Deciding to build a granny flat is simple, designing and building the extension can be a lot harder. You'll have a lot of questions to answer along the way. Can you use a general contractor or is is better to use one who has built a lot of granny flats before? Is a template design better than a customised one? Should you let the person who'll live in the flat have a say in what it looks like? Luckily, I'm here to help. My name is Maria. We moved my Mum into a purpose-built granny flat last year, so I've had to answer all these questions and more. I thought it'd be useful for other people to see how we managed the process, so here we are — get reading!
Why Appoint a Design and Build Service for Your Dream Home?
A design and build service is a one-stop-shop for anyone who wants to construct their own home. As well as a team of builders who will do the actual construction work for you, there will be a design team that is made available to you, as well. Of course, it is always possible for you to go to an architectural practice and a separate construction firm in order to build your dream home. That said, there are several advantages that you get with a design and build service which you don't with other procurement options. Why should someone who wants a custom home turn to a design and build service?
One Point of Contact
Among the key benefits of appointing a design and build company to handle your construction project is the fact that you have one port of call for all the big decisions. The designers often have the same level of architectural expertise as you would get from a dedicated practice, but they will also have direct contact with the team which will actually do the construction work for you. This means that any structural issues that might need a degree of compromise between design and building work can be dealt with in a collaborative manner, which is better for you, the end client. In addition, you can put all of your questions and alteration requests to a single point of contact.
Speedier Builds
A lot of people prefer a design and build service because they know that their project will get underway more rapidly. This is because once the design is complete, building work can begin almost immediately. In fact, some building materials may even be procured as the final finishing touches already to the design. This is in stark contrast to having your design completed and signed off before searching around for a building contractor who will undertake the construction work for you.
Spend Less
Cost reduction is something that plays on the minds of many people who are building their own homes. When you go to separate building contractors and architectural practices, they often don't work in a way that minimises costs. With a design and build company, this is frequently not the case because the firm has done similar projects in the past and can pass on the benefit of their experience to you. By working as a single team, so many hidden costs are able to be avoided.
Contact custom home builders to learn more.