ARCHITECTURAL DESIGN BUILD IN BOSTON – 3 ADVANTAGES IN 2024 

What are some of the primary advantages to architectural design build? 

I get asked this frequently by Boston homeowners and wanted to shed a bit of light on the subject as we approach nearly 20 years in business in the Greater Boston Area. 

At NEDC we do full-service Architectural Design Build across Boston with a focus on sustainable home design.  We service the higher end and luxury space for those Boston homeowners seeking a significant remodel, home addition, etc. 

As a word on our backstory, I graduated from Tufts Architectural in 2002 and took a job at an international design studio.  I quickly realized that I was completely deficient in practical ability and know-how relating to how to actually build. 

I could design and hand over designs for others to execute—quite glibly—and  was lacking the hands-on knowledge and experience to ensure these designs were efficient, effective and practical. 

There was a massive disconnect. 

I decided to take a job in the trades to teach myself to actually build.  

 I thus took a job as a carpenter and the journey began.  I developed a massive respect for those in the trades and began to look into and research the history of the architect and how this prestigious role had become so divorced from the actual trades. 

What I found startled me completely and led to a personal immersion in the subject and a series of books I am writing—the first of which has now been released. 

This passion for the role of the Architect as a Master Builder is woven into the fabric of NEDC and is very much a core part of who we are. 

Today, NEDC is now a creative team of nearly 25 architects, interior designers, administrators and project managers.  We are skilled, service-oriented and experienced. 

As such, we seek to educate Boston homeowners, the industry as a whole, and our clients on the true history of the Architect as a Master Builder and the advantages and simplicity this brings to the table.  

First of all, let’s define the word ‘Architect’: 

THE WORD “ARCHITECT” MEANS “MASTER BUILDER” 

The root of the word architect breaks down into “chief” or “master” (arkhi) and “builder” (tekton). Archi and tekton come from the ancient Greek language, which further originated as far back as 3,000 BC. 

This role was originally recorded in Kemet—northern Africa. 

These are the two current primary approaches to building in Boston.

ARCHITECTURAL DESIGN BUILD VERSUS DESIGN BID BUILD: 

There are two primary approaches to a major home design and remodel. While this can be made very complex as a subject, the natural creative process is fundamentally simple. I will cover both here: 

Design-Bid-Build is the process that has been introduced over the past 150 years or so whereby you as the client directly hire an architect to draft plans and design your project — to then have it bid out to multiple contractors seeking to win the bid and perform the project. This approach has been generalized as mainstream over the past decades and sold to homeowners, often creating client stress and potential loss of both client funds and time. This approach has many liabilities for the client due in no small part to the fragmented spheres of responsibilities which this system and method creates. 

 There is no single person or entity fully accountable to the client for the entire project’s success. 

This single factor alone can create a host of problems for the client. 

By default the client is ultimately responsible for both Architect and Builder as well as the ultimate success of the project. Thus one can have impractical and expensive design work, impractical planning, numerous change orders, shoddy craftsmanship, and projects which are off timeline and over budget. In the end, the client can be left damaged. You or a family member or friend may have experienced this in the past. We have many clients come to us after poor experiences with this approach. 

Architectural Design-Build (also Design Build) is the natural approach to creation of the built environment and has been used for thousands of years to create many of the beautiful structures of earth. Architectural Design Build is the route of choice if one desires to save on time and money, reduce stress, and eliminate a fragmented sense of project responsibility in the people working for you.  

Architectural Design Build is a model that stresses single-source accountability with the creative design, planning, and remodel executed start to finish by one firm. 

Architectural Design-Build in Boston is currently being turned to by professionals, families, and individuals as the cutting edge of efficiency, aesthetics, practicality, and accountability when it comes to designing and remodeling a home. This approach packages architectural design and interior design services with artisan-level building and remodeling services. This natural synthesis makes for a simple, efficient, and accountable creative process followed by a streamlined and responsible build phase, reducing cost, time of execution, and client stress throughout. With the Architectural Design Build approach, the client is dealing solely with one fully accountable firm. 

New England Design and Construction specializes in Architectural Design Build with a specific focus on sustainable luxury homes. We are extremely mindful of environmental impact and passionate about project efficiency and client comfort. 

THREE PRIMARY ADVANTAGES TO ARCHITECTURAL DESIGN BUILD IN BOSTON IN 2024: 

EFFICIENCY IN PROJECT COSTING/TIME 

 Our Architects and Interior Designers are trained builders.  This allows them to design with the end product in mind and value-engineer each design as it evolves to create an aesthetic which is both lasting and practical.  Not all designs have the same price tag in the end, so we calibrate the design development to hit your exact project budget.   

With Architectural Design Build, a single person/team is fully responsible for both planning and execution.  This makes for a seamless process and drastically increased sense of efficiency as the planning/design team and builders are in fully communication and coordination throughout the entire project.  

CHANGE ORDERS (LACK THEREOF) 

Due to our meticulous planning process, change orders are quite infrequent with NEDC.  When they do occur, it is usually because our client has decided to expand their project scope. 

STRESS AND HEADACHES (LITTLE TO NONE) 

To be simple—we run the project and are held fully responsible for its planning, execution and outcome for years to come.   Our project managers have a combined experience of well over 100 years and we offer an industry-leading five-year warranty on all of our work.   

NEDC – THIS IS WHO WE ARE

Download our 2024 Cost Guide here! 

This is a cost guide we have put together to assist Boston homeowners and luxury real estate consultants in their planning and decision making.  We pride ourselves on straight talk when it comes to costing and this guide lays out projected costs for each home space based on real projects over the past 20 years.  It also covers costing connected to whole-home gut remodels across Boston.  We hope it helps! 

WHAT’S INSIDE THE GUIDE:

• 18 pages with individual project images and final costs

• Cost information on remodeling kitchens, bathrooms, basements, and more

• 2 luxury whole home renovation projects with cost breakdowns for each

• Cost summary sheet for a quick look

• Contact information if you want to move forward

NEW ENGLAND DESIGN & CONSTRUCTION CONTACT INFORMATION: 

DAVID MUNIZ SUPPLE – FOUNDER/CEO 

1. DAVE@NEDESIGNBUILD.COM

2. 617 474 0309 

TRISTAN DEWITT – BRAND DIRECTOR 

1. TRISTAN@NEDESIGNBUILD.COM

2. 978 872 5292

CESAR DASILVA – CONCEPTUAL DESIGN DIRECTOR 

1. CESAR@NEDESIGNBUILD.COM

2. 857 249 0022