When you hire a design and build contractor, one company is responsible for the whole job, with everything under one roof.
Having any type of construction work done on your home or business can be a stressful experience, especially if it is something you have not done before. There is a lot to consider, including planning, building control, design, project management and cost control.
The traditional way to take on any building work is to hire different companies for each part, then manage them all yourself.
If you work in construction or regularly commission building work, you might handle this without a problem. But if it is all new to you, or you are busy with other commitments, it can quickly become a headache.
Thankfully, there is a simple solution: design and build.
Design & Build vs Traditional Construction Contracts
With the traditional approach, you find your own architect, your own contractors and someone to handle the approvals, such as planning permission, building control and, in a managed building, the Licence to Alter.
When you hire a design and build contractor, they take that responsibility off your hands and bring everything under one roof. One company is responsible for the whole job, so there is no dispute between the different parties over who should have done what.
With one company responsible for everything, the process is simpler and far less stressful.
The Benefits of Design & Build
If you are considering this approach for a residential or commercial project, these are the benefits you can expect from a design and build contract.
Someone Else Handles Your Project Management
At YPS, a dedicated project manager coordinates every trade and keeps you updated throughout.
If you work in project management, you will know how much goes into making sure everything is done on time and to the standard required. If you do not, you will quickly find it is much harder than it looks once you try to manage a building project.
It can be a full-time job on its own, and mistakes can lead to costly delays.
Design and build companies do this work every day, so you can be confident everything is under control.
The Design Will Be Practical & Affordable
In construction, we talk about “buildability”: how easy a design is to turn into reality. Because a design and build company is responsible for both the design and the construction, it can use that expertise to design something that can actually be built.
This means you will not have to keep revising the design as the build team hits problems, because those issues will have been considered before anyone picks up a hammer.
That expertise also helps keep you within budget. A design and build contractor in London knows the cost of materials and labour here, so it can suggest materials that achieve the look you want without breaking the bank.
You Have One Point of Contact
There is nothing worse than ringing round tradespeople, architects and companies to find out what is going on. With a design and build company, you only ever need to speak to one person.
The designers, engineers and trades all work under one contract, so you can get the answers you need with a single phone call. At YPS, the person who quotes your project is the person who manages it.
Design & Build Projects Are Usually Quicker
With one team working together on your project, a design and build company can usually complete the work sooner.
Most people want their project finished as quickly as possible, so they can enjoy their new home or start using their new premises.
The traditional way of managing projects can often lead to delays. A design oversight here, a material shortage there, a missed appointment by the joiner, and suddenly you are looking at weeks of extra work.
It can often shorten the programme by running tasks side by side. For example, it may start ordering materials before the design is completely finished.
There is also less back and forth between the people involved, so you save the days otherwise spent waiting for answers from another company.
Design & Build Contractors Can Save You Money
As well as finishing your project sooner, a design and build contractor can help you spend less.
For a start, a design and build company has lower overheads than several separate firms: one office, one set of admin costs and one marketing team. That means fewer costs to recover from you.
Because design and build projects are usually completed faster, you also pay less in “preliminary costs”: things like the site manager’s time and the hire of tools and equipment. The less time spent on site, the less you pay.
They will also be able to advise on design choices that cut material and labour costs.
Better Quality
Design and build places all the responsibility for the work on one company, so there is no one to pass the buck to. With total ownership of the finished work, a design and build contractor rests its reputation on delivering a quality service and finishing your project to your complete satisfaction.
Because you work much more closely with a design and build company, it has a much better understanding of what you are looking for and why you made the design choices you did.
Armed with this knowledge, it is in a much better position to turn your vision into reality. Our own joinery workshop in Park Royal adds to that: kitchens, wardrobes and counters are built to the finished dimensions of each room.
Yasmeen Property Services offers a complete design and build service across London, from the first site visit and approvals through to handover. See how it worked on the six bedroom Melbury Court refurbishment in Kensington and the listed flat at Queen’s Gate. To discuss your project, request a free site visit and quotation below.
