Architecture
What is Architecture?
Architecture is “both the process and the product of planning, designing, and constructing buildings”. Architects are required on building projects to determine the “form and function” of a building as well as to design all aspects of life safety and ensure that the construction project meets all applicable local building codes. In the old design-bid-build method, the architect was the first contact an owner would make and the architect would then hire the design team and manage the permitting and often even recommend general contractors for construction.
Managing Your Architect
When owners got fed up with managing the communication between design and construction, they turned to the Design-Build method. In this method, the contractor takes the lead and provides direction to the design team to ensure they design a building that meets the owners requirements, including their budget. Owners collect design-build proposals from multiple builders and a selection is typically made on experience, values & trusting relationships.
The benefit of this method is that the Design-Builder hires the architect and all design consultants, manages permitting, and is a one-stop, turn-key solution provider. This simplifies the project substantially and creates much less project management for the owner. The builder can also use their past construction experience to keep expensive designs in check and to negotiate for better rates from designers. Remember, a good design-builder will act transparently like a construction manager and will show you all their costs and fees.
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Architectural Buildings & Features
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Design Renderings
Why Colony? Synergistex and Absolute Transparency!
When you work with Colony, we have a conversation early on about a reasonable fee and rates for any Colony personnel and equipment. Once we’ve come to an agreement on those, we operate with ABSOLUTE transparency, offering our clients a peek behind the curtain—full disclosure, every line item and every supporting document, such as RFP’s to suppliers and their corresponding quotations and subcontracts.
Once we've all agreed on the overall estimate, Colony locks it into a lump sum agreement, taking on the full financial risk of the project to completion.