Five Valuable Steps Each building or remodeling project is a custom solution to a specific set of problems.  No two projects are exactly alike.  Let us help craft a custom solution for you by walking with you through the following process: Step 1:  At our initial meeting we will develop an approximate scope of work for your project and determine our compatibility with your needs. a) Personality – can we work well together? b) Type of project – are we the best qualified to do this project? c) Budget – can we align a reasonable budget with the desired scope of the project? This is often the most difficult part.  All three of these questions need to be answered “yes” if we are to proceed beyond this point. Because we value both your time and ours, we strive to answer these questions right up front. We believe this is the only professional thing to do. Step 2:  Once a decision has been made to proceed with RCB, we will want to enter into a contractual agreement to complete the design, estimating and planning process.  We obviously cannot do this work for free but we will be able to propose a responsible a design budget at this point. We will continue to refine the initial concept through preliminary design and budget alignment, arriving finally with completed construction documents and a contract. Step 3:  Working with your architect or one we can recommend, we will transition from mutual concept schemes and sketches to a first draft.  Always mindful of your budget, we will work together to finalize a scheme and develop a fairly close estimate for that scheme. Many times a project can sail right through on the first pass.  It is more likely however that at least some revisions will be made and the preliminary design (PD) will be modified and resubmitted.  It is fairly rare that we need to start all over at this point, but it can happen.  This is expensive to do and it may indicate a breakdown in communications.  Please be sure to carefully convey your goals and expectations at the onset. Step 4:  Once the PD is complete, the design professional ads in the various technical details and structural elements to convert the design work into building permit ready drawings.  Scheduling and site considerations are discussed and finalized.  Value engineering to try to weed out/simplify any costly elements and add in details of value to the client.  All of this has to be done with the budget in mind.  To warn you in advance, it is usually an effort to hold the line on the budget at this point as many small items tend to get added in that cancel any VE savings. Step 5:  Review final drawings/scope and budget.  Go to construction contract. Roarke Custom Builders, Inc • 461 Elliot Road • East Greenbush • New York • 12061 phone: 518-689-0066 • fax: 518-689-0067 • email: info@roarkecustombuilders.com