|
For centuries, the Architect already has been
the Builder. The word's own Greek origins mean
Master Builder. Construction projects were led
by an Architect; serving in the multiple roles
of designer, planner, engineer, and project manager.
They served on-site; managing and controlling
all the project resources including labor, materials,
craftsmen, costs, scope, schedule, etc. They were
responsible directly to the Owner for setting
objectives, solving problems, meeting budgets,
and executing the project.
Over recent history, building became more
complicated as the modern era of construction
came into its own during the late 1800's. New
advances in materials sciences and technologies
provided opportunity for innovation that created
a myriad of new specialty trades and engineering
disciplines. Unprecedented economic development,
particularly related to ambitious building or
infrastructure projects, provided further opportunity
for innovation as the needs for more effective
management and organization created the modern
concept of the General Contractor.
In recent years, numerous construction delivery
methods have evolved beyond traditional design/bid
to include other alternative methods such as Design/Build,
Construction Management, Negotiated Contract,
etc. In spite of the success of these methods,
Owner's are beginning to understand the loss of
value in the building process of placing execution-orientated
entities (Builders) before planning-orientated
entities (Architects).
We believe the next generation of innovation
rests within the Design Profession. Select Architects
and Engineers with build capabilities streamlining
the excesses of costly management mark-ups, re-establishing
their role as the Master Builder, and in some
cases; simplifying the building process to good
engineering and great trades.
Architecture Unlimited's single-source project
delivery system takes the value added components
from the traditional design/bid, construction
management, and design/build project delivery
models, adds inherent flexibility on behalf of
our Owners, and offers a unique approach that
can improve quality, save time, even reduce costs.
Traditional General Contractor roles are restructured
and become the responsibility of the Design Professional.
This true single-source system delivers the following
advantages to our clients:
For
the Owner:
- The Architect becomes accountable for both
design and construction, and effective integration
of scope, cost, and schedule responsibility.
- Single-Source accountability with no pass
off of responsibility b/t Design Professional
and General Contractor.
- The Owner has direct involvement in selection
of Trades and Suppliers.
- The Architect remains the Owner's advocate,
while gaining direct control of the Trades.
- Less Management levels and related cost
mark-ups.
- Owner commitment is lower risk. As Architect-led
construction can commence with Architect in
normal planning role, Architect as Builder commitment
is deferred until project scope, cost, and schedule
commitments are achieved.
- Owner's risk of judging blame between Builder
and Architect is eliminated with Architect as
single-source provider. (Under the law, a Builder
cannot also be the Design Professional, but
a Design Professional can be a Builder.)
- Eliminates disadvantages of a Builder-led
Design/Build approach in which changes and related
schedule delays are managed via pre-paid overhead,
whether or not incurred as costs.
- Architect as Builder works on cost-plus-fee
basis. All construction work is competitively
bid from detailed design documents, not loose
and uncoordinated proposal formats.
- Owner enjoys benefits of design/bid's strong
quality control, simultaneously with benefits
of design/build's speed and early price commitments,
simultaneously with construction managements
early builder input into preliminary planning
phases.
- All work, bids, costs, and payments are
Open Book, no hidden mark-ups and no hidden
contract arrangements.
- General condition costs and fees are actual,
not percentages.
For
the Design Professional:
- Design, management, and quality control
phases become seamless with no pass off, creating
quicker deliverables.
- The Architect gains direct control of trades
and suppliers for conflict resolution and quality
control.
- The Architect is less concerned about premature
release of construction documents because control
of scope, means, methods, and communications
is maintained. No pass off of control reduces
risks and adds speed.
- Risk Management is accomplished via the
benefits of both tight contract document systems
and relationship management, not just one or
the other.
- Eliminates limitations of Architect in
Builder-led project delivery to communicate
professional expertise beyond health and safety
issues.
For
the Trades and Sub-Contractors:
- The Trades have direct access to all contract
documents for better downstream quality control
and profit control.
- Early and direct access to project development
process for better bid preparation with less
assumption mark-ups and better understanding
of project priorities.
- Design responsibility is legitimately shared
with Design Professionals without conflict of
interest or multiplication of service costs.
- Trades generally work uninterrupted by
having full-time direct access to the Architect
via their role as on-site Construction Manager
reducing delays for field changes and reducing
costs for changes and/or remobilization.
- Trades are engaged as valued project participants
to increase motivation and commitment on Owner's
behalf.
- Without sacrificing quality control standards,
Trades are compensated faster by simple removal
of additional management pass offs, providing
motivation for maintaining schedule compliance
and quality commitments.
|
