Pricing

We believe in fair compensation for everyone involved in a project, but we don’t believe in, nor do we tolerate, over-compensation. The three factors that make the difference between value and overcharge are smart design, efficiency, and the absence of mistakes.

Smart design means configuring materials in ways that achieve design goals with knowledge of material cost and the labor to install them in a particular way. Subtle design changes can increase or decrease costs by as much as 50 percent.

Efficiency may be the biggest advantage of our Architect-Build process. In our process, the architect and builder share the same coffee pot. Rather than building in large fees to cover the costs of formalized communication and conflict, we’re all on the same team. The communication is efficient, and the conflict non-existent.

Finally, we create value by making very few mistakes. How do we do this? By creating a culture of excellence and cooperation rather than conflict.

Another part of the money discussion is good and honest budgeting. This requires experience and a strong backbone. If there’s anything that will lead to gnashing of teeth down the road, it’s a misalignment of the project concept and the project budget. We pause here, and we do not proceed until there is alignment. Most architects are not good estimators. Builders usually are, as their success or failure rides on their ability to estimate. We have the creativity of architects and the cost competence of builders. It’s a fortuitous combination.