At Perway Construction Services, we have seen this question arise from homeowners that want to renovate their homes on many occasions. Should I speak to the designer/ draftsperson/ architect or builder first?

If you are thinking of a renovation or a build, we advise homeowners to work with your designer/ architect and home builder from the get-go to get the most value for your time and money. A builder and designer hold very different roles in the design and construction process of your renovation. A designer can extract your ideas and dreams and put them on paper to create a producible design and set of drawings and a builder will analyse the construction methodology and tell you how much it is going to cost and complete the building work.

When they work collaboratively together during the pre-construction phase, think of the clarity and expectations that you will have from the beginning of your renovation idea versus the frustration if you find out that you may not be able to afford or create your designer’s elaborate dream.

Perceptions

There’s a mistaken perception that architects and designers understand and know how your project can be built and how much it will cost to renovate. So avoid being disappointed when your expectations are a lot higher than what you can actually afford or what can actually be built. Sadly, we’ve seen it happen on many occasions when designers have been engaged independently. In fact, there’s a statistic that 80% of home designs are never built. This happens because final designs are brought to the builder, and on many occasions the design is not possible to be built or the price of the build is well above the homeowner’s expectations and potentially what the designer may have advised.

8 Reasons Why it’s a Good Idea to Work with a Builder and Designer from the Beginning

If a designer and builder collaborate with you together from the beginning:

• You will have a design which you will be more certain about your cost and time.
• The final plans will actually be able to be created and built.
• There are great ideas shared between the professionals and you, the home owner as a TEAM work approach from the beginning built on trust, making the process more enjoyable.
• You make the best out of your time and your monetary investment.
• The builder will be involved from the beginning and can advise on where design can adopt improvements that will be simpler or save time or be more efficient.
• The builder will oversee the work from the initial concept, so the project will not be new to him when the working drawings are completed, which will result in a smoother building process if you choose to engage that builder for the construction work.
• The process overall will be simplified and more efficient.
• You will get to know the builder before you sign construction contracts and before you start your build or renovation work, so you can decide if you are the right fit and have a good relationship.

By having a builder involved in the design side of your project and having the Architect/ Designer and builder working together with you, sitting in a round table, nutting out your project and each bringing their expertise, think of the value you will receive.

Let’s Connect
If you are ready to kick start the process of working with a professional design and building team and to discuss your next renovation project, let’s connect at https://www.perway.com.au/contact/