| my Design/Build Coach Articles for Remodeling and Design/Build Professionals | |||
| The "Short Order Cook" Design/Builder | |||
The "Short Order Cook" Design/Builder (Second in a series of six articles about design/build styles) If you have ever been to eat at a diner you know that the chef is a master of high volume quick turnaround meal preparation. He or she does not fuss with presentation worries such as garnishes. This is not nouveau cuisine artistically arranged so that fresh sprigs of chive cantilever over the medley of lamb chops the size of dimes. This is the short order cook. Waitresses bark out orders that need to be filled in a matter of minutes so that they can move the customers through their doors. Volume is the key to success in the diner business. Moving fannies on and off the diner's stools is the way to make the business viable. Furthermore, the cook is there to accommodate the customer. If the guy at table three wants a bacon and peanut butter sandwich, that is just what he will get. The cook does not impose his sensibilities and biases onto the customer. So it is with what I call "short order cook" design/build. In essence the design is done by the client. The contractor takes the order for the job from the homeowner rather than designing the project. This can be a viable business as long as the contractor has a good grasp of cost and time involved with the project. Simple projects tend to be best suited to this style of design/build. If what the client wants is fairly straightforward then the risk of complications and change orders is lessened. This is particularly true if the contractor has vast experience in this type of project. Furthermore, simpler projects can be very profitable if they are completed in a timely manner. Like the short order cook, volume of smaller projects with quick turnaround can serve the contractor and his crew well. Another positive feature of these projects is that these clients tend to be vested in the project because it is their design. One cannot underestimate the importance of having clients that are on board throughout the remodeling process. Which brings up another benefit of "short order cooking": moving in and out of the project (and therefore the customer's home) quickly. As with all things, there are some disadvantages that should be considered. For some builders, this type of work does not provide them the opportunity to exercise their design ability which can lead to frustration. Sure, there will be the opportunity to offer suggestions, but these may not provide the creative stretch that makes work a joy for some. Likewise, vanilla flavored projects may not lead to as many referrals as more elaborate renovations. This should be kept in mind because one of the keys to success with "short order cooking" is volume. Marketing and scheduling become more vital in order to keep the crews busy and the money coming in the door. It tends to be an easier sell if dramatic before and after photographs can be produced. One of the final considerations before jumping into the frying pan of short order cooking is control: control of design, control of budget and control of product selection. Some contractors have no problem with relinquishing this control to the homeowner. Indeed, they prefer the homeowner to carry the weight of these decisions and issues. On the other hand, some design/builders cannot operate without maintaining a great deal of control over all of the above. In fact, the reason they became design/builders in the first place was to control not only their destiny but also what is being built in their community. Relinquishing the responsibility of design, product selection and budget to the homeowner only proves to frustrate this type of contractor. Just as there are different types of homes and homeowners, so there are different types of design/build contractors. Among the different types of design/builders that will be presented in future articles are: Design/Negotiator Builder, Traditional Design/Builder, In-House Design/Builder or Ultimate/Design Builder. Whether you are taking the orders from your clients; "You want a side of tiles with that dormer?" or are controlling the clients throughout the design and build process, it is important to find what works for you and your company. As with most things, it may take awhile to find your proper fit. Through trial and error and knowing your own abilities and objectives, you will achieve success. |
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THE "SHORT ORDER COOK" DESIGN/BUILDER By Joseph Dellanno Remodeling News January 8, 2002 |
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