Value Engineering

VALUE ENGINEERING.

Once CONSTRUCTION DOCUMENTS are released, the general contractor (GC) takes those plans and releases them to their subcontractors to start putting together a bid for the job. Typically, the GC has 7 business days to submit a proposal for the work. Once the proposal is submitted, the client can review it against other bids and award the job to the winning bidder. 

It is common practice to wait until after the GC has been awarded the job to start on a VALUE ENGINEERING exercise if requested by the client. VALUE ENGINEERING gives the client an opportunity to decrease the overall cost of a project by not over-paying for a component of the design if a more cost effective option exists. The GC can find alternate materials, submit alternative solutions or work with the INTERIOR DESIGNER on opportunities to save through value engineering. The INTERIOR DESIGNER plays a critical role in guiding the GC through this process since they are the ones that provide the plans and selected the materials. 

To me, this phase of the project is a valuable exercise in creating the perfect cross-section of appearance and price without sacrificing quality.

Here are some DEEP THOUGHTS on value engineering for your Monday morning:

If someone walks down a long corridor, are they able to tell if the wood floors are real wood or a laminate replica?

If they both come from the ground, does it matter if it’s marble or quartz?

If the wood slats on the ceiling turn out to be wallcovering that mimics the look of wood, does it aggrieve the person looking up?

You’re the West Elm to my Restoration Hardware.

You’re the Ikea sofa to my Design Within Reach.

Is Design Within Reach, really “within reach?”

If you write a blog post and nobody reads it, is it really a blog post?

Up next… CONSTRUCTION ADMINISTRATION!