Efficient Construction Design and Methods:

Although every design is different, one commonality is that clever and thoughtful design can save large sums of money during the construction process. This page is designed to share some of my insights on how to stay on budget and get the most value for your money regardless of what you are building. Here are some common areas where money is either saved or lost:

Planning:

This is something that I cannot stress enough to any potential customer. The better you plan on the front end the more possible savings will be available as you build. From being able to get more accurate quotes, to being able to find deals on materials, knowing what you want ahead of time and putting it into the print set is one of the best ways to save money.

Value Engineering:

Value Engineering is a catch all term that refers to the concept of designing to save resources and to create maximum efficiency. It’s typically a set of compromises that can deliver 90 percent of what’s sought after for a fraction of what 100 percent would cost. A big part of value engineering is made up from a list of, “Must Haves,” vs “Want to Haves.” Once again going back to planning.

Another part of, “Value Engineering,” is substitutions that provide almost everything the originally sought material could provide but at a substantially lower cost. In some cases, these substitutions are the exact same product but with a different name from the same manufacturer. I’ve run into commercial carpeting from a well know brand that was 50% of the cost of the premium line, but it was the same product with different name.

Often times in the design process, I will take a hard look at the logistics of how something is to be constructed to see if it can be simplified or made easier. Just like when I walk onto a jobsite and want the quickest most efficient way to accomplish a task I need to perform, when drafting I will try to design what needs to be built in the same way, looking for time savings in how everything goes together.

Corners:

Corners cost money, anytime a space or a roofline can be built with less changes of direction, a substantial portion of the build cost will be saved. This of course has to be balanced with aesthetics and what is the overall goal of the build. That said though, if we can accomplish most of our goals with a few less directional changes, the money saved can be substantial.

Construction Methods:

Construction methods can save when an efficient knowledgeable contractor bids on a set of plans. Since bids are competitive (always get 3 minimum) a smart contractor will look at how he or she can shave money off of the overall price and still make a profit. If the construction methods detailed in the prints allow for optimal efficiency, this is a good place for savings. Layouts that utilize standard dimensions save on materials cost because they reduce waste. Prefabricated components can save money as well. Some fasteners are known to require less man hours to install… there are a lot of ways savings can be wrung out of a build if the designer knows what to look for.

Fixtures:

Plumbing and Electrical Fixtures can vary wildly in price. While I would never recommend TEMU level fixtures, I also would never recommend the highest price fixtures as well. “Builder Grade,” components are typically a pretty good compromise when available. If custom colors for receptacles and switches are sought, shop around. For smart home applications I would always use a name brand like Leviton, GE, Lutron, or Eaton but I would look at their more entry level products that offer 90 percent of what their premium products offer at one fifth the cost. I’ve installed $200,000 of Lutron HomeWorks products in a house where 20,000 dollars worth of Lutron Caseta switches would have accomplished 80-90 percent of functionality of the HomeWorks (minus the decor of the expensive keypads).

Prescriptive Bracing vs Engineering:

To avoid the added cost of engineering, a lot of project design will use what is called, “Prescriptive Bracing,” methods. Sometimes this is a good idea and sometimes it adds labor and materials cost. A clever and efficient structural engineer can sometimes design a tremendous amount of cost savings into a project if the project is large enough due to their ability to only design to needed strength and avoid using catch all methods that require more bracing materials and hold downs.

Electrical Services:

This is rare but worth mentioning. Occasionally a designer will just call for an upsized service (which can be really expensive) vs. looking at the likely loads, the various NEC calculations available and other factors to keep the original 200 amp service in use. With car chargers being a thing nowadays, smart load controllers are another way to avoid upgrading an existing service. Sometimes 400 amps is necessary, but oftentimes a 200 amp service is more than enough.