels of accountability. If each party did not have a sense of ownership, then it is that much easier for problems to arise.

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Design-build enables flexibility and innovation.

By integrating the processes of design and construction, design-build enables architects, engineers, contractors, and building owners to work together throughout the entire design and construction process to create innovative solutions that meet budgets and quality standards. As a result, design-build allows project teams to leverage the creativity of design professionals, engineering firms, and construction teams – each working under one contract – to provide unique solutions for clients.

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Design-build requires fewer resources than separate firms.

Design-build is a single project delivery method that brings together the expertise of two or more self-contained professionals (architecture and engineering) under one roof. Basically, you hire one team to provide design services and one team to come up with the construction plan and work together on your project. It’s an efficient way to avoid having separate individuals working on different aspects when they could be working together as one. Instead of a back-and-forth between architecture and construction firms, this method enables both teams to work together on a single set of plans throughout the building process.

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Design-build is faster and more efficient.

We see many construction projects suffer because they are overly complex. Determining a clear direction as early on as possible is critical in order to avoid and/or minimize delays in schedule, cost overruns, or significantly reduced functionality, especially when the scope changes -- all scenarios that can result from shifting back and forth between an architecture firm and general contractor.

Unlike traditional design-estimate-build or construction management methods, design-build strives for seamless coordination throughout the process. This method of project delivery can save time by leveraging similarities in both parties’ scope of work and ensuring tighter coordination between design and construction.