With traditional project delivery, the owner must manage contracts with both the designer and the contractor, which can often lead to confusion, miscommunications and an adversarial relationship when things go wrong. In the design-build process, the owner manages only one contract with a single point of responsibility. The contractor and designer work together at the same firm, providing unified project recommendations to fit the owner’s schedule and budget. Any changes are addressed by the entire team, leading to collaborative problem-solving and innovation instead of excuses and blaming. It is this culture of collaboration and the single point of responsibility that make all the difference. On the local front, Vancouver’s Kerr Construction and Design is a standout in the residential design-build field. Founder Doug Kerr is confident the company’s design-build approach is key to their home building and renovating success, and that good design is fundamental to the process. By bringing the design process in-house, Kerr Construction can complete a design process before any construction even starts, enabling his team to manage quality, stay on schedule, and keep the costs on budget. “It’s tricky balancing the creativity that will pack a “wow” with
the practicality of engineering, and then mixing in the communication skills needed to help a customer identity the must-haves that will truly enhance their lives, and then package it all up in a way that the city will approve the permits. It takes a team with a lot of diverse skills and a lot of communication among the different departments,” Doug Kerr says.
Kerr Construction and Design’s mission statement is “To build and renovate homes that enhance people’s lives.” Clearly, that has to start with the design process. To keep projects on time, on budget, with the quality and features you want, the best way to go is a good design-build firm. www.kerrconstruction.ca n
“Having everyone in-house where we can control the whole process speeds it up, reduces communication issues, and sets up the project well from the beginning so we stay on time and on budget. Plus, our clients love having one point of accountability.” B O U L E VA R D
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