November 14th, 2011 – Orlando, Fla. – Richard Haines, President & CEO of RL Haines, has been elected to the  board of directors for the Central Florida Chapter of the Associated Builders & Contractors. The three-year term will begin January 2012.

Congratulations, Richard!

November 4th, 2011 – Jacksonville, Fla. – Progress continues at Coggin Nissan at the Avenues, located at 10859 Phillips Highway. The renovation will be complete by the end of the year.

November 1st, 2011 – Orlando, Fla. – Check out this month’s Orlando Magazine where Richard is featured in an ad for Dynamic Smile Design. Thank you, Dr. Puig!

The Benefits of Design-Build Construction

Written by: Paige Taylor

Freelance Writer/Graduate of the University of Texas El Paso

The design-bid-build approach to building is considered by many to be the classic technique. The design-build approach offers up an alternative to the traditional method of building, along with some great benefits which provide an advantage some situations.

One of the largest advantages to the design-build method is the singular accountability and responsibility throughout the process of building. This means that there is a prime point for a schedule, quality and cost. This often means that the builder or contractor brings an extra bit of focus to the process with the motivation to complete any and all objectives during the process.

With a single responsibility on the process, quality is often taken up a notch in comparison to a regular design-bid-build approach. The owner’s expectations and goals for building are usually conveyed to the contractor, entitling them to the extra responsibility of meeting the performance requirements set forth. This contact and communication between the owner and contractor allows for goals and procedures to be easily conveyed, allowing for better quality in the end.

Using the design-build approach is also very valuable when it comes to savings for both time and cost. The design and construction process often overlap in a traditional building situation. A design-build approach allows the total time for both processes to be cut down as the materials and equipment can be phased in during the same time the document phase is coming to an end.

The cost can be reduced when you consider that design and construction workers are able to communicate easier, evaluating the most quality and cost efficient methods possible. Also, in a design-build method, the costs are identified earlier in the process. Change orders are often eliminated during this process and the projects can be accurately planned out earlier. The design-builder is able to do this by estimating the costs of construction during the actual design.

As mentioned earlier, the quality of communication plays a large part in the success of a design-build project. The details of construction and design process are developed in cohesion with the owner. Once the design phase is completed, the contractor and owner are able to stay on the same page about any problems, successes and goals throughout the building phase.

The design-build method has certainly continued to increase in popularity as more contractors and building companies start to realize the large advantages involved. The design-build approach would be great for local projects, whether it be an Orlando apartment complex, retail location, institutional setting or commercial building. The design build approach allows the contractors and the owners to experience a number of key advantages in the building process, including an upgrade in savings, quality and communication.

October 5th, 2011 – Brandon, Fla. – Progress continues on Genghis Grill, located at 910 Providence Road. The new location features build-your-own Mongolian Stir Fry and will seat more than 200 guests. Have your appetites ready – Genghis Grill in Brandon will be open before the end of the year.