People in Long Beach who are about to take on a major residential or commercial building project often wonder if they should go with one of the architecture firms in Long Beach, CA that describe themselves as “design-build” firms. As the name implies, a design-build firm is a company that provides both architectural design and building services. They have both an architect and a general contractor on staff to take the project from start to finish.
So, should you go with this type of firm for your upcoming project?
At Grisafe Architecture, we do not recommend working with a design-build firm for either residential or commercial projects (and not just because we aren’t this type of architecture firm). There are a couple of very simple reasons for this.
First of all, when you go with a design-build firm, you are locked in to working with the company for both the design portion of the project and the build. This may sound very convenient and therefore very appealing. After all, you’ll only have to work with one company rather than two to get your project completed. However, you may discover that while you like working with the architect at the firm, you don’t necessarily like working with their general contractor—or vice versa.
For something as important as a major home remodel, a custom home build, or a tenant improvement project, you should take the time to interview both the architect and general contractor who will potentially be working with you to make sure each person you hire will be a good fit for your project and will be someone you can communicate easily with. You may find that the best architect and general contractor work for the same design-build firm, but more than likely, the best two individuals for your project will work at separate companies.
Another reason not to work with a design-build firm is because it takes away the competitive bidding process, and the potential cost savings that come along with it. When you work with an independent architect or architecture firm in Long Beach, like Grisafe Architecture, you can take the plans we produce to several different general contractors and have each of them bid on the job. Since all the general contractors will be bidding on the exact same set of plans, you can easily compare prices. Of course, you may not want to automatically go with the lowest bid you receive. There are other factors to consider, such as the experience, reputation, and communication style of each general contractor. But allowing multiple contractors to bid on your plans can often help you secure a better price—especially if you let each contractor know that there are multiple contractors bidding on the job.
If you work with Grisafe Architecture for the design of your residential or commercial space, we are happy to recommend several local general contractors who can provide you with bids on your project. These are contractors we have worked with in the past. We have seen their completed work. We know them to be experienced, skilled, and honest. We would never recommend anyone to our clients that we don’t trust to do a good job. However, we never require you to work with one of “our” general contractors, like a design-build firm would. You are always welcome to find your own general contractor based on your own research or on recommendations from other people you trust.
Once we hand off your completed plans to the general contractor you hire, we can continue to be involved in the project, or you can let your general contractor take it from there. Often, our clients will want us to work with their contractor to ensure that the design they approve is properly executed.
If you’d like to learn more about working with Grisafe Architecture for the design of your upcoming project, contact our office to schedule your initial consultation.
