For nearly 15 years, Principal Scott Rodwin and our team of experienced architects have been helping local Realtors to answer their clients’ big questions: “Can I do x with this property?” “And if so, how much will it cost & how long will it take?” The rules in the City and County of Boulder are extremely complex, challenging and constantly changing. Scott & Studio Director Jim Kadlecek offer a free 2 hour course four times a year through the Boulder/Longmont Realtor Association (BOLO). “Their class is one of our all-time most popular,” Veronica Precella, CEO of BOLO, said. “It provides an essential tool for our members when counseling their clients.” [click here to read more about it in Real Producers Magazine
Veteran's Community Project
This past summer we took the WHOLE TEAM to Longmont to blitz-build volunteer on an amazing philanthropic project, The Veteran’s Community Project. The first one was built last year in Kansas City, and is already transforming veteran’s lives. There are several more in progress around the country. The second one, organized in Longmont by our friend Rick Schwolsky, has 26 independent micro-homes ranged in a pedestrian neighborhood around a 3000 sf. “community house” which hosts extensive wrap-around support services for its residents, to help them get back on their feet and successfully transition into the regular housing market. Our dedicated Skycastle and Rodwin team included several veterans, and was led by Skycastle President Brandon David – it’s nearly done, but there’s still a little more to do. You can volunteer or donate to this worthy venture too.
Woodridge Property for sale
We are often asked if we have property available on which to build a custom home. Now we do! 13103 Woodridge, Longmont is an extraordinary, easily buildable 1 acre lot in the beautiful gated Woodridge subdivision. It has jaw-dropping permanently unobstructed views of Longs Peak, and the back-range; with private Open Space and giant Cottonwoods in the foreground. We’ve created a potential conceptual design to illustrate what is possible, but the buyer can create the dream home of their choice. Check out the listing here. Give us a call if you’re ready to build your forever home.
Skycastle Construction - Meet the Team!
Skycastle Construction has been growing consistently over the last two decades (ranked #1 by Biz West last year), thanks to referrals from our past clients, our unique design/build process & a passionate dedication to quality & deep green construction. We’re excited to introduce you to our Project Managers & Site Supervisors: Kellie Norman, Matt Ellsworth, Liana Greenberg, TK Connor, Art Littlefield & Karl Klemmick, Todd Waln, Dave Monsees, Duane Harrison, Tim Anderson and green building veterans Tim Roddan & Jeff Medanich. With a total of 366 years of combined construction experience (an average of 26 years), we are grateful to have such a terrific team of seasoned professionals. The Skycastle/Rodwin combined crew is now 33 people strong, (shown above) and has 13 extraordinary deep-green custom homes currently under construction. Led by Skycastle President Brandon David, this amazing group has been refining their processes and working diligently with the goal of making Skycastle the best custom homebuilder in Boulder County.
Skycastle named BizWest Mercury 100 Fastest-Growing Private Company 2023 Flight II- Boulder Valley!
We are delighted to announce that Skycastle Construction has been named the fastest-growing private company in Boulder Valley (Flight II) for 2023, with a 154% increase in revenue growth over the past two years!
View the list of nominees here.
Jeff Medanich: Preserving the Chautauqua Cottages' Historical Character
Our skycastle Site supervisor, Jeff Medanich tells the story of preserving the Chautauqua Cottages’ historical character while retrofitting them to high performance
There really is no greater remodeling challenge than green historic preservation. After a 25-year career in East-coast remodeling and then Colorado production homebuilding, Jeff Medanich is tying together all this experience in his green retrofit work at Chautauqua…
Read the whole article here.
Guest Blog: 'Housing is Fundamental', John L. Tayer, President and CEO, Boulder Chamber
‘As a young kid, I remember advertisements for a program that worked to provide free books to kids, Reading is Fundamental (RIF). The premise of RIF, which still thrives to this day, is that access to books and encouragement for children to read is the foundation for literacy and all that means for future education advancement and economic mobility. While providing access to homes isn’t as simple as giving away free books, it’s just as fundamental.
