MERLE PROCESS
a home you’ll love.
A PROCESS YOU’LL ENJOY
At Merle Inc., we pride ourselves on not only building beautiful homes of immense quality but delivering an enjoyable and collaborative building experience for our homeowners. Merle’s foundation for delivering an exceptional experience is built on our fundamental belief relationships are the real value, not transient transactions.
Whether you’re working with an architect or are utilizing our in-house design resources, Merle Inc. works with you to bring together design professionals, engineering, financial institutions and suppliers to create a cohesive team. Our leadership team has more than 140 years of combined building experience to expertly guide you through every step of the project.
1. FEASIBILITY Early stages of planning drive homeowners to employ a cost per square foot calculation to determine project feasibility. Merle Inc. suggests focusing on initial target spending goals, identifying the elements of your home that are most important and those that are peripheral, and working with an architect and builder to design a home that unites these elements Ultimately, the final cost to build your project is controlled by you – the homeowner. The structural design of your project, complexity, finishes and products you select all contribute to the cost of your home. As such, Cost Per Square Foot is misleading and imprecise in the initial stages of design. To assist with feasibility in early stages, Merle Inc. uses builder experience to provide rough estimate based on your design vision.
2. PLAN ANALYSIS PRELIMINARY PSP As your plans develop, we begin developing a Projected Spending Plan, or PSP. The PSP serves as a feasibility, tracking and spending management tool. The PSP is a living document and includes:
- Fixed bids - Estimates
- Allowances - Fixed Costs
As plans near finalization, we seek bids from subcontractors to replace most allowances with fixed bids. Prospective clients are best served to make a builder selection prior to this stage to take advantage of builder guidance during design. Understandably, a formal relationship is required to take the process to the next level. CONTRACT PSP When permit ready plans are finalized, Merle Inc. will create a “Contract PSP� for inclusion in the Merle Inc. Construction Contract.
STATE OF PLANS EARLY DISCUSSION
EARLY DESIGN STAGE
CONTRACT
PSP
None or Partial
-Builder Experience -Little or no sub contractor bids -100% allowances
Preliminary Floor Plans + Elevations
Partial bids and estimates for major components (i.e. roof, windows, framing)
Permit Ready*
65% of allowances replaced with bids**
* Potential exception for engineering
** Some may not be bids that are used
3. COST UPDATES AND BILLING We bill monthly and deliver an invoice that is transparent and detailed, using a process to update the costs of the home as construction progresses. Merle Inc. accounting prepares a monthly invoice covering all activities on each project. We deliver a transparent, detailed document covering subcontractor charges versus their bids, materials purchases, Merle Inc. labor. Included in each invoice are any changes made to the Contract PSP as well as the effect of changes made since the Contract PSP was created.
CONSTRUCTION PHASES
4. COMMUNICATION PROJECT COORDINATORS Merle Inc. has a unique organizational structure that results in a clear and efficient experience. Our Project Coordinators serve as the centralized communication gateway for every project, receiving and distributing information from and to homeowners, project managers, phase managers, interior designers, sub-contractors and suppliers. This distinctive role improves both homeowner experience and construction productivity by drastically limiting redundant or missed information. Your Project Coordinator is the main point of contact throughout the course of the project.
5. WORKING WITH EXPERTS
Merle Inc. assigns PHASE MANAGERS - experts in the outlined construction phases. Bringing in specialists and true professionals at each phase improves quality and keeps project schedules intact. As construction advances, Merle Project Coordinators provide continuing guidance, updated information, changes and schedule updates. Much of the continuing interface is handled through Merle’s online tracking tools – Basecamp.
WITH MERLE, YOU CAN EXPECT: QUALITY PRODUCT CLIENT CENTRIC EXPERIENCE CONSISTENT COMMUNICATION FULL TRANSPARENCY ACCOUNTABILITY
merleinc.com | info@merleinc.com
| (509) 852-7695