The Advantages Of Hiring Design and Build Specialized companies For Landscape Lighting

The Advantages Of Hiring Design and Build Specialized companies For Landscape Lighting

By Mike Gambino

There are advantages and benefits to property owners who hire one company directly to implement the design and construction of their custom landscape lighting system.

Single Source Responsibility

Perhaps the most appealing and easy to recognize advantages that Design/Build offers are the convenience and comfort of one-stop shopping. The client looks to a single source to take full responsibility for design, construction and satisfactory completion, delivering the project on time and on budget. As a natural consequence there is less finger pointing because as ideas are generated, all team members make decisions with a cooperative approach. This means greater efficiency, cooperation instead of conflict, and a better project for the time and money invested. When this team approach works well, it creates an enjoyable and mutually beneficial way of doing business for the client and the Design/Build team of professionals. As the design phase of the project moves forward, all parties get to know each other while working out and establishing the terms of the relationship. This establishes trust as well as a mutual respect for the realities of working through a project, before the project begins, rather than trying to do so while the things production is in full swing. These advantages are often removed or compromised if those involved, including the client, work separately of each other during the design stage.

Cost Control

Trust is the key consideration here, and can become the client’s most valued benefit.  Provided that a realistic budget is established and agreed upon prior to entering into a Design/Build agreement, the Design/Builder takes on the responsibility of protecting the budget as design happens.  Savings and or budget control are then achieved through better planning. The Owner can exercise his desired degree of control over design, with the added advantage of knowing the cost implications of each decision as it happens. In the client’s eyes, the trust will be broken if he or she sees the Design/Builder as the cause for going over budget. It’s their money, after all. To avoid this perceived breach of trust, before alternate design ideas that will increase costs, a client’s permission should be given to spend more than the originally agreed budget.

Promising clients cost control must be backed up with design and construction expertise, as well as the company systems required, to know what should (or will not) be included and how much it will cost. The client benefits by having a guaranteed maximum price that is set as soon as the scope of the project is determined.

Quality Control

Quality of the design and construction of the project can happen by default if the Design/Builder’s team is working “together” to meet the client’s performance requirements. The designer, system engineer, and contractor are able to focus on the project, with an emphasis on quality, rather than protecting their own individual interests because they are all working on the same team. The lines of communication are simplified and the chances for misunderstandings are reduced. The construction expertise of the contractor and the design expertise of the design professional are melded together to produce a greater value for the owner than that which might be realized if both were working independently, perhaps in a vacuum. Additionally, quality is maintained by the discovery of most problems before starting and the implementation of real solutions.

Quicker Delivery Time

The client saves time and trouble by dealing with a single source for all matters rather than separately with a contractor, an architect, an electrician, and subcontractors. Bidding periods and redesign time are eliminated. Overall time to design and build the project is substantially reduced because design and construction activities overlap. The contractor can proceed with early procurement of critical materials and scheduling of labor for greater effectiveness. This means the project can be on the contractor’s production schedule sooner.

If it is necessary to meet client’s short deadlines, Design/Build lends itself readily to “Fast Tracking”, where construction begins while design details are still in process. The project can be completed in less time because work can begin before all the elements of the design are complete. This fast tracking can reduce the owner’s interim financing costs and will permit the owner to enjoy the property at an earlier date.

Gambino Landscape Lighting is a design and build landscape lighting company that primarily is hired by and works directly with property owners in the manner described above.

This landscape lighting blog is published by Mike Gambino of Gambino landscape lighting inc. all rights reserved. Mike is a professional landscape lighting system designer/ builder and has been designing, installing and maintaining landscape lighting systems for more than 30 years. Mike resides in the Los Angeles area with his wife and 2 sons. To visit his website go to www.Gambinolighting.com . To inquire about hiring Mike please click here .

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