We Plan, Plan, Plan, Execute

Design/Build? What’s that?

The term design/build refers to the ability of the contractor to act as both designer and builder on your project. This avoids the age-old “too many cooks” confusion and disputes between architect and builder. With design/build, there is a level of accountability not found in the typical architect “bid” process. We take total responsibility for the project, and we will never design something that we can’t build within our client’s budget.

Our clients don’t like surprises.  Neither do we.  With our thorough planning process, we minimize changes during the construction phase.  In fact, less than 3% of our revenue comes from Change Orders and those are almost purely discretionary…the client changed their mind or chose to add something.

On those rare occasions when unexpected conditions or new opportunities are encountered during the building phase, we can modify the plans quickly and professionally with minimal delays in the project schedule.

The Design/Build Process

The integrity and transparency of the remodeling process is essential. When working with Out of the Woods, the process follows organized stages, from your initial call through the project closeout and exit interview.

1. Initial Contact

When you call or email our office, a member of our team will ask you a few questions and forward that information to our owner, Greg Antonioli.

2. Phone Consultation

Greg will return your call and spend a few minutes with you, assessing your needs to determine if we might be the right fit for those needs. If so, we’ll schedule a Zoom meeting with Greg and any/all decision-makers from your camp.

3. Initial Zoom Meeting

All decision-makers are invited to jump on a video conference to further discuss your needs, past experiences, expectations, and apprehensions and then introduce our process, how we do it and a bit of the “why” behind the “how”. Should both parties decide there’s a fit, we’ll schedule a site visit.

4. Site Visit

The next step is to visit your home where we will discuss your needs, and determine an initial, basic scope of work. Depending upon the complexity of the project (or lack thereof), we will provide what we call the “brown bag budget” either right there or via a zoom meeting within a week. This is a very rough range to determine whether we’re anywhere on the same page budget-wise, and whether the client would like to move forward with a Feasibility Study, for which there is a fee.

5. Feasibility Study

Should you choose to have us do a Feasibility Study, your project developer will make a return visit with one of our designers to gather better measurements, etc. so they can hunker down at their computers to work through their estimating spreadsheets, plugging in basic square-foot numbers and data. They may look-up an old job-cost report from a similar project and glom a number or two, but they will not, at this point, consult with subcontractors, engineers, vendors, etc. What will be achieved is a ballpark estimate, guaranteed within 10% up or down, presented to you with a written scope of work in the form of a Design/Preconstruction Agreement. Initial gantt chart schedules for design/development and construction are additional “fruits’ of the Feasibility Study along with very basic floor plans.

6. Design/Pre-Construction Agreement

Once authorized, the Design/Consultation document serves as a letter of intent, stating, “Assuming the actual pricing falls within the ballpark range . . . Out of the Woods Construction & Cabinetry, Inc. is authorized to proceed with construction." At this time a deposit will be required to draft a formal, fixed-price proposal and, if necessary, conceptual drawings. This deposit is included in the ballpark price and will be credited towards the final Contract price.

7. Design/Pre-Construction Phase

We begin “putting our ducks in a row” — performing site visits with subcontractors and our production staff, getting fixed pricing from subcontractors and vendors, consulting with engineers, creating CAD renderings and working drawings, holding the client's hand while they select products, and poking holes in walls as needed to minimize the “unforeseen conditions” . . . basically doing all of the necessary leg work to put together a project that can be performed on time and on budget with no surprises.

8. Construction Contract

After the Design/Preconstruction phase, we will provide you with a detailed proposal and a fixed price for your project with supporting documents such as plans, 3D renderings, product specifications, and a final production schedule. Once agreed-upon and signed, this proposal becomes a Construction Agreement.

9. Pre-Construction Conference

Each project has a slightly different set of circumstances and requires a slightly different approach to respect the client’s specific needs and home environment. The people who will be managing your project, the Production Manager and Lead Carpenter, will accompany the project developer to meet with you at your home about one week before the construction begins. This is their opportunity to get the “lay of the land” and complete the “Ground Rules” form where we note things such as what furniture or shrubbery needs to be moved, when we will hold our formal weekly meetings, pet issues, etc. We’ll also discuss what steps we can take to lessen the impact of construction on your daily life.

10. Construction Phase

Here’s where it gets fun! Your hard work during the planning process is completed and now you can sit back and let the project happen. Our crew will provide you with smiles, measurable daily progress, and the cleanest and safest job site possible.

11. Weekly Meetings

Of course, you’ll be chatting with your Lead Carpenter daily, but as decided at the pre-construction conference, you, the Production Manager, and the Lead Carpenter will meet at a regularly scheduled time every week. This is your time to discuss any questions or concerns, Change Orders, schedule updates, new client to-do’s, and new contractor to-do’s.

12. Project Completion

Hooray! This is what makes it all worth the effort, though some clients describe missing the crew and experiencing a sort-of “post-remodeling depression.” The best remedy is to start planning the next project!

13. Exit Interview

“When you turn over rocks and look at all the squiggly things underneath, you can either put the rock down, or you can say, ‘My job is to turn over rocks and look at the squiggly things,’ even if what you see can scare the hell out of you.” — Pitney Bowes executive, Fred Purdue

Greg Antonioli, our owner, will visit you in your home to “turn over rocks.” We’ll discuss how your project went, how the individual members of our team performed, and ultimately, if we met, exceeded, or fell short of your expectations and how. Our clients give the best feedback about where to focus our improvement efforts. We’ve found that the more rocks we turn over on a regular basis, the fewer squiggly things we find!