PROJECT DELIVERY FAQ
Project Delivery
This basically means how a project is completed by the design team for the client/ owner.
There are various ways of delivering a project but the most common and what most home owners will see are:
In Traditional Design-Bid-Build, the client hires and architect, who designs the building. The project is bid and a contract is signed with a contractor. The architect acts as the client's agent during the construction to ensure that the contractor adheres to the design intent.
In Design-Build, the architect designs the building and instead of a bid, changes hats and acts as the general contractor, providing a guranteed max price for the construction and builds the building.
The Design process
We'll take a look at the traditional Design-Bid-Build route since that's the route most projects take.
For the most part, a design project is normally broken into different design phases.
Designing a building takes time and a lot
of careful planning. These phases are listed below.
Occassionally on smaller projects these phases tend to be lumped together or because of time limitations, be shortened into one design phase. So it's probably a good idea to be aware of these phases but be flexible in it's implementation.
Conceptual Design
is where the architect listens to the client, works with their program and develops one or more initial designs.
Probably as sketches, drawings or simple models. Not everyone works the same way, so find an architect who can help you visualize the design.
Ideas and concepts are bounced around and discussed during this early stage.
Schematic Design (SD)
These initial ideas are expanded on during
schematic design.
Normally the best ideas are combined into a single schematic design.
Initial drawings are created usually consisting of floor plans, elevations and sections.
Imagine a floor plan as somebody coming along and ripping off the roof of your house, exposing the walls and looking down on it.
Elevations are what the outside of your home looks like and sections are what your home looks like if it was sliced vertically.
Physical models or computer generated models are sometimes used to help the client "visualize" the design.
project delivery
DD-CD 
administration