Best custom home builder design ideas will encompass the decision of builder versus architect. Big egos. Incomplete documents. Design changes. These are some of the common complaints builders have about architects.
Indeed, the two have a love-hate relationship. In its worst incarnation, the relationship is adversarial. In its best, builders and architects work well together as a team.
Many builders’ frustrations revolve around cost. Some architects get clients excited about the design without knowing costs. Experienced builders collaborate with the architect and client to provide realistic budgets.
Some builders find a lot of problems when architects want to keep the builder at arm’s length.” It’s difficult when architects don’t collaborate early and they present themselves as experts on cost and construction. Best custom home builder design ideas and master builders should emphasize the importance of teamwork.
To some, value engineering may be in conflict with design quality. Architects want the best design outcome, but they should talk with builders to see if a particular design is worth it. Some architects want to get the best project for their clients, so they involve contractors early in the design phase.
Best custom home builder design ideas should emphasize that early collaboration is one solution to the cost problem, but it’s not the norm. Most builders say that competitive bidding is still common in most of the country. The advantage, is that the architect’s documents are complete at the time of bidding. Starting construction before all the documents are complete just causes tension.
Best Custom Home Builder Design Ideas for Any Home Buyer
The primary complaint builders have about architects is incomplete drawings. I interviewed nine builders in New England and Texas, and this was the common thread. One said that only once in 25 years did he get a set of drawings so complete he could have built the job without talking to the architect. And how do these builders define good drawings? A complete set with all of the plans, elevations, sections, details, and specs to explain the house.
Clients pushing for construction before drawings are complete is one reason architects aren’t providing complete drawings. The other is that many residential clients see no value in paying for a complete set.
In commercial work, a full set of construction documents is required to get a building permit, but residential requirements are less stringent. If a complete set of drawings isn’t required, some clients don’t see why they are needed. So it’s common for an architect to produce a good set of design development drawings with some details and light specs for about 6 percent to 8 percent of construction costs to get a permit. A complete set of documents includes at least twice as many drawings, large-scale details, and complete specs for 12 percent to 16 percent of construction costs.
Most of the custom home builders only consider a job if an architect is involved. They like architects, but more importantly, they see the value that architects add to the project.
CAD Pro is a leading developer and publisher of easy computer aided design software for builders, remodelers, architects and DIY home enthusiasts. Create professional quality home designs and remodeling plans with the ultimate computer aided design software for remodelers, architects, contractors, and builders.
Best custom home builder design ideas start with CAD Pro. CAD Pro has helped thousands of contractors and builders streamline their workflow while producing professional designs for clients and colleagues.
Cad Pro’s custom home builder design software is an affordable and easy alternative to other CAD software programs. Cad Pro is great for creating custom home plans, building plans, office plans, construction details, and much more.
Share your custom home plans and designs with clients or team members using Dropbox®, Google Drive™, OneDrive®, and SharePoint®. Export files to Microsoft Word®, Excel®, and PowerPoint® with a single click.