One of the greatest benefits of design-build is our in-depth understanding of the constructability and cost impact of the design. Artistic creativity must be integrated with a realistic understanding of how it will be executed, and what the cost will be to do so.  During our initial design meetings, we develop an understanding of your key desires and needs concerning your home. This includes the budget parameters. A designer who ignores these issues is flying blind, and risks wasting their client’s time and money on a plan they can never afford to build. Being the designer and builder, we naturally have a vested interest in our design being built!

The opportunity to conduct an initial site study, before the plan is developed, is another great benefit of design-build. Too many opportunities are lost when the site is not considered. The orientation of  desirable views, the path of the sun, prevailing weather, and the topography often lend inspiration to a design which will rest comfortably on the site. The home will seem to “belong”, because it does. The comfort and satisfaction of the owners seems to naturally follow.

The process of designing for a particular client allows their individual lifestyle needs to be crafted into the design.  When this is done in the initial planning phase, the results always far exceed those obtained by trying to modify an existing plan. With design costs being less than 1% of the total cost to build, and the impact of the design being one of the major components of client satisfaction, it really doesn’t make sense to not have a home custom designed. 

The designer being the one to supervise the execution of a project is a concept that has been practiced for centuries. The communication with all parties involved  is streamlined, allowing any issues that arise during construction to be quickly resolved.
 
With the design-build method, many of the typical disasters associated with custom building can be avoided. An all too common scenario is, the client purchases a stock plan or pays for a custom plan, then begins the process of putting the project out for bids. The initial estimates from contractors come in well over the expected budget. More bids are sought, and the project is finally awarded to the contractor who makes the biggest mistake in his estimate, or who intentionally “low-balls” a cost-plus figure in order to get the job. Construction starts, and the dream quickly becomes a nightmare. At best, the process is a running battle with the contractor and quality suffers. At worst, the cost overruns are more than anyone can absorb, and the project ends up in court.

By realistically assessing the costs during the design, and producing accurate budgets for the completed design, we have typically brought our clients projects to completion within 3% of budget, without sacrificing the quality of workmanship.

Read more about designing to cost at:
http://www.rdbmagazine.com/print/Residential-Design-and-Build/Designing-to-Cost/1$2744


This is probably the question I am most frequently asked by prospective clients. The answer is, it depends. Most people have been quoted figures over the phone, but if you bear with me, I’ll demonstrate why those figures are basically meaningless.

First, the figures generally used are referring to the heated and cooled footage. The unheated footage, ie garage and porches, can vary widely in size from plan to plan.

Would a 3000 square foot heated and cooled house, with 3500 square feet “under roof”, cost the same as a 3000 square foot house with 5000 square feet “under roof”? Of course not.

Secondly, the shape of the structure itself has a tremendous impact on cost. As an example, if a 2500 square foot house were a 50x50 box, it would have 200 linear feet of exterior wall system with all the associated costs, from the concrete and steel in the footings through the soffit and fascia. If the same 2500 square feet were shaped 25x100, there are now 250 linear feet of exterior wall, a 25% increase in the cost of the exterior wall system. Then there is the issue of wall height. The pitch and level of complexity of the roof system also bear on both the amount of material used and the labor costs.

By now, you see that before you even discuss finishes, there are a host of design issues that impact cost. The bottom line I suppose, is what are your needs and budget, and how can a design be tailored to meet those needs, be aesthetically pleasing, and fit within the range of costs that have varied from $75 to $150  per square foot?


Absolutely, and you will receive no pressure to continue to a build contract with us.


Most of our work has been within 40 miles of Jackson MS, however depending on the project and the current work load we are willing to travel farther. In 2008 we completed a project in Starkville, MS. 


Our services are provided as a two stage process. The initial design agreement covers all work from initial conceptuals to final drawings and budget. Services are billed at an hourly rate of  $65. per hour. We have found this to be a more equitable pricing structure than a per square foot price. At the hourly rate, our prices have always been competitive with those charging by the square foot.

On the build end, we work on a cost plus 12% commission. As an added bonus during the current economy, we will refund the design fees over the course of the project if you decide to build with us.