Yestermorrow Design/Build School

It takes far more than being a great designer and builder to establish a successful design/build business. With control of all aspects of design and construction entrusted to one party, design/build requires a completely different business model -- along with distinctive strategies and systems -- than a typical contracting or architectural firm. Students will learn how to create a design/build business that flourishes. We'll examine aspects of planning, marketing, estimating, system development, project management, human resources, accounting, and legal concerns, all in direct relation to the specifics of design/build. Bring questions and details specific to your situation.

Course start time: Saturday, 9am
Course end time: Sunday, 5pm

• Competency Level: All Levels

DESIGNING & BUILDING A SUCCESSFUL DESIGN/BUILD BUSINESS

Overview

Construction today has many challenges. One challenge is delivering high performance buildings in a cost efficient manner. For reasons of both liability and convention, the traditional design/bid/build method of delivery has had mixed results in project delivery in terms of both performance and costs.

Cost efficient high performance buildings rely on holistic analysis and implementation of design, construction and testing to produce consistent results. The integrated design/build delivery method requires the design and construction team to take responsibility for all decisions and actions from schematic design through project construction, commissioning and monitoring. This emphasis on single point responsibility helps reduces the owner’s risk by creating quality assured projects where the chance of “point the finger” blame is not an option for the design/builder.

It takes far more than being a great designer and builder to establish a successful design/build business. With control of all aspects of design and construction entrusted to one party, design/build requires a completely different business model -- along with distinctive strategies and systems -- than a typical architectural or construction firm.

Students will learn how to create a design/build business that flourishes. We'll examine aspects of planning, marketing, estimating, system development, project management, human resources, accounting, and legal concerns, all in direct relation to the specifics of design/build.

Bring questions and details specific to your situation.

DAY #1

09:00    Introductions 

09:30    Definitions

10:00    History of Design/Builkd

10:30    BREAK

10:45    Step One – Understand yourself

11:30    Exercise – What do you want – a listening

12:15    LUNCH

13:15   Step Two – Establishing a plan 

          a. Process

          b. Design

          c. Estimating

          d. Project Management

          e. Delivery Method

          f. Marketing

          g. Business Plan

15:15   BREAK

15:30   Discussion

16:30   Prep for Tomorrow

DINNER

HOMEWORK – Your plan

DAY #2

09:00   Discussion and review

09:30   Estimating Specifics

10:30   BREAK

10:45   System Development Specifics

12:15   LUNCH

13:15   Presentation & critique of individual plans

15:15   BREAK

15:30   Other Items 

          a. My “Secret Sauce”

          b. Getting established for new businesses

          c. Changing course for existing businesses

16:30   Wrap up