If you are planning a design-build project, it is highly recommended that you hire a commercial architect and an experienced design-build contractor. Just like designing anything without an architect’s license puts your plans at risk and selecting the wrong architect can undermine your plan, going through the design-build process without an experienced design-build contractor can be the difference between a smooth and rocky project. Here are a few compelling reasons that you should consider hiring an experience design-builder like Ausonio for your next project in 2023.
- The same team will be with you from vetting design through the completion of your project.
- Ensure the project is constructible before breaking ground.
- Review the design for any scope holes prior to final budgets to minimize change orders.
- Value engineering design to help meet your budget.
- Develop schedules in order for you to plan accordingly.
Dream Team
The main benefit of having an experienced design-builder on your team from the start of the project is because they can provide insight from a contractor’s perspective of how certain design decisions will impact the construction process. Additionally, issues that may arise at the beginning of design will become a distant memory come ground breaking. Another bonus of having the same team through the entire process is that everyone is well informed of all the hurdles surmounted and will use that knowledge to make better means and methods decisions.
At Ausonio, we pride ourselves in our ability to meld with any team, putting the client’s needs and wants at the forefront of any project. To succeed in completing any project, it’s critical to establish a process that facilitates effective teamwork. We take three primary steps to accomplish this:
- We work with all members of the project team to develop an “operating charter” that provides a clear understanding of the goals, objectives, scope, strategy and sequencing of the project.
- We schedule management meetings where individual task responsibilities are assigned and tracked.
- We also work with the owner and Design team to develop a complete construction plan.
Over our 60+ year history, we have developed tried and true procedures to excel in all design-build projects. This makes Ausonio an asset in any situation, and clients can rest assured that we’ve got it handled from the start of design through handing over the keys to your new facility.
Constructability Reviews & Minimizing Scope Gaps
Having your contractor perform an independent review of the design documents will help eliminate major errors in space, sequencing, code, scope and design gaps, and more. Having this occur at the mid-point of design document development fixes errors and omissions at lower cost before they become bigger contractibility issues during construction.
The construction document package (including both the drawings and specifications) is the greatest tool for precisely instructing and controlling the construction process. This control translates directly into control over costs. Tighter, clearer construction documents mean tighter bids and fewer requests for information, change orders and delay claims.
Value Engineering
The project budget and conceptual cost estimate represent the most important cost documents produced for the project. Though these early documents can have the greatest impact on the success of a project, they are based on the least amount of design information. To bridge this dilemma, we at Ausonio apply our knowledge and experience to envision what should be included in a given design. We give thorough attention to establishing costs for the complete project scope including functional needs, aesthetic goals, quality level, engineering concepts, site conditions and the owner’s objectives.
We undertake Value Engineering (VE) studies, a process of selecting design solutions that best meet program objectives and budgets, to ensure that cost-effective approaches to the design and overall quality of the project are incorporated into the final design. These studies are geared to determine optimal value for minimal cost and assist us in making the proper recommendations to lower the overall cost of the project.
Scheduling The Work
Time management allows for effective planning, organization, use and monitoring of resources; whether it be labor, materials, equipment, funds or other elements. Ausonio prefers to do our scheduling in-house from the planning phase through the post-construction phase. Having your builder work directly with you to manage expectations of how long certain phases will likely take will assist you in planning ahead of time with realistic timelines.
We maintain schedules for all project activities through construction and occupancy. During construction, Ausonio staff reviews the base construction schedule with subcontractors and makes adjustments to arrive at a contract schedule that will obligate the subcontractors to perform to the timeline commitments they make.
Get Help From A Commercial General Contractor Near Salinas, CA
Want to make sure you work with the right design-builder and general contractor? Ausonio can help, with all the services you need under one roof. Whether you’re a government agency, industrial establishment, school, or small business, we can provide the oversight and expertise you need. Serving Monterey, San Benito, and Santa Cruz Counties, Ausonio is here to help with localized knowledge and the most modern design-build construction processes. Call us or request a consultation today.
