Design-Build Contractor in Birmingham, AL
The practical difference between design-build and the traditional model, where a designer and a general contractor work separately, shows up most clearly in the estimate, the schedule, and what happens when something unexpected is found during construction. A design-build firm prices what was actually designed with construction input already factored in, so change orders are fewer and smaller. Design and pre-construction planning can run concurrently rather than sequentially, which compresses the timeline. And when conditions behind the walls require a change in scope, the designer and builder resolve it together rather than routing a decision through the homeowner between two separate firms. Reliable Design-Build-Remodel has been doing this work in one market for over thirty years, the same ownership, the same standards, and the same commitment to a written scope before any work begins.
The other guy’s process
The Reliable process
- Three separate agreements to negotiate and sign
- Design is priced after it is drawn, so budget surprises land late
- Change orders get disputed between parties
- You are the one relaying messages
- One agreement, one team, one phone number
- Design is priced as it is drawn, so the budget stays in view
- Scope changes are handled in-house and on the record
- We relay the messages, you approve the decisions
You contact an architect or designer to produce the plans and drawings for your project.
Onboarding call, client questionnaire, and bracketed pricing drawn from comparable jobs, so you can size the project before committing to it.
You receive the blueprints, after paying the architect or designer for their services. Nobody has priced them yet.
Floor plans and elevations where they are needed, design selections and allowances, and a detailed Scope of Work priced line by line through transparent cost code accounting.
By putting the project out to several candidates for the lowest price, you encourage contractors to keep cutting their bids.
Schedule, selections, invoices, and daily logs all run through Buildertrend, so you can check on your project from home at any hour.
The low-bid contractor begins work. Making sure everything meets code falls to you.
Our crews and long-standing trade partners work the phases in order, treating your house as occupied, because it is.
The project runs until it is finished, or until it has failed outright and the dream home goes with it. This is the end result of “normal” remodeling, nobody is satisfied except the people making money, and the homeowner winds up paying far more for far less.
- Drawings, elevations, and permit coordination
- Line-item pricing through transparent cost code accounting
- Scheduling and supervising every trade on site
- Ordering, delivery, and material lead times
- Daily logs, change orders, and invoicing in Buildertrend
- Inspections, punch list, and final walkthrough
For more information on how how the Design-Build process works compared to the Bid-Build process, take a look at our E-Book! For more about our specific company process, read about that here!
Reliable Design-Build-Remodel has operated as a design-build contractor in the Birmingham area since 1992. The design-build model means one licensed firm handles both the design and the construction of your project, the same team that draws the plans builds from them, and the same company is accountable for the outcome from the first conversation through the final walkthrough. We serve homeowners across Jefferson and Shelby County including Hoover, Vestavia Hills, Pelham, Helena, and Mountain Brook, and every project is managed through a written scope of work and Buildertrend project management with 25-month 0% Synchrony financing available for qualifying projects. Call (205) 988-9194 or fill out our project form to get started.
If you are planning a renovation and want one firm responsible for design and construction rather than coordinating between two, our team is glad to walk your home and talk through what the project involves. Call (205) 988-9194 or fill out our project form to schedule a consultation!
Kitchen Remodeling
Bathroom Remodeling
Interior Remodeling
Exterior Remodeling
Home Additions
Deck Services
Whole House Remodel
Basement Remodeling
Painting
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