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Loading...Design Build – Rosendin Electric, NECA/IBEW Team
Owners often have grand design ideas for their building. But “vision” is one thing, and cost and technical realities are quite another.
Enter the NECA-IBEW team.
More and more, NECA contractors are finding themselves involved with a project from the very early conception stages through completion. And it’s not at all uncommon to handle some of the design work in the middle of the construction process itself. It’s a concept called ‘design-build’.
‘Design-build’ allows an owner to reduce their financial risk by hiring a contractor to not only handle the electrical installation, but to also develop a design for it. By cutting out the design middle-man, owners can save a bundle in labor and development costs.
For owners looking for a way to build new projects their own way and save money in the process, design build is proving to be the best of both worlds. And it’s a world your local NECA contractor and its IBEW work force can deliver.
Larry Hollis, from NECA contractor Rosendin Electric, is a firm believer in using design-build to get a jump start on a project.
Larry Hollis, vice president business development, Rosendin Electric
“Design build is a way for the contractor to get involved with a project early. Very early. And what early involvement gives the owner is us understanding exactly what they’re looking for. So by getting us involved early, we can hear right from the owner exactly what they’re looking for, we can contain the cost of the project, we can add to the constructability of the project because we have electricians looking at it during the course of the design. And estimators that are looking at the pricing all the time.”
Rosendin electric is one of the many NECA contractors with an eye on the future getting involved in the design build movement.
Cammi Avellar, project manager, Rosendin Electric
“Design build projects work well for the owners and for us because we can give them a lot of value engineering, we can look at what they’re looking for and how we can put it in the building at a cheaper price, do it a different way. So it’s more of our expertise or our lessons learned that we can suggest new ways to do things or cheaper ways.”
But it’s important to note that cheaper does not mean less quality.
“People fear they’re going to lose quality. They don’t. They’re going to get the same electricians, in our case, the same conduit, the same wires, the same panel, nothing’s going to change. The fact that we get in early speeds the process.”
Rosendin used that expertise to build one of the tallest buildings in San Jose – a 22-story condominium complex in the heart of downtown.
James Townsend, division manager, Rosendin Electric
“I think the biggest challenge, just on the design end, was the lighting on this building. It had a lighting designer, it had an owner. They weren’t seeing eye to eye. And as a contractor in the middle, we’re trying to get them the value for what they proposed.”
The building ended up being a beautifully lit –and wired – collaboration between Rosendin and the building owner. With it came its own set of challenges that illustrate why design build is best for speed, ease of construction, and savings.
James Townsend, division manager, Rosendin Electric
“On the outside of this building, there’s an architectural feature that the city wanted for art, which was designed by an artist in New York. And that was challenging because they threw us right in the middle of it and said you’re the design build electrical contractor, go do it.”
Hollis explained why NECA contractors are the best choice for a building owner’s next design-build job.
Larry Hollis, vice president business development, Rosendin Electric
“I think the NECA contractors with the best product out there and our electricians, the best trained product out there, by having in-house engineering, combine the two pieces that we control, to do the best job for the owner. And that’s why we’re here, to do the best job for the owner. It’s his money and we want to spend it prudently.”
Owners should be considering design build for their next project for one simple reason.
James Townsend, division manager, Rosendin Electric
“This way, everyone gets to get pretty much what they want. And it’s proven value to the owner, to us, to the architect, to the general. To me, it’s the way to build.”
Rosendin electric is just one of many qualified NECA contractors who are ready to help you make your project shine for less.
For more information about design-build contractors in your area, go to necanet.org for more information.