Working with Eden Religious Facilities gives you 24-hour accessibility to your project leaders and our company’s principals, stringent project and budget control, and a team of employees who share our skills, integrity, and commitment to bringing your dream to life. Our team can provide our services through any of three standard delivery approaches, depending upon the nature of your project and your personal preferences. We’ve summarized them here and will be happy to discuss the advantages and disadvantages of each.
In the traditional approach to church construction, the church hires an architect to design the project, create drawings, specify materials, and provide a projected budget. The church pays the architect directly. The architect rarely interacts with construction professionals and may be unaware of practical issues created by the design.
Once the architect’s work is complete, general contractors bid on the project. Ideally, those bids will be within the scope of the proposed budget. If the bids are substantially higher, the church and the selected contractor will have to work together to identify ways to reduce costs, such as by selecting different construction materials. Problems with the original design may also lead to additional costs. The church is generally responsible for paying any cost increases.
Under this approach, the church hires both an architect and a firm to serve as the construction manager. The church pays the architect directly, and typically pays the construction manager a fixed fee for the entire project or a fee that’s based on actual construction cost, sometimes with a guaranteed maximum price. The construction manager works with the architect to develop the project scope, timeline, and budget for the church’s approval.
The construction manager is then responsible for selecting and supervising the contractors who perform the actual construction work. The firm acts as the church’s representative, addressing issues that arise along the way. The construction manager is responsible for monitoring the project costs and keeping the church informed.
With Design-Build, our preferred method of delivery, the church has a single contract with Eden that covers all aspects of design and construction. We hire and supervise the architect, engineer, and construction team on your behalf. We’re responsible for managing the project budget and collaborating to keep your costs under control. Design-Build simplifies the construction process and reduces your risks.
