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Construction
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Architectural Design Phases Guide
Read More: Architectural Design Phases GuideQuick answer: Architectural design phases run in a fixed order: schematic design, design development, construction documents, then bidding and construction administration. The owner approves at the end of the early phases, so decide carefully before each sign-off. Each phase ends with something the owner receives and, in the early phases, something the owner approves. This…
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Project Delivery Methods
Read More: Project Delivery MethodsAn owner weighing design-bid-build vs design-build is choosing between price competition after full design and one team accountable for both design and construction. Choose design-bid-build for design control and public procurement; design-build for speed and fewer contracts. This comparison sits inside the wider sequence described in our guide to architecture and building project phases. The…
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Building Permits and Approvals
Read More: Building Permits and ApprovalsYou have drawings for an addition and need to know how to get a building permit before anyone digs or frames. Start with the local building department, because every step below is set by the jurisdiction. Quick answer: confirm the work needs a permit, prepare complete scaled drawings, pay the intake fees, answer plan review…
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Urban Planning
Home Improvement
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How to Hire a General Contractor: Step by Step
Continue Reading: How to Hire a General Contractor: Step by StepHere is how to hire a general contractor with confidence: confirm the state license, a certificate of insurance and bond details, then sign a written contract before paying anything. Each step ties to a record you can check. The steps below are a sequence, not a ranking. Each one only works if the previous one…
