Architect and General Contractor or Design/Build

You're about to make a decision which you will live with for the next year or two.

If you decide to go the architect and GC (general contractor) route you will have challenges to deal with. Your architect will help you create your dream home with all the things you wish. The architect will also explain many of the nuances and the do’s and don'ts of your dream home.

After the architect has completed the plans it's time to get involved with the GC. The GC will usually take the plans and apply for permits. Some contractors prefer to have the owner, or the architect apply for permits. Each situation is different.

Going forward you will have two different parties to deal with when questions come up. This is a relationship where you, the architect, and GC have many moving parts to address. In most relationships this works extremely well but, in some cases, this becomes troublesome and occasionally adversarial.

You may also consider finding a design/build firm. A major advantage of a design/build firm is that it’s one stop shopping. If something is not exactly right with the architectural plan and the GC, it's more readily solved because the architect and the GC are both under the same roof. Often the design/builder will be more flexible when there are problems because they are thinking about the whole experience as opposed to just the architect or just the GC.

I have attached pictures that will give you an idea of the relationships involved. Next time we're going to talk about Surveys, Zoning, Soil Tests, Permits, and what to expect.

Stay tuned, there's a lot more to come,

Dik Muller