The
Cost of
Making "Changes"
Of the many projects I have done, one thing occurs frequently in cost
impacts, budgets
are frequently
exceeded at the
latter part of
the
construction.
Why? Because
this is the
phase where
impulse
purchasing
occurs and
owners want to
make revisions.
It's kind of
reaction to
"last-chance"
opportunity;
behavior that
has been drilled
into our heads
via news and
television
marketing
strategies.
Making
"changes" is a
culprit in the
overall project
cost. There was
a publication
that noted cost
increases from
"changes" became
higher the
further you are
into the
construction of
the building.
Why? Systems
impact. It
appears to be
common belief
that individual
components of a
building, like a
door, or wall,
can be changed
out and
substituted for
a nominal cost.
The truth is
that components
may be part of a
system. What is
altered in the
system can have
impacts on other
parts of the
system. So
"changing" the
design is not
just a component
replacement. The
further you are
into the
project, the
more the
individual
components are
interconnected
and become parts
of systems. It
is more involved
to alter some
components,
which may
require the
dismantling of
an entire
system.
Window
revisions are a
big "change"
item. Clients
see a blank wall
and want to
place a window
there or desire
to move windows
around during
construction.
Here in
California,
window locations
can impact
earthquake-resisting
systems in the
building
exterior walls.
Moving windows
at later stages
of construction
can have system
impacts!
Cost savings
and economy
should be
completed in the
planning and
designing stages
of a project.
Once you begin
construction,
the
opportunities
for saving money
begin to
diminish and the
cost of making
"changes"
increases very
quickly. The
design and
planning of a
building project
should make an
effort to
resolve economy
early in the
game, and
decrease the
likelihood of
making changes
down the line.
Doing
Basements in
California
So you want
to add a
basement to your
house, or
include one in
the design? Let
me warn you,
that in
California,
although not
impossible,
there are hefty
requirements to
doing this.
First the City
Building
Departments will
probably require
a survey. You
have to get a
licensed
Surveyor to
survey your lot.
This is to
insure you build
the house in the
right place,
especially if
you are going to
be digging below
the earth's
surface, next to
a neighbor's
house. The City
will require a
Soils
Investigation
Report. You have
to have a Soils
Engineer come to
your property,
dig some holes
for soil
samples, and
test the soil.
Once they do
this, they write
a report. The
information in
this report is
what the
engineers use to
design the
foundation/walls
and floor slab
for the
basement, in
order to retain
the earth. The
City will
probably require
a Civil Engineer
to create what
is called a
Grading Plan.
This plan will
tell how the
earth slopes and
how water is
drained from the
site, so as not
to undermine the
basement and
foundation. All
of these plans
and documents
(and we aren't
even talking
about the
house), must be
reviewed by the
City engineering
departments,
separately, from
the building
department, in
some cases. How
long does all of
this take?
Sometimes
months, and
sometimes a
year, plus. It
depends on how
strict the City
is in their
requirements or
how backlogged
the City may be
in checking
plans. It may
also depend on
how well the
engineers
document the
design. If the
engineers do not
do a good job,
then the
documents can go
"back-forth"
until everything
is done to the
City's
satisfaction.
Such is the
case, sometimes,
when the owner
has a low
budget, and
hires those with
the lowest fees.
Now lets talk
about the
requirements.
These eat into
the budget, as
well. That's
right, it's not
over yet! You
are required to
have an OSHA
permit, if you
are digging
below 5 feet.
This will be
required of the
contractor, and
there is a whole
deal about
having a safety
program for your
project, with a
"Competent
Person"
designated for
the earthwork
effort. Now, if
you want to make
the basement
with more living
and bedroom
space, then
their needs to
be windows and
window wells,
with ladders or
steps, in order
to let the
required light
in, and allow
for emergency
escape. So these
window wells
must stick out
from the sides
of the wall and
you need extra
side yard space.
Now, when you do
this, your
basement is
considered
another story!
Are you going
over the height
restrictions for
building a house
now? Okay, so
you don't want
the basement to
be another
story! So now,
it can only be a
non-habitable,
non-conditioned
space!
Basically, it
has to be a
garage. Water
goes into the
garage! You need
sump pumps and
drains in the
parking area to
get the water
out! The City of
Los Angeles
requires 2 sump
pumps- the other
is a "back-up."