Child welfare advocates certainly will make the case that stable shelter also is critical for educational attainment. With a different lens, business leaders recognize the dearth of accessible housing as the main barrier to securing sufficient workforce talent. And for those who strive to reduce homelessness, not surprisingly, they find that accessible housing is the solution. I could go on — noting that professionals in fields ranging from health care, social justice, environmentalism, to human nutrition all agree — housing is fundamental to achieving their respective missions.
Locally, groups such as the Boulder Chamber and Better Boulder have been carrying this message for quite some time. It has been, at times, a lonely battle. The forces aligned against our efforts have their own alternative messaging that typically paints further housing development as contrary to well-established benefits for the environment, affordability and mobility. And, of course, there is the oft murmured threat to “neighborhood character.”
With these words in his State of the State address, though, Gov. Jared Polis is signaling a new statewide awakening to the fundamental importance of housing: “Housing policy is economic policy. Housing policy is transportation policy. Housing policy is water policy. Housing policy is public health and equity policy.” Gov. Polis went further to articulate the very same agenda many of us have fought to achieve here in our region: “This means that we need more flexible zoning to allow more housing, streamlined regulations that cut through red tape, expedited approval processes for projects like modular housing, sustainable development, and more building in transit-oriented communities.”
I could barely contain my enthusiasm in media coverage of the governor’s ambitious housing agenda, offering these sentiments: “We applaud the governor’s focus on housing and transportation in his State of the State. In Boulder, home ownership is beyond the means of more than 60% of our residents. The remainder of Colorado isn’t far behind with housing prices skyrocketing. If our businesses want to continue to attract a diverse, competitive workforce, we need innovative solutions that create the kind of housing they can afford. There are nearly 110 days left for lawmakers to craft a solution this year; it’s time to get all hands on deck.”
Indeed, the Boulder Chamber is ready to get on deck as the legislature begins to turn these housing themes into legislative policy. We know moving initiatives forward that create more opportunities for accessory dwelling units, expedite permit approvals, and remove growth caps will challenge jealously guarded traditions of local control, from quarters in our own community to powerful representatives of city government authority, like the Colorado Municipal League. Already we hear familiar concerns regarding “one-size-fits-all” approaches and offers to step to the plate with creative local solutions as counters to the imposition of statewide mandates.
Let the negotiations begin, but let’s not take our eye off the ball!
The stakes are enormous for our economy and communities, which is reflected in the broad ranging support for the governor’s housing agenda. In speaking about the effort, former Boulder County commissioner and current executive director the Southwest Energy Efficiency Project, Elise Jones, offered these thoughts from an environmental-focused perspective: Colorado is grappling with dual climate and housing affordability crises. . . . The benefits of smart growth and compact development are immense, including more affordable housing types closer to jobs and transit, reduced climate and air pollution, more walkable and transit-friendly neighborhoods, less driving, and better protection for open spaces and water supplies.”
Similarly aligned with the Boulder Chamber on the economic-focused side of the housing support equation is my Denver Chamber colleague, JJ Ament. His comments are short and sweet: “Access to housing is an economic issue and a top priority for the business community to ensure we have a stable workforce.” I’d add to that a workforce that has more convenient mobility options, more funding to support a comfortable lifestyle, and on.
Regardless of who’s saying it, the message is clear: Housing is fundamental. Let’s build it.’
John L. Tayer, President and CEO, Boulder Chamber
'Creating the Empyrean Temple' - a talk by the temple architect, Renzo Verbeck
We’re organizing a super cool event. Come check it out!
