Construction Documents: The Final Set
Design Development signifies the end of the design, but the design still needs to be documented in full, and this is where construction documents step in.
Step 1:
Technical documents are created and assembled, illustrating exactly where the flooring transition aligns with the door jamb and how the ventilation is addressed in a subtle and beautiful manner.
Step 2:
Orders are assembled, lead times confirmed, and if necessary replacements selected for any back ordered and/or discontinued items. Once all lead times are provided, we place orders with a systematic approach, ensuring each item arrives synchronously with the build and installation process.
Step 3:
A walkthrough is scheduled with our project superintendent and subcontractors, allowing subcontractors the ability to provide their estimate, fine-tuning the estimate provided during the Design Proposal phase. While this is a more rounded-out estimate, it is still non-binding.
Our superintendent will discuss logistics for on-site work, including ideal location for storing work materials and tools, parking, as well as any other considerations during work.
In a way, the design process is like writing a research paper.
Programming can be compared to doing the research. Schematic Design is our project outline. Design Development is the rough draft and Construction Documents is the final draft. It sometimes seems as though the final set should be the easiest part. It's all done, right? But, remember finalizing those papers and getting it from rough draft to final? It is detail work that requires reviewing again and again and again. This is my biggest area of paper waste... it's just not the same reviewing drawings on a screen. I need to see the paper and have the red pen in my hand to find the errors.
Once the Construction Documents are complete, there will likely be a lag before construction begins while we wait for products to arrive and confirm all our sub-contracts.
It is important that we do not start Construction too early, requiring pauses while we wait for materials to be in stock. We want this process to be as fluid as possible!