Okay, lets call
the basement
"Storage." Well,
it can't even be
"storage"
because
"storage" is
considered a
habitable space.
Well, so you
say, "At least
can I have a
bathroom?"
Remember, you
are below the
surface of the
earth. You need
some way to get
the sewage up to
the main sewer
line. Now you
have to include
sewer injectors!
So, we need a
mechanical
engineer to
design and size
all of the sump
pumps and sewer
injectors! Run
you another
10-20k!! Please
do not be in a
methane zone, or
have an
abandoned oil
field around
you. Methane
mitigation
systems have to
be installed. So
you say there is
no methane on
your property?
The City may
require the
services of a
methane
consultant to
come to the
property test,
and provide a
written report
to that effect.
Still want to do
a basement? Oh,
by the way, this
has nothing to
do with the size
of your basement
either! And
don't even think
about taking
short cuts on
this! A City
building
inspector, who
thinks that you
are attempting
to cut corners
can make your
life a living…
well you know…
Standard
Plan
Let's
re-use this set
of plans and
save money!
As my bosses
used to say,
"Mike, let's
create a
"standard plan,"
and then we can
repeat it over
and over, and
save money."
During my term
as an employee,
I heard this
directive over
and over.
Attempting to
execute this
notion never met
expectations
because the
designs would
continue to be
revised,
becoming
something
different than
their original
state. It never
seemed to work.
It took more
time, attempting
to have it "fit"
the
circumstances,
than if we had
just started
from scratch! In
my professional
opinion, this
has got to be
the great
fallacy of our
design industry!
It is a concept
based on an
illusion of
economic
profitability.
In some cases,
it creates even
more cost and
sacrifices human
health, comfort,
and
environmental
conservation, in
an attempt to
manifest it's
ideology.
There is no
piece of land or
property that is
identical in
it's soil
properties and
conditions,
slopes, water
content,
vegetation,
orientation to
views,
accessibility,
exposure to
sunlight,
rainfall,
temperature
variations, and
many other
characteristics,
tangible and
intangible. No
piece of land is
duplicated.
There is always
variation.
Therefore, one
building design
can't possibly
be placed on all
these variations
of land
characteristics,
without
alteration of
some type. But
once the
building design
is altered, then
it is no longer
same. Now, it's
a different
design!
There is a
myth. The myth
is that the plan
can be
duplicated and
re-used over and
over. But there
will be
revisions to
that plan,
because no
properties and
their
surrounding
characteristics
are the same. A
single property
is not ruled by
the same set of
building codes,
or adoption of
codes over time.
These things,
and others,
change.
Once, a
contractor
requested I
design a small,
one story office
building that
could be built
anywhere in the
United States.
To him, this
meant something
easy to repeat
over and over,
and let the cash
roll in! But to
me, as a
designer, this
meant the design
had to conform
to all codes in
the U.S., and be
able to be built
for all
conditions;
terrain, soil
conditions, or
high winds,
earthquakes,
etc. By the time
it was done it
was determined
that the design
was not
economically
feasible for the
contractor.
Because of his
request for one
design, it had
become, for him,
over-designed,
because it had
to withstand the
worst
conditions. This
occurred because
this contractor
did not want to
return to us for
site-specific
revisions;
paying extra
design fees. He
wanted a
one-time fee,
"one-plan-suits
all" type of
design, composed
of
"off-the-shelf"
standard
construction.
But it failed to
culminate his
objective.
How many
times have you
entered a tract
home and the
windows didn't
even look at the
views the site
had to offer?
This comes from
re-using the
plan over and
over, without
consideration to
the site and the
comfort of the
inhabitants. As
was explained to
me, "Well you
see Mike, if
this was my
house, I would
do it
differently, but
these are just
"spec" homes!"
My purpose
here is not to
condemn this
application. My
purpose is to
advise my design
constituents and
potential
clients, that
more comfort and
quality may be
experienced in
designs that
respond to the
specific
considerations
of the site,
it's
environment,
it's occupants,
their lifestyle,
etc. A new suit
from a tailor
is, most likely,
going to be more
comfortable than
one bought at
the department
store. |