Creating Burning Man's Empyrean Temple - a talk by the Temple's Architect
Sat. Dec. 10th, 7-9pm with reception to follow
Nomad Theatre, 1410 Quince Ave., Boulder, CO
Ticket price $25https://buytickets.at/artincommunity/809644
Join Boulder architect Laurence Renzo Verbeck for a discussion of how and why he uses architecture to create spaces for meaningful connection, as he delves into his experience designing and building the Empyrean Temple at Burning Man and the Temple of Tranquility for the City of Boulder.
Also learn more about the upcoming Boulder Burner art installation The Temple of Tranquility at https://templeoftranquility.org/ .
Skycastle Construction is seeking a Project Manager!
Skycastle Construction is hiring! Please see our full job posting here and get in touch if you are qualified and interested in the position! Email kath@rodwinarch.com.
HOEFLING HOUSE WINS 2022 AIA AWARD OF MERIT IN SUSTAINABILITY!
We are honored to announce that The Hoefling House, our LEED Platinum custom home in Boulder designed by Rodwin Architecture, has won the 2022 AIA Design Award of Merit in Sustainability! The AIA Colorado Annual Design Awards honor the most outstanding work of AIA Colorado members and their firms, reinforce the value of great architecture and highlight members’ positive contributions to the community. Previous design award recipients have designed innovative schools, stunning custom homes, creative hotels, excellent community gathering spaces, and much more. We are delighted to be amongst the recipients in 2022 and congratulate all the winners in each category this year! .
What a view!
Work continues at full speed this summer! We are blessed to be working with some amazing clients and so honored to be building their dream homes! Lucky for us that we have some construction sites in some of the best spots in Boulder County. We are enjoying those views on a daily basis…
Brandon David promoted to President of Skycastle Construction
We are delighted to announce that Brandon David is now a Partner and President of Skycastle Construction (Scott will remain CEO). Brandon has been with the firm for over 15 years and has led our commitment to quality, innovative design/build method of delivery, passion for cutting-edge sustainability, and the development of Skycastle’s staff and project management. It is time that he is fully recognized for his tireless work ethic, his integrity & sense of responsibility, his technical skill and his leadership of our firm. We thank him, respect him to the moon, and are so excited to have him lead our construction team into the future. (Bonus factoids: Professional Builder Magazine named Brandon to their national ‘40 under 40’ back in ’14. He has 25 years of construction experience and magically blends that with 22 years of design. He received his B.S. in Architecture with Honors from the University of Utah in 1999 and a Bachelors of Environmental Design with Honors from the University of Colorado in 2004 (where he worked on the National Champion C.U. Solar Decathlon project). He is the proud father of three children and loves having adventures with his wife and family.)
Boulder Green Home Tour 2021 is coming up!
The Colorado Green Building Guild is proud to present their 6th annual Boulder Green Home Tour on Saturday, September 25, 2021!
The self-guided tour will feature a series of in-person tours of properties or homes.. Attendees will see both modern and traditional custom properties, remodels and multi-family projects. During their last tour, they had over 400 attendees - everyone from curious college students to industry professionals, who are educated, design-minded individuals eager for information on the latest and greatest in energy efficiency, green building, and solar design. To buy tickets, and to read more about this year’s tour, click here.
Greener Building!
Green was a lifestyle here in Boulder County long before it was adopted around the county, and the region in Colorado is home to a number of passionate builders and architects alike, who continue to embrace sustainable practices every single day. In this article by ‘Travel Boulder’, the magazine highlights the work of Rodwin Architecture and Skycastle Construction and other local professionals, for whom green building is a true way of life. Read the entire article here.
26% Federal Solar Tax Credit extended for two years!
Good news! In December 2020, the U.S. Congress passed legislation that extends the 26% Federal Solar Tax Credit until 2023. As a result, solar energy continues to be a cost-effective solution for home and business owners desiring greener energy alternatives and lower electricity bills.
Read the entire article from IPS here.
Green Design Built Beautiful!
