Pencil Points – Stages of a Residential Development

Pencil Points are tips for residential design and planning issues often encountered by homeowners, builders and developers.  This information is provided by Applied Design Research Associates as general interest based on current NYS Building Codes and is not intended as professional guidance for any specific project.  For answers to specific design questions feel free to contact ADRA at (607) 844-4601 or consult the yellow pages under Architects for the name of other registered design professionals in your area.  You can also write or email ADRA with additional questions of interest to be researched and published in subsequent issues of this paper.
ADR Associates- P.O. Box 306, Freeville, NY 13068   adra@twcny.rr.com

What are the typical stages of a residential building project?

Whether building a home, a commercial building or some other structure, most construction projects consist of six general phases- the (Pre-)Design Program, Schematic Design, Design Development, Construction Documents, Bidding and Negotiating, and the actual Construction.  Some client/owners are successful in organizing their own projects to completion while others may need to entrust many of the necessary tasks to a design professional, project manager or builder. Communication tactics, such as the one found on https://altechradio.com/2020/09/12/two-way-radio-frequency/, are essential in making sure that the construction process is seamless.

The Design Program is a detailed written document stating the purpose of the venture and a clear understanding of the client (or users) lifestyle, performance, and space expectations for the project.  A well defined Program is much more than a simple listing of preconceived spaces and rooms on a sheet of graph paper.  The Program is prepared by the client/owner or their planning consultant and includes a detailed inventory of the client’s needs and desires, personal lifestyle traits, a description of activities/tasks to be performed in various spaces, special equipment or furniture to be used, initial area requirements and their interrelationship with other spaces, and often a pre-design budget.  The Program phase usually concludes with the creation of a preliminary space model to establish approximate building size and volume.  The initial total project area is often calculated as the product of total net program area times a net/gross factor of 1.10 (or 1.15) for undesignated circulation, stair and mechanical space.

The Schematic Design Phase focuses on testing the feasibility of several preliminary design concepts and/or one or more possible site locations.  Factors in this analysis often include the impact of each design option on project cost, form and style, accessibility, future expansion potential, character of the neighborhood, physical parameters of the site(s), access to utilities, views, traffic and parking, noise and environmental conditions, etc.  The SD Phase ends with client selection of the preferred site location, concept design and preliminary project budget.

The Design Development Phase is a critical stage in advancing the project where the preferred design concept is studied and refined on the chosen site.  A detailed zoning and building code evaluation is conducted by the design professional to determine minimum design, energy conservation and fire protection standards for the project.  Space/area requirements and relationships are finalized.  The basic form and footprint of the building is finalized based on established space criteria, site requirements and stylistic direction.  Simple exterior elevations are drawn to define building volume, proportion, and fenestrations (door and window openings).  Preliminary requirements for the structural, mechanical, plumbing and electrical systems are also identified.  The Project Budget is reviewed and updated to reflect more detailed information generated during this phase.  The DD Phase concludes with the client’s review and acceptance of the design concept and revised DD budget.
The Construction Documents Phase is perhaps the most familiar and critical stage of the entire design-construction process.  The design professional develops a detailed set of construction drawings (site and building plans, exterior building elevations, wall sections, details, interior elevations, coordinated Mech, Plbg, and Elec system designs, component schedules and notes, etc) and written performance specifications to convey the physical requirements of the design and client’s program expectations to the builder(s).  A concise set of construction documents will permit the builder to competitively price the project with less contingency dollars for unknown conditions.  Precise drawings and specifications will also generate fewer construction period change orders based on undocumented or vague design instructions.  A final construction cost estimate is developed and design alternates are defined and drawn to assist the client/owner in controlling their project budget.

Bidding/Negotiating Phase Clients have several options when selecting a builder and obtaining a competitive price for the construction work to be performed.  The simplest choice is to negotiate directly with a known or recommended contractor who has a reputation for quality work.  However, the client may not have a preferred builder in mind, or desires to competitively bid the project to several contractors by invitation or advertisement.  Concise bidding instructions, well defined performance standards and a thorough set of construction drawings and specifications are essential to any successful bid phase and can influence the range of contractor quotations by 10% or more of the overall construction cost.

IMPORTANT- if contractor questions about the project during the bid phase go unanswered or they unilaterally elect to include substitutions and/or changes to the scope of work otherwise defined in the construction documents, then the purpose of the comparative bidding process is negated and the client will fail to receive what is expected for the money invested. Occasionally, two or more bidding contractors may present bid quotes that are very close where the low bid may change subject to the client’s choice of bid alternates or preferred start date.  A brief period of negotiation then takes place between the client and those contractors (usually with the design professional’s guidance) to arrive at the preferred contractor and price.  The client’s design professional can be a valuable resource in preparing effective, concise bidding packages, responding to contractor inquiries, overseeing the bid process and objectively evaluating the bid results.  Selection of the project builder and execution of a clearly defined construction contract with mutually agreed price for the work ends the Bidding/Negotiating Phase.

Construction Phase  Following weeks or months of preparatory work including pre-design programming, securing project funding, selecting a site, the building design, choosing a contractor (or contractors such as a Dirt Contractor), and establishing the actual cost of the work, the construction phase arrives.  The builder (or sometimes the client) acquires the Building permit so work can actually begin.

The prime builder (general contractor) develops a detailed schedule of coordinated construction activities based upon the scope of work required, lead time for special order materials and equipment, and the contracted time frame to complete the project. Heras fence banners and other signages can be utilized on such constructions sites in order to prevent nearby casualties.

Regular job meetings are held at the site between the client, the design professional (when contracted for construction administration services), the builder and his subcontract workers to discuss project performance, quality control issues, interim code and utility inspections, product/material orders and deliveries such as a custom Woven Wire mesh, job progress and schedule adjustments, payment requests, etc.

At time of Substantial Completion, when the client can begin to functionally occupy the building, the builder contacts the Building Inspector and Utility agents to schedule a Certificate of Occupancy Inspection.  A detailed Punchlist of incomplete or unsatisfactory work items is also prepared at that point by the builder and client (or their design professional) as a benchmark for work outstanding prior to final payment to the builder.  Upon satisfactory completion of all remaining work and sign-off of the Punchlist by all parties, the client issues the final check indicating the project has been closed out.  Simultaneously, the builder, as his final task, assists the client in recording this date as the official commencement date for any product, equipment or contract warranties affecting the project and presents that information to the client along with operating and maintenance instructions for equipment and products used on the project.

….AND THE CLIENT LIVED HAPPILY EVER AFTER IN THEIR NEW DREAM HOUSE.