Our Process.

We’ll meet with you to learn more about your potential project, your goals, budget, and timeline. From that meeting, we’ll follow up with a rough ballpark range of what we anticipate your project will cost, to ensure we’re all on the same page.

Based on our previous projects we will put together a draft budget that will outline the major cost drivers for your project. We will identify options that could bring costs up or down depending on the path your design takes.

We’ll present you with an agreement for Pre-Construction services, which is basically all the work we’ll do with you before the start of construction, including permit research, preliminary cost planning, pre-construction schedule development, and design review.

We will meet to review the architect’s first round of drawing, which usually includes an initial “program” or list of requirements for the project, lots of sketches and massing models exploring different options for how to fulfill the program. Once we start Schematic Design (SD), we will also initiate communication with the local building department to identify any permits that may be needed for your project.

We will meet to review the Design Development (DD) plan set with you and your architect. We’ll start to look at mechanical systems, wall assemblies, finishes, and more detailed structural analysis. We work closely with the architect to help inform the most efficient and cost-effective solutions.

Once you approve the DD plan set, we will start to dive into estimating your project in detail, and the architect will move on to Construction Documents. We will reach out to our network of experienced subcontractors to review your plans, walk through the site or existing home, and bring together all of that information into a comprehensive proposal.

This is the lengthiest part of the design phase where we dive into the nitty-gritty details of your project to produce Construction Documents (CDs). Your architect will work with you to make selections for appliances, lighting fixtures, paint colors, plumbing fixtures, and put these into a detailed set of plans from which we can actually start to build.

Once we receive the final CD plan set, we will make any final adjustments to the estimate and provide you with a contract to sign. We work with you in one of two ways: Time and Materials or Fixed Price basis. The price you pay is based on your requirements and the architect’s specifications. In both cases, if your requirements (and therefore the labor and materials involved) change, the price of the project will change.

Once we have signed a contract, we’ll review the plans with the local building inspector to familiarize the official with the project before formally applying for the permit.

Once we’re under contract and have our permit, we will lock in space in our schedule and assign a Project Manager to your project. They will produce a detailed construction schedule and submit documents for permitting. Once permits are in hand, we will line up subcontractors and get ready to start! You’ll be able to make material selections, check the schedule, and review invoices and payments on our cloud-based system.

When construction begins, our team will be on site every day. We encourage you to meet with us on a weekly basis to see how the project is moving along, review any changes and review product selections. If you have any questions along the way, our Project Managers are there to answer them.

To ensure an efficient construction process, it is imperative that you don’t assume that something will get done just because a change is suggested. Changes are inevitable in any project, and the change order process is incorporated into our project management system to ensure all parties stay on the same page.

Our office will issue you a bill every two weeks. Your bill will have a complete representation of the work completed, including materials, subcontractor fees, rentals, and permits, to name a few. CoConstruct allows our clients to track their budgets, changes orders and payments all in one place with their client dashboard.

When your job is complete, our Project Manager will go through the work with you and develop a “punch list” of any final items that need to be finished. Auburndale Builders will work on this punch list to make sure everything is done to your satisfaction.

We provide one year of warranty on workmanship after project completion. We recommend 2-3 years of tracking energy use to ensure your home’s systems are working properly and so that you understand how everything is working.