‘An architect-led custom home that integrates everything you want - beauty, function and sustainability - while respecting your budget and your schedule is the stuff of dreams - and of real-life dream homes, thanks to Boulder County’s premier design-build team Rodwin Architecture and Skycastle Construction.’ Read the whole article from AtHome Luxury Edition 2020 here.
Singing the Blues! How a tired kitchen became a shout-out space
We are delighted to be featured in the Boulder County Home and Garden Fall 2020 edition! Learn how our team remodeled an old space and created a comfortable and colorful new space for the whole family to enjoy! Read the article here.
How Home Design may change post-pandemic
I’m writing this article from the same place you might be reading it - your make-shift home office. And whether it’s a converted guest bedroom or you took over the kitchen table, you’ve probably become painfully aware of how important a good space is for work. So have your clients. In the wake of the state’s ‘Shelter/Safer at Home’ order, many of us have a new perspective on how our home can support our lives (or not). Here are my Top 10 take-aways on how the pandemic may shift your clients’ thinking about what they want in a home.
1. Home office - So let’s start with that most critical and suddenly obvious space. Home offices have been an increasing trend over the last decade and this moment will likely permanently cement that as a “must have” in many people’s minds. In many households, having two dedicated work spaces will become the norm. Fortunately, they can be quite small, but they do typically need a door, some natural light and decent artificial lighting. Choosing the right location is critical to its success; specifically, are they looking to stay connected or be isolated from the rest of the household activity?
2. Home investment - Between the stock market falling off a cliff, the apparent stability of the housing market (so far) and the lowest interest rates we’re likely to see in our lifetime, many people are considering investing more of their money in their homes. For the last decade construction costs have been going up roughly 10%/year. With the shut-down, we may see a temporary flattening of these increases as contractors are suddenly hungry for work for the first time in ten years. But when the brakes come off the economy later this year, it will likely trigger a wave of deferred construction projects, so if your clients want to lock in a contractor’s attention and better pricing, don’t delay in getting the project started.
3. Acoustic insulation – “Will you kids keep it down!?! Mommy is having a very important phone call with the President of Chardonnay!” Higher-end homes often have acoustic insulation (cotton or fiberglass) in the walls around bathrooms and bedrooms, and between floors of a home. It can make a huge difference in allowing multiple people to simultaneously use the home without driving each other nuts.
4. Home gym – One of the things many of us miss the most right now is the ability to get proper exercise. And while going for a bike ride or a jog around the neighborhood is great when the weather is nice and someone can watch the kids, a home gym gives us the flexibility to work out anytime, and do things other than just cardio. Minimum typical size is that of a small bedroom, so in some cases it can be converted from space that you already have. Most importantly, make sure it’s a space that you want to be in (not a windowless basement with 7ft. head height), otherwise all that fancy equipment is going to get really lonely.
5. Mother-in-law suite/ADU – Around the Boulder area and elsewhere, cities are relaxing rules for Accessory Dwelling Units, realizing that it is one of the most important tools for creating low-impact affordable housing, as well as increased cash flow and lifestyle convenience for homeowners. During COVID, many families are suddenly having an unexpected multi-generational living experience. Maintaining some privacy (with separate entrances and kitchens) by means of an ADU gives families greater flexibility and long-term social sustainability. Many of these ADU’s are also being created with “Universal design” principals in mind (handi-capped accessible entrances, 3 ft. wide doorways, roll-in showers, etc.) for aging parents. ADU’s are generally allowed in the City (with conditions), but are substantially more restricted in the unincorporated County. Licenses are transferrable with the sale of the property.
6. Separate kids’ TV/game area – Are your client’s tired of hearing ‘Call of Duty’ explode in the background while they’re writing their novel, hosting a Zoom call or doing their taxes? On the flip side of creating a separate area for adults to work, many households are creating kids TV/game areas that can be closed off. One way to do this without adding yet more square footage is to give the kids what might have been the media room, and make the Great room into the main TV space. “But we don’t want the main social space to be visually dominated by a TV!”, your clients protest. One clever solution is to disguise it with something like the Samsung Frame TV, which looks like (programmable) framed art when not in use. Or more commonly, if they nest their TV into custom built-in casework, it tends to look discrete and integrated into the room decor.
