The Design/Assist Program

I. A Team Approach

In our design/assist program the architect and builder are contracted directly with the Church through independent agreements allowing the to work side by side as equal team members in the process, thus eliminating potential conflicts of interest.

II. Maximized Roles

The team approach allows each member to maximize their professional roles; the architect designs with the best interests of the Church at heart while the builder provides guidance in matters of budget controls. Each party is free to do what they do best without undue influence from the other, thus the Church's interests are always kept in the forefront. The architect and builder are also free to benefit from each others experience in the design and construction processes.

III. Checks and Balances

The Church receives the benefit of professional accountability as the architect and builder hold each other responsible to the best interests of the project, thus eliminating unilateral control by either party. Excessive design and undue pricing levels are both held in check. 		IV. Higher Design Quality

The architect is free to suggest any and all design solutions to best implement the program; preconceived constraints to creativity are eliminated.

V. Lower Constuctions Costs

In pricing updates throughout the design process the builder is motivated to establish a relationship of trust with the Church by consistently delivering the lowest budget pricing since his contract is not finalized until the construction documents are complete and final pricing is presented. Throughout the pricing processes he "earns" trust by reducing costs through the selection of reasonably priced sub-contractors and suggesting less expensive design options to the architect. This eliminates the built-in incentive of the design/build process to select higher priced sub-contractors which increases total construction costs and thus the builder's fee.

VI. Shorter Construction Schedule

Through periodic reviews of the critical path construction schedule by the architect, the overall time frame of the building process is minimized, thus costs of general conditions and financial interest carry are reduced to the Church.