Collaboration is a critical piece of designing and building custom homes. It’s essential that custom home designers and builders collaborate throughout every step of the process, providing feedback, asking questions, and finding solutions to challenges as they arise. However, this isn’t always the case.
The work of a custom home designer doesn’t end when construction begins, and ideally, a builder’s job doesn’t start when they get handed the designs. That’s a surefire way of running into costly delays.
Why is it so important to have an integrated design-build process where the client, designer, and builder have open lines of communication? Let’s explore.
The Importance of Designers & Builders Working Together
The goal of designing a custom home is always to bring the client’s vision to life. Custom home designers work closely with clients to understand their desires and needs and then get to work designing a home that reflects them.
How does having a builder involved in the early stages of the project help? Builders have years of experience and understand how much every stage of construction will cost and can advise on areas that may impact the budget. The advantages go deeper than that, though.
Advantages of an Integrated Design-Build Process
For Clients
Having custom home designers and builders both involved in the process of bringing your home to life means you’re getting technical expertise and realistic cost estimates at every stage. Clients will have priorities for their new homes, but certain elements may cause a project to exceed its budget.
Having the expertise of both builders and home designers available to you throughout the design process means clients maintain control. If costs don’t fit into the budget, clients can decide whether to proceed and adjust their budget or decide what to adjust to maintain the budget.
This can save time and money during the building phase, when it can be costly to delay or change plans on the go.
For Designers
Designers bring technical expertise to the table and possess a strong understanding of the construction process; however, relying on builders for practical advice and cost estimates provides an additional level of knowledge.
The feedback designers receive from builders enables them to address potential issues early in the design process, rather than later on, when delays can be more costly. At its best, designing a custom home is a collaborative process where everyone involved raises questions and provides solutions, as a team.
When this happens early in the design phase, it prevents issues later on that become more challenging to rectify.
For Builders
Builders bring a custom home design to life, so having a healthy and open relationship with the designers themselves can be a huge benefit once construction begins. That can be as simple as knowing they can comfortably call the designer if they have questions during construction, and there will be a receptive voice on the other end who is looking to help.
Even if a client brings a new builder to the design process, having them involved early allows for relationship-building that can be invaluable once the home is actually being built and challenges may arise on-site.
How to Choose a Builder
Selecting the right home builder is a crucial step in building a custom home. At Ellergodt Design, we have over two decades of experience designing homes in Calgary and are happy to recommend builders we believe would be a good fit for your project, who have worked on similar projects. We’re also pleased to work with builders that clients have already chosen, with whom we haven’t worked before.
You’ll want a builder you can build a solid relationship with and communicate freely and honestly, as ideally they’ll be able to help you with:
- Picking the right building materials
- The construction schedule
- Decisions that will keep you on budget
- Providing regular updates throughout the construction process
If you decide to find your own custom home builder in Calgary, speak with colleagues and friends about their experiences with the builder. Additionally, look online and through custom home builder directories to see if there are reviews or recommendations.
Your builder is an important member of the team, so it’s critical that you take time to find someone who is right for your project.
A Home That’s Right for You
While the process of designing a home comes before construction starts, the reality is that the two phases can and should be deeply integrated. Your builder will have questions only your custom home designer can answer, and vice versa, so ensuring that both are involved from the very earliest stages of the design process can reap amazing benefits.
At Ellergodt Design, we’ve been working with Calgary home builders for over two decades and believe in a collaborative process that helps make our clients’ dream homes a reality.
Custom home design is personal, and above all else, we want to make sure you find the right team to bring your project to life. Set up a consultation or call (587)875-5621 to get started.
FAQ
How long does it take to design and build a custom home in Calgary?
The design phase generally takes around three months, while the permit process for single-unit and semi-detached homes typically takes three to four months. Construction can range between 10 and 18 months.
How do I pick a custom home builder in Calgary?
Your decision will ultimately come down to selecting a custom home builder who is the right fit for your specific project and your specific personalities. Finding a home builder with experience working on homes similar to your own should be a priority; however, you also need someone with whom you feel comfortable communicating when questions and concerns arise throughout the process. Because they will.