7. Food storage – COVID created a newfound anxiety in many households about possible food shortages, so some are increasing the size of kitchen pantries and are adding auxiliary fridges and freezers. Note that fridges use more electricity than any other appliances in the house, so make sure they are Energy Star rated.
8. Multi-tasking spaces – If you add up all your clients’ “must have” spaces it could quickly bloat the size of the house, which may not be possible or desirable due to building codes, the size of the property, your client’s budget or their sustainability values. The “Not so Big House” movement recommends designing every space to do double duty. For example, use a Murphy bed (folds into the wall), a fold-down sewing table, or a floor-to-ceiling wall of built-in storage for crafts in a single room, instead of building a separate space for each. It also saves money – even though custom-built furnishings like these can be expensive, they are much cheaper than extra square footage.
9. Breathe easy – If your clients want to be sure that the air in the home is healthy they can add an advanced air filter to the forced air ductwork. Nearly all homes have a filter, but some are far more robust than others. The fanciest of these is called a HEPA filter and is able to screen out particles as small as a virus. They can also increase the amount of fresh outdoor air that they’re bringing into a home without ruining their energy-efficiency by adding an Energy-recovery ventilator (ERV).
10. Resiliency & Technology – With our increasing dependency on our electronic devices, many homeowners are opting to add battery back-up power. For the Tesla Powerwall and other lithium-ion based options, prices range from $7K-50K depending on how much of their house they want to run and for how long (most commonly: garage door, security system, basic lighting, and a handful of outlets connected to key equipment like your fridge, WiFi router and sump pump). At this point most battery solutions can only support a home for a matter of hours, but that may be sufficient to get them through short-term power outages. One other tech upgrade people are choosing is Cat5 or Cat6 wiring for optimal internet speeds.
Bonus idea #11. Indoor/outdoor - In an age where our home has become our sanctuary and café patios, playgrounds and parks are suddenly off-limits, the outdoor spaces around the home may become more even more precious. They can cover porches and add misters to make them cool in the summer, and give them radiant heat or fire-pits to keep them comfy when it’s a little nippy. Making the outdoor spaces useable more of the year can also make it less important to increase the size of your home.
Read the article here in At Home Colorado April 2020.
About the author:
Scott Rodwin, AIA, LEED AP is the owner of the Rodwin Architecture/ Skycastle Construction, a 13 person award-winning design/build firm specializing in high-end custom green homes in Boulder. He teaches a free course (good for 2 CEU’s) called “Understanding the Rules for Building in Boulder” through BARA several times a year that goes into depth on these topics. scott@rodwinarch.com www.rodwinarch.com
How to work with an architect!
If you‘ve been searching, but can’t find the perfect house, perhaps the solution is to remodel one or to build your own dream home from scratch. The process usually starts by finding a licensed Architect to guide you.
An Architect has several roles. Most people know that the Architect designs and draws a house. But they also:
§ Conduct a Feasibility Analysis before the design begins to make sure that the property is generally suitable for what you want to do. This includes looking at things like the maximum allowable size, the permissible massing and placement on the site, floodplain, historic landmark and 20 other critical issues.
§ Help you to set realistic goals, understand the project’s constraints and see hidden opportunities. In particular, they work with you to establish a workable budget, schedule and expectations about what the process and end result will be.
§ Specify the materials, products and systems and (in many cases) assist you with shopping for things like flooring, tile, and plumbing fixtures, etc. They often spend a fair amount of time educating you as to the pros and cons of each option. Not all Architects can provide expertise in all of these areas, so ask the Architects you interview if they do this or if you need to hire additional professionals.
