In today’s world, the home improvement industry has the highest rate of dissatisfaction and complaints in the world–second only to auto sales and repair.

We’ve all seen this in our day to day lives and likely heard the stories of our neighbors and friends with varying degrees of success and horror.

Quality projects that are truly stunning mixed with schedules that are overrun or even never completed, impractical planning that can’t be built, shoddy work and even rip-off and criminality.

Hundreds of thousands can be spent on Architectural plans only to find that once bid the project cost vastly exceeds the client’s budget and now can’t be executed.

How could this be?

Let us examine the definition of the word Architect through time.

“ARCHITECT” DEFINED SINCE 1755

1755 Dictionary of the English Language by Samuel Johnson

Architect – A contriver of a building; a builder.

1828 Webster’s Dictionary

Architect – A person skilled in the art of building; to form plans and design of buildings, and superintend the artificers employed.

1913 Webster’s Dictionary

Architect – A person skilled in the art of building; one who understands architecture, or makes it his occupation to form plans and designs of buildings, and to superintend the artificers employed.

2024 Collins Online Dictionary

Architect – A person who designs buildings.

Note the change over time of the definition of ‘architect’ – from a synonym to builder to solely a designer.

Let us examine and define “Architect” here in context of its derivation.

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. 

For thousands of years Architects were fully responsible for the entirety of a building project—from its initial concept, design and then its full construction down to the last nail.   

This was the definition and role of the Architect, and there was no other.

And if you step back and take a look at it through a lens of practicality–it really makes sense to have a single entity experienced in every facet of design and build fully responsible for both the process and end product.

I cover this further in this short film.

The True Meaning of an Architect

WHAT IS ARCHITECTURAL DESIGN BUILD? 

Architectural Design Build versus Design Bid Build 

There are two primary approaches to a major home design and remodel in Boston in 2025. 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.  

This is the approach to creation which embraces the original and definition of Architect as Master Builder.

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. 

Along these lines we recently completed the first certified residential Passive House retrofit in all of Massachusetts.

NEW ENGLAND DESIGN & CONSTRUCTION:  ARCHITECTS WHO BUILD

I founded NEDC twenty years ago after graduating from Tufts Architectural, working in an international design studio, then taking a job as a carpenter to teach myself to actually build.

My vision for NEDC was a leading creative team which would embrace the legacy of the Architect as Master Builder and keep this alive.  Today we are a vibrant team of 25 Architects, interior designers, project managers and artisan builders of which I am extremely proud.  We offer white glove service for our clients from initial conceptual design through architectural planning, interior design and artisan build.  We follow this up with a five-year warranty on our work.

“I tell anyone who will listen how grateful I am to have worked with NEDC for our project. David and his entire team go above and beyond to ensure that their clients feel supported, heard, and in-the-know. I am a big believer in the design-build process and the protections it offers to the homeowner, and I’ve been consistently impressed by the beauty and function of our design as well as the team communication. I’d give NEDC 6 stars if I could!”

         NEDC Client

Areas we serve: 

At NEDC we serve Boston’s Metrowest and the Greater Boston Area including Cambridge, Somerville, Wellesley, Weston, Waban, Wayland, Winchester, Lexington, Sudbury, Concord, Arlington, Framingham, Natick, Lincoln, Brookline, Newton, Chestnut Hill, Waltham, Belmont, Carlisle, Jamaica Plain, Roxbury, South Boston, Back Bay, Beacon Hill, and the South End.  

Best, 

David Supple 

CEO New England Design & Construction 

dave@nedesignbuild.com

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Download here our free Home Design & Remodeling Cost Guide for Boston: 

https://www.nedesignbuild.com/boston-remodeling-cost-guide/ 

Refs:

https://www.boston.com/real-estate/home-improvement/2023/06/15/home-improvement-issues-were-the-2nd-biggest-source-of-complaints-in-2022/