When it comes to cost estimation, it can be difficult to bridge the gap between design and construction. Architects and general contractors approach cost estimation and budgeting from different vantage points. Various estimates are made during the different stages of a project. In the early design and planning stages, for example, architects develop design cost …
Communication between general contractors and architects is vital, from the cost estimation phase, throughout the construction phase, and right up to the grand opening. However, maintaining good communication throughout the design and construction processes can be easier said than done. Due to different priorities, perspectives and expectations, architecture and construction teams may not always see …
How many times have you designed a beautiful building only to find that the design does not meet the contractor’s specifications? Architects are often faced with this scenario, and it can cause serious tension between the architect and the contractor. Architects want contractors to bring their design vision to life in the actual construction, but …
General contractors and architects do not always see eye to eye. The two professions have different perspectives, thought processes, and expectations when it comes to commercial building projects. Whether the contractor and architect disagree about the design process or about how to manage a construction project, the differences in perspective can interfere with the overall …
It may come as no surprise that architects and contractors are sometimes at odds with one another. Architects put forth painstaking efforts to bring their complex design ideas into reality. They may feel that contractors do not always successfully bring that vision to life, whether through budgetary constraints or lack of aesthetic appreciation. Contractors, on …
All construction efforts start with cost estimation—from estimating materials to estimating labor costs—a lot goes into the preliminary estimate of a project. However, despite the need for accurate information, the most important aspect of cost estimation is a quality relationship between the project team and the general contractor. The more in sync contractors are with …
Chances are great you’ve seen a ceremonial photograph from a ribbon cutting ceremony. Smiling people don hard hats, cut the ceremonial ribbon, or overturn a symbolic shovelful of dirt in front of key stakeholders to mark the beginning of a project. In reality, this ceremony is far from the beginning. Interested parties have been working …
Without a doubt, green building is on the rise as trends attest. According to McGraw-Hill Construction publication, 28 percent of architects, engineers, contractors, building owners and building consultants around the world report that they are focusing their work on sustainable design and construction by doing at least 60 percent of their projects green. The …
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Our Bay Area Cost Reference Guide provides up-to-date construction pricing and market data; it's a critical budgeting tool that can deliver conceptual estimates and that can save you both time and money.