§ Assist you in choosing a builder. This can either come through a recommendation to use one, or by managing a competitive Bid among several General Contractors on your behalf. In most cases, the Architect will have valuable suggestions for qualified local builders. Sometimes the builder provides the advice on the materials, products and systems mentioned above.
o A few architecture firms are design/build companies. There are advantages to this arrangement in cost & time savings, as well as single-point responsibility.
§ Select of a team of consultants: most projects require a structural engineer, a surveyor, a civil engineer and a potentially a HERS (energy) rater. Additionally, projects may need an interior designer, a landscape architect, or a variety of other specialists. The more you let the Architect steer the selection of the team, the better the outcome, as they have typically worked together before.
§ Manage the project: you can hire an Architect to just draw a set of plans, but the more you have them do, the greater the likelihood of a successful project. The Project Management aspect of their scope of work means that they are taking responsibility not just for the design, but for the overall success of your project.
How do you find the right Architect for you?
· Most people search websites & portfolios online, or get a recommendation by a direct personal reference like your Realtor. Also look for third party “Best of” lists and check the firm’s online ratings (Google, Houzz, Facebook, and Yelp are the most reliable).
· Some Architects have a singular style and some work in whatever style their clients prefer. Find out which one they are.
· It’s very helpful to hire an Architect who is experienced in the local codes, environment and process. Codes vary dramatically from place to place.
Contracts and business: There are several common types of contractual arrangements:
§ Fixed Fee – if you know the full scope of the project and the work requested, you can obtain a Stipulated Sum contract from the Architect. This can be modified by mutual consent should the project scope change in the future. This is the most common type of contract with new homes (from scratch or scrape). It’s uncommon with remodels. This type of contract typically lists all of the anticipated tasks they will perform in detail.
§ Hourly (AKA Time and Materials) – pay as you go. On the plus side, you only pay for the work that you need and you get to direct what work you want. On the down-side, you don’t know what the top end will be and the Architect’s fees are often more expensive than most clients imagine. If expectations are not discussed at the outset (the total estimated fees) it can lead to conflict. Note that most remodels are done as an Hourly contract as it is impossible to know the full scope of work at the outset (there are always unpleasant surprises inside the walls).
§ Percentage of construction cost – this ties the Architect’s fee to the cost of the overall work (which makes proportional sense), but some clients don’t like that it appears to incentivize the Architect to design expensive construction (In reality, the Architect’s main responsibility is to design to your budget and most take that seriously), and again, you don’t know what the top end will be. Note that the percentage will typically be much higher for remodels than for new construction.
Things to look out for:
§ Big egos and rigid ways of working: This is your house and your preferences should rule. A good Architect asks lots of questions and is interested in what you like, how you want to live and how you like to make decisions. At the end of the day, the best Architects are the best listeners.
§ Be aware that just because something is in the firm’s portfolio doesn’t mean that the Architect you will be working with was responsible for that project. The Architect may have left the firm, and even if they are at the firm, they may not be working on your project. Note that many houses are produced by a small team (Principal Architect, Project Manager, Job Captain (senior draftsman/designer) and a Junior designer/draftsman.)
§ Architects are not always great at predicting budgets. Get a builder involved during the design process to help.
§ Scope creep: This one is not the Architect’s fault. Everyone wants more house than they want to pay for and an Architect is happy to help their client envision their most ambitious dreams. The most common and dangerous way this happens is scope creep – a few more feet of space, a steam shower here, a new stone wall there and, “hey, how did we end up 40% over budget?!?” Well, you asked for it. Be clear with your Architect which rules: your budget or what you want. They will need that guidance to successfully steer the project.
Creating a custom home (remodel, addition or new) can be one of the most stressful, risky and expensive projects a person will undertake in their lifetime. But if handled correctly, it can also be one of the most rewarding and enduring. A custom home can be an expression of your personality and a support to your life in ways you might never have previously experienced. Don’t skimp on the Architecture. There’s a truism in our profession: “It costs one dollar to design it right on the drafting board or $10 to fix it in the field.”
