As Engineers and Consultants become increasingly influential in the adoption of new building techniques to help save their clients time and money while improving quality and efficiency, we are seeing more and more conversations started and led by these stakeholders. However, because these parties are rarely the contract signers, these relationships are often characterized by a collaborative process of shepherding the project more so than a client relationship. Our process with engineers and consultants generally follows the following structure.
1. Initial Conversation
It all starts with an initial conversation so we can learn why you or your clients became interested in prefabricated high performance construction methods and where to take the conversation from there. We’ll talk about where and when the project is hoping to start construction, the budget for the project, and some ballpark numbers for a few different scope options.
2. Discussion of Paradigm and Scope Options
Projects can follow three paradigms – custom, optimized, and pre-designed. We’ll help you understand these options and the resulting impacts on envelope performance, production and construction processes, and the differing requirements for input from structural engineers, building envelope consultants, energy efficiency and sustainability consultants, and others. We’ll gladly share typically building assemblies in an attempt to provide a better sense of the nature and scope of our products and services.
3. Introduction to Key Stakeholders
A dedicated conversation with as many stakeholders as possible helps us ensure that our material choices, scope, and estimated timeline is satisfying the needs of all team members. This integrated design approach allows us to be more accurate, and while this meeting does not need to result in a solution for everything, the establishment of a working relationship will help the entire process run more smoothly.
4. Contract Signing and Design Review
After pricing is prepared and sent to the owner, general contractor, or architect, structural engineers typically become highly involved in the design review process, which starts after a 10% deposit is paid. While we seek to offer recommendations based on material availability, experience, and manufacturing processes, we rely on engineers to give the final word on the acceptable connections, structural posts and beams, and other elements of the design. Other engineers and consultants are often involved in this stage so that the end result is a set of drawings that will later inform our production and installation processes, and can have an impact on energy models, hygrothermal models, and other elements of the design.
5. Production & Installation
Engineers and consultants are welcomed to be present at the shop or on site as required by building regulations and in order to produce necessary signoffs to satisfy building officials. If Collective Carpentry is involved in a scope that includes further window installation and airsealing work, consultants may also be involved in the blower door testing of the building envelope, in which Collective Carpentry is happy to participate as necessary.