Design-Build equals affordable architecture

Last time I told you about some ways to build a beautiful affordable modern home. One other big way to do it is to use a design-build firm. Design-build means that the architecture firm acts as both designer and contractor. When we built our house in 2013, we worked with Tonic Design & Construction in Raleigh, NC and everything they designed was thought about in terms of constructability and cost. Design-build really takes the theoretical and makes it practical. And it saves money in the end – some estimate about 10% savings in project costs. The way that I explain it is that with design-build you still get the great architecture that you want, but you can actually afford it now. We did a feasibility study with Tonic before we even purchased the land to make sure we could get the house that we wanted on our budget.

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Read more about the concept of design-build if you’re interested. I was sold on the concept from the beginning mainly because it saves time and headaches over communication.

We ended up building our house for $150/square foot which means I can keep my part time job, working less and hanging out with the kids more. It’s that balance that matters to me.