Hi guys,
Some important thoughts:
This is stage one; it’s extremely preliminary from a design and estimate point of view. However, if the architect completes the print without making changes, I wouldn’t expect to see much of a drastic change in cost. 10-15% reduction in cost is possible if my material suppliers and subcontractors, as well as myself, have a construction set to bid from, but that’s really just an educated guess. I feel very confident saying that if we are going to be in the $350-$400,000 range as opposed to the $500-550 range, we will need to go through a re-design process.
I’d like to propose two options for you to consider. I’ve mentioned Jeff Rice, the designer that I’ve worked with on several projects over the past year. We just completed a redesign for a couple on the other side of Lake Leelanau. The original quote was just over $600,000. They had a similar budget in mind. Our final price after the redesign was $377,000. We also added some square footage and improved upon many design flaws that decreased efficiency while adding cost.
The first option would be to contact and work with Jeff directly. His website is https://www.jrnhomedesign.com/ and he can be reached at 231-275-8012. He will charge what he charges, and work directly with you knowing full well where you need to end up regarding cost. I can share with him all of the preliminary numbers so he knows exactly where to target, and once he has completed his work we can re-bid the project. I am extremely confident that, with Jeff’s help, we can get into the range you’re looking to spend. In exchange for signing with us out of the gates, as opposed to having multiple companies bid Jeff’s redesigned print, a construction company will pay for Jeff’s cost out of our 15% contracting fee, which will save you the $10,000 to $15,000 that I would expect Jeff to charge for a re-design of this nature. For clarification, a “re-design” is taking your print, making changes to increase efficiency while not sacrificing too much on the overall aesthetic and function, and providing drawings that have all the elements for the construction of your home.
Think about it and let me know your thoughts. If you feel more comfortable contacting Jeff directly first and having a conversation with him about all of this, I completely understand and encourage that. However, if you prefer to work directly with me through the re-design process as opposed to adding another spoke in the wheel, I am more than willing to take this on.
Feel free to call anytime to discuss. You can also email me any questions that arise and I will do my best to answer in a timely manner.
Thank you for the opportunity guys. I really hope we can work together on this in one way or another!