---

The Advantages of Hiring a San Diego Home “Design Build” Company Vs. an Architect and a General Contractor

As a premier San Diego home design build company, we are often asked about what the advantages are of hiring “Us” versus hiring an architect and a general contractor combination to do your home addition or home remodeling project. There are many reasons why, but here are the top ten reasons why hiring a San Diego design build company is the best home remodeling choice:

1. Accountability: We feel that this should be listed as #1. The best thing about going with a full service “design build” company such as RitzDesignBuild.com is that ONE entity is accountable for everything- We do EVERYTHING for you; The designs (we’ll design and redesign until you are completely happy!), the plans, the permit from the city to build, and the construction from beginning to end… and it’s all orchestrated by ONE project manager and a crew that have been working together like a fine oiled machine for over 15 years.
2. Expertise: Design/build firms are experts in both fields of design AND construction. There is a tremendous advantage to working with architects/designers that can think like builders and builders who can think like architects/designers. Having BOTH under one roof working for you is a tremendous advantage.
3. Cost Savings: Notice how we didn’t place this in first position. Even though there is cost savings involved with hiring a full service design/build company in San Diego, it shouldn’t be your main focus. The main focus should always be building you a quality new home at an affordable price that makes sense. As one “team”, we have the advantage of working together to evaluate alternative materials and methods effectively and accurately to save our client’s money when we can.
4. Team Players: We’re all in this together and we all have the same goal –to arrive at a successful project that meets or exceeds the client’s expectations for their project. When challenges are encountered on a project (and there are always challenges), pointing fingers is not an option, everyone rolls up their sleeves and works on solutions.
5. Communication: Here at Ritz Design Build we are transparent because we want clients to understand the process and to know what’s going on every step of the way. The best partnerships work, not because people say what everyone wants to hear, but because they say what everyone needs to hear. Through clear communication, everything is discussed openly with our clients and our team members to alleviate any problems that occur along the way.
6. Time Management: Because design and construction are overlapped, and because bidding periods and redesign are eliminated, total design and construction time can be significantly reduced. Not to mention the years and years of experience the crew has of working together and dealing with city inspectors, the results translate directly into lower costs and earlier competition of the projects.
7. Involvement: Design/build companies operate under the assumption that the clients actually want to be an active participant in the design and construction of their home. Having “involvement” in the entire process is attainable when going with a full service “design build” company, and not so doable if you choose otherwise- and the results are rarely the same.
8. Continuity: A design-build firm is involved from start to finish, which adds an inherent efficiency. The chance for things to fall through the cracks is greatly diminished.
9. ONE Point of Contact: Design and construction shouldn’t be chaotic or stressful. A design/build firm is a beacon to clients throughout the process, guiding the way to the best possible outcome. Design/build refines a system from beginning to end and manages the chaos into orderly steps- all managed by ONE point of contact which is an assigned Project Manager.
10. Reduced Risk: #10 but not the LEAST of importance what-so-ever is reduced risks. With a design/build company performance aspects of cost, schedule and quality are clearly defined and responsibilities/risks are appropriately balanced (individual risks are managed by the party best positioned to manage that risk). Change orders due to “errors and omissions” are virtually eliminated, because the design/builder has responsibility for developing drawings and specifications as well as constructing the entire project.