About the author:
Scott Rodwin, AIA, LEED AP is the owner of the Rodwin Architecture/ Skycastle Construction, a 12 person award-winning design/build firm specializing in high-end custom green homes in the Front Range. scott@rodwinarch.com www.rodwinarch.com
How to work with a builder!
You’ve probably heard the horror stories from friends at a party as they tell you about their construction project headaches: Budgets blown. Schedules shot. Quality questionable. And lawsuits. Oh, the joy of building. Sometimes it sounds like the only thing worse would be trying to do it yourself (which it would). But there are plenty of success stories too – they just don’t make for as good a story. Here’s what you need to know to improve your chances for a happy outcome.
· Spend plenty of time getting to know your potential builder (aka “general contractor”) before signing anything. Meet a few times, tour their projects, call their references, go to lunch. This is a decision with major financial and legal consequences. You need to know them and like them.
· Be clear about who will actually be your Project Manager. Sometimes the person you’re interviewing is not the person who will be running your project (the owner of the firm often will be overseeing all the projects that they are working on, but there may be someone else below the, who will be your primary point of contact). The Site Supervisor is the person in charge of the actual construction. You will typically not meet them during the interview unless you request it (they are the “get it done guys”, not the salesmen). Ask how many projects they will be supervising (if it’s more than 2, their attention may be overly divided and that can lead to errors).
· Most projects start with the Architect. They then will often recommend 1-3 builders for you to interview and can help guide you through the process of selecting and working with the builder. You can start with the builder (and they can recommend an Architect), but sequentially, you work with the Architect first. It is however helpful to have a builder on-board during the design process; if it’s a collaborative relationship, they can help successfully guide you and the Architect to stay within budget as you design (sometimes the builder will do this for free in order to have a foot in the door, and sometimes they will charge a “pre-construction services” fee).
o Design/build companies are ideally set up to offer you the best of both worlds as you have both professionals working for you from the get-go.
· There are different types of residential builders, but in the Boulder area most are small companies that specialize in custom homes, and provide project management and site supervision, but hire out all the sub-contracted trades (plumbing, framing, electrical, etc.).
· Most construction companies have a niche where they excel. Choose a builder that has a track record of projects similar in scope, scale and quality to your project (ex. budget kitchen remodels vs. whole new high-end homes). Note that most builders are adept in multiple architectural styles, so that is a less important criteria.
· Specifications: on a custom home/addition/remodel, if you are paying the Architect for full-services, they will generally guide you through the time-consuming process of selecting the hundreds of products and systems for your house (tile, flooring, plumbing and lighting fixtures, mechanical systems, siding, roofing, windows, etc.). Some Architects prefer to send you to an independent interior designer for interior finishes. If you have hired the Architect to do only minimal services in order to keep their fee low, note that someone will still have to do the Specifications and you will have to pay for it. Unless you’ve built several houses yourself, do not try this at home. It usually costs ‘first timers’ tens of thousands of dollars in mistakes, months of time and a lot of stress. Some builders offer this service; sometimes they charge for it up-front as Pre-construction services, and sometimes they simply provide it as a service within their construction contract.
· Contracts: You can either select a builder based on their qualifications (up front) or select based on cost (on the back end after the design is done). If you chose them up front, it’s called a “Negotiated Bid” as you will figure out the total cost of the project together later; however, they will tell you what their % Markup or Management Fee is before you sign any contract. If you are doing it based more on price it’s called a “Competitive Bid” as they will be simultaneously bidding against a couple of other builders (this is hard to do right now because builders are so busy and the best ones are so booked up that don’t need to Bid for work). Surprisingly, there isn’t an industry standard process or format for how to work with the builder from a business point of view, but here are the most common types of contracts:
o Fixed fee (aka “Stipulated Sum”) – the design and specifications (of everything except the “Allowances”) must be complete and well detailed by the Architect so that the full scope of the project is clear. In that case, the builder can give you a Fixed Fee contract. This offers you the most protection against cost creep as the only times it can change are if you sign an official “Change Order” prior to that portion of the work being undertaken, or if you exceed your “Allowance” budgets. Allowances are a pot of money for each category of item (like plumbing fixtures), that the builder has earmarked within your total Fixed Fee. If you choose fixtures over or under that budget, it will raise or lower your total contract price dollar for dollar.
