The Process

There are different ways of approaching the building process; let us look at a few:

Design Build

We believe that 'design/build' provides a process of developing the best home renovation plan possible and satisfies the space requirements, lifestyle and budget needs for our clients.

At Menno S Martin our expertise is not just the knowledge of how to put together bricks and siding. Our service integrates design, realistic costing, construction and construction management. It is a process of decision-making where ultimately the home improvement client’s concerns are satisfied and they are comfortable signing a fixed price contract. We have found that this process yields the most successful and satisfying experience and final product for everyone involved. Our clients agree and often say so.

What we offer is the quality of our ideas and the process of delivering a well-designed product. We concentrate our services on the design, not only of the interior finishes, but the engineering of the systems such as foundation, framing, roofing, masonry, heating/air conditioning and electrical. We will also take care of landscaping services on the property to complete the overall exterior look of the home project. Our clients tell us that the well coordinated time and effort spent on this phase of the project are well worth it.

For a more detailed look at the Menno S. Martin Design/Build process, please see the "Our Process" section.

Bid Build

In this method an architect working with a home-owner creates the design and drawings for the work. The homeowner then “shops” the design around to different general contracts. Often the general contractor with the lowest bid is awarded the job.

There are a few flaws in this process:

• The contractor is brought on-line too late. The designs are often created without the benefit of the contractor’s hands-on building knowledge. This often means that the designs will have be trimmed down to meet budget and often times this can be disappointing. Additional design fees are sometimes incurred.
  
• The process of sorting through the bids can be difficult. Each contractor will approach the plans with a different perspective and with varying levels of quality. This can make process one of comparing apples an oranges.
  
• When the process goes into construction, it is the contractor who oversees the project – not the architect or original designer. If the architect is not involved in the construction, there is always more difficulty in making sure that the original plans are carefully followed.

Although Menno S. Martin can carefully follow any plans that are given to us, and will certainly do our best to create the space that is intended in the plans, we highly recommend the design/build process. The process is much clearer, with fewer headaches for the homeowner. The good news is that in the design build process there are often significant cost savings as well.

The Builder ...