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What is Design/Build? shopping approach to remodeling. Our clients hire us to do everything, from design to finish. From conceptual designs, to the working plans, right through production management of getting your project built.
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What is Almar’s Design Build Process? |
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Meeting with the Contractor After a potential customer contacts Almar’s office, we set up a time to meet with you so you can explain you ideas for your project. This starts with a conversation. Where you get to tell us all your dreams, and why you want to remodel. Do you want to explore your gourmet side with a beautiful and amazing new kitchen? Maybe you want a lot more light in the living room, or perhaps you’re tired of sharing a bathroom with your teenager, or spouse. We will also discuss your budget. Based on our understanding of what you want to accomplish, we will give you a preliminary cost estimate. If that estimate and your budget don’t line up we need to keep talking, trying to find ways to meet your needs within your budget. There are many choices to be made in each project, and we can play with all those options until we find a mixture that works. Once we’ve gotten the dream and budget in the same ballpark, it’s time to "Hammer" out the Details.
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Once you decide to go ahead with your project we will put together a Design Agreement. This is when you will start to make all the hard choices and Almar will start to put together some conceptual designs. Before you meet with the Contractor and the Designer you should prepare the paper work that they will want to have a copy of. This includes: Plot Plan (Preferably a Certified Plot plan, but we will take a mortgage plan to start with, a copy of the septic plan if applicable, Sprinkler locations, drywells, or any other underground utilities.) If you do not have a certified plot plan you may have to obtain one, we will need some kind of plot plan to get a building permit.
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Design Presentation
We’ll meet to discuss in more detail what you want your project to include. How you use your space now and how you envision using it in the future. And we will take measurements of the existing house.
If your design concept or the quality of the materials you would like have, have change from the time we initially meet, then please realize that the estimate range will also change.
The designer works on your design and may call you from time to time, while working for clarification. In the meantime you will start making product Selections (fixtures, cabinets, flooring, etc…)
To stay within budget, you might have to scarified the carpeting for the skylight, but you won’t find that out when the floor’s torn up and there’s a hole in the roof. You will make that decision before anyone gets started doing anything.
Design Package Review
The designer will go over your design. We have the design saved on his laptop. We will set up a screen and project the design on to the screen so that we can all walk through it and discuss it, and get a better idea what it will look like. Along with an estimated budget for where we stand at this point. The good thing about this process is that we will have anticipated the potential problems and you will have a plan to review that will get you from dream to reality with out the nasty bumps along the way.
You will refine the details, and make minor changes (windows sizes, roof angles etc.) until you have a design that works for you.
This is the time to say what you like and do not like about the design. If something makes you uncomfortable you should mention it during this meeting. Please be sure to be open an honest, because this is the stage at which we can change things easily.
Design Package Approval
After you, your contractor, and the designer have all agreed on the design that will work well for you. Almar will get final pricing from engineers and subcontractors. We will have arranged for walk thrus on the site to confirm any information necessary to complete their portion of the proposals. Then we will put together a new and final estimate and we will provide you with a written contract that includes a rough schedule.
All of the working drawings for the Contractor, Framer, Building Department etc, will then be included in the scope of work.
Starting your Project
Once the office receives your signed contract with your deposit, they will put together your job folder and start the office process for getting your job started.
Scheduling the start of your job will depend on the Building Department, our current schedule before we receive your contract, the schedule of our subcontractors, and your selections being chosen and available.
Our office staff makes every effort to keep you updated about where your project stands while you are waiting for us to start it, and while we are in the process of completing your project. If you ever have questions or changes feel free to contact the office and they will help you in anyway that they can.
Having your home under construction is extremely stressful. The shorter the time of the construction the happier you will be. What makes jobs take longer are unanticipated problems. Design-Build is nothing more than an extended series of anticipations. We do things upfront – before your kitchen is torn up so we keep things moving as quickly as possible.
We also work to eliminate surprised, because surprised no only throw off the schedule but bust the budget. Once you start you can have confidence that you have anticipated all the funding needed.
Our goal is to keep our customers happy. We want clients for life and we work hard everyday to achieve that goal. 90% of our business comes from referrals and repeat clients, and we work hard to keep it that way.
The Top Ten Advantages to Choosing Design/Build?
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Design Build is geared to fit your budget.
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The designer works as part of your construction team.
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You do not have to pay for the first set of revisions.
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You do not have to pay for a full set of working drawings.
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The design process can take 6-8 weeks, as opposed to 6-8 months with an architect.
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Almar is part of the design process from day one.
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You can adjust your concept after you see your first set of plans.
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Almar can give you a price range for your project so that you are not wasting money drawing plans for a project you may not be able to afford to build.
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The design fee is usually 3% - 5% of the estimated cost of your project. Architects
fee is generally 8%-15%.
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The design saved on the designer’s laptop. The designer will set up a screen and
project the design on that so we can all walk through it and discuss it, and get a betteridea what it will look like.
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Almar Building & Remodeling 1130 Washington St Suite #3 Hanover, Ma 02339 Phone: 781-826-2577 Fax: 781-826-2578 |