o Cost Plus (a % Profit & Overhead mark-up) (aka “Time and materials”) – The advantage here is that you can often start work before all design decisions have been made as you will simply pay for what the project ultimately costs. On the down-side, there is no top end to the contract cost. Most builders will provide a non-binding Estimate before work starts. Note that what’s included in the “Plus” varies from builder to builder so if you are getting competitive Bids, make sure they are apples to apples (ex. is the Site Supervision included?)
o Guaranteed Maximum price – like Cost Plus with a backstop set at some % above the Estimate.
o Pass thru with a Management Fee – The builder tells you what their management fee will be up-front, but the cost of the work will just be the actual cost passed through to you without markup.
o One additional note: the process of Estimating & Bidding takes a lot of work by the builder. During busy times like these, the builder will often charge for that service as a “Pre-construction” contract. In leaner times, some builders may offer some or all of that fee back when you sign a contract, or may even do it for free in hopes of winning the job. The Bid typically takes 3-4 weeks (once the builder has all the drawings & specifications).
· There are four main areas where conflicts typically arise:
o Quality and completeness: thorough architectural drawings, specifications and a detailed construction contract will explicitly set expectations for these items (don’t skimp on the architectural scope/fees or it will bite you in the butt when you start working with the builder). In the interview process, talk about how you will negotiate when there is a conflict, for example about the subjective quality of a granite countertop.
o Process & Communication: The builder should tell you how often you will have meetings and scheduled site visits.
o Schedules: They should provide you with a regularly updated schedule that you can refer back to as your benchmark so that you know if you are on track.
o Cost/budget: The contract should be clear about not just the estimated or Bid cost, but how you will deal with the inevitable changes during construction.
· What to do if things are “going wrong”:
o Don’t assume you know what’s going on. Ask: “Is the floor supposed to look like that?” I can’t count the number of times a client called me and told me that there was a problem when in fact the work was simply still in progress.
o Voice concerns to the builder as early as possible so that discussions are respectful rather than dramatic, and so that there’s still time for course correction. Ask them instead of telling them how they will fix the issue.
o Reply on your Architect to be your advocate with the builder. They’ve been through this before. Many solutions require a collaboration between the design and construction teams.
o When things go wrong (which they will), make sure to give the builder permission to tell you. Most builders hope that they can “catch up” on the schedule or find additional savings later to offset unexpected costs. They might, but empower them to tell you the truth about what’s happening now.
o Ask for information. You deserve to understand how the builder is doing on schedule, quality and budget. Typically, a good builder will have a clear process for periodic check-ins that allow you to stay appropriately informed.
o There should be a clause in the contract about “retainage” or some mechanism where you withhold a chunk of the final payment (or progress payments) until the “punch-list” is complete (and you are satisfied that the project is done).
o There should also be a clause in your contract about lien-waivers that says that if you’ve paid the builder and they fail to pay their subs, that they will protect you against liens by the subs.
· My final piece of advice is: trust your team. Micro-managing a builder is a sure-fire way to muck-up the process. Don’t show up on the jobsite un-announced. They want to get the project done right for you and they have developed their process over years of trial and error. Let them guide you.
About the author:
Scott Rodwin, AIA, LEED AP is the owner of the Rodwin Architecture/ Skycastle Construction, a 12 person award-winning design/build firm specializing in high-end custom green homes in the Front Range. scott@rodwinarch.com www.rodwinarch.com