In our past blog posts, we’ve often touched on all of the benefits of the design-build model of church architecture. Vanman Architects and Builders uses this approach exclusively, because we’re sure that it is the best, most efficient way to create beautiful centers of worship. If you’re thinking about beginning a church construction contact, here’s why a design-build approach is a great option:
One of the most important benefits you receive when choosing a design-build firm is that the net of accountability is much smaller. When there are many hands on a project, it can be tough to figure out why something went wrong and who is responsible for the mistake. In more traditional contractor models, liability can bounce around without ever truly being resolved. With design-build contractors, there can only be one source responsible for mistakes and oversights, meaning that they can be corrected quickly and painlessly.
If you’re interested in saving money on your church construction project, this option is the way to go. Because design-build firms are a single entity, they have a better idea of what the construction costs are. In design-bid-build models, the architects often do not have as firm an idea of what materials will cost. In the design-build process, all contractors report to the firm that hires them, meaning that there is more transparency regarding costs.
Finally, church construction projects are big undertakings in and of themselves, but communicating with all of the different supervisors and leaders can feel overwhelming. Because the design-build model streamlines the process, you will often only have one person to communicate with about the project. Gone are the days of endless calls and emails from each supervisor of each piece of the project. Instead, you’ll save time and energy by speaking to the head of the project, who will then communicate any needs or concerns to the rest of the team. This also means that there are less chances for attempted communications to be missed. It’s much easier to process and respond to one email or voicemail than it is to respond to 12.
