MORE ABOUT OUR PROCESS
At TLE Design and Management, we never forget that you as the client are the person(s) who will be using, enjoying, and maintaining the building that we are hired to help you create. We never lose sight of the fact that your dreams, wishes, and desires contribute to make the building unique. We believe that the best house for your family is the house that fits your family’s lifestyle.
To start the process is quite simple. Whether you have found us online or through a friend, give us a call so we can connect. We will then agree on a face-to-face meeting of your choosing (virtual or in-person) to get to know each other. This will be the start of an exciting relationship.
PHASE 1: DISCOVERY, RESEARCH AND FEASIBILITY
1. First in-person meeting.
This is when we get to know you in depth. We will carefully listen to your visions of the project, the goals to be achieved, the wishes to be incorporated and also the aspects you are looking to avoid. We will be discussing your timelines and budget for the project so we can plan together. We will visit the site with you and to assess and discuss the feasibility of your vision and any obvious limitations and risks you might have to deal with.
2. Feasibility study.
Once the first meeting is completed. TLE will start investigation and research, to confirm the full feasibility of integrating your vision to your site. Consideration of all applicable laws and regulations (zoning, heritage, conservation, etc.). Once the investigation is concluded, we will compile the findings of our investigation into a report.
3. Feasibility study report.
The report will be used to demonstrate the following,
a. Itemized needs and wants
b. Observation of the site and existing site conditions
c. Possibilities and limitations of the site
d. Our recommendations with regards to direction to explore during the next phase
e. Preliminary budget for the project
f. Rough schedule to complete the project
4. Review of the findings.
It may be, the report contains technical terms or processes that you are not familiar with. That is to be expected. We will set up a meeting to expand and clarify the report point by point.
PHASE 2: CONCEPT GENERATION
During the Concept Generation phase, we will explore various design options base on the outcome of the previous phase. These design options will be presented to you in the form of sketches, plans and schematic diagrams. TLE will also start the detailed measurement of the site as well as any existing structures. If you are not able to obtain an up-to-date survey plan of the property, we can assist.
Upon your approval of a conceptual design, drawings will be prepared, as well as applications for zoning certificates, committee of adjustment, heritage, conservation, and urban forestry approvals. Time required to complete this phase will depend on the complexity of the conceptual design as well as required approval from the jurisdiction having authority.
PHASE 3: DESIGN AND ENGINEERING
This is the phase where we further develop your selected conceptual design. We will determine design elements such as layout, materials, finishes, lighting, security and more. This stage will be very exciting and time consuming for you. But don’t worry, we will provide our recommendations with regards to materials, finishes and fixtures so you can focus on making decisions on layouts, lighting, and other aspect of the design such as security. You will be provided with architectural drawings as well as 3D fly-through models to aid you with your decision-making process.
Once the preliminary design is reviewed and approved by you. TLE will continue with our detailed design and engineering. This is when together, we finalize the architectural design and commence structural design, mechanical design, and all other engineering works. Your involvement during this latter part of Phase 3 will be lessened. However, as promised, we won’t keep you in the dark. You will be engaged via progress updates and design reviews. Trust us, you will be the decision maker for final design and engineering.
PHASE 4: CONSTRUCTION TENDERING
This is the phase where you will pick the contractor for the construction of your project and form binding contracts.
Typically, a builder can be sourced in a few different ways,
1. pre-selected contractor of your preference
2. a winner of the construction tendering (typically between three bidders)
3. form a design-build contract with TLE
4. form a construction management contract with TLE
Regardless of who you decided to work with, we have the correct knowledge and experience to help you; from organizing the construction tendering and invite reputable contractor to evaluating proposal and providing professional recommendations.
PHASE 5: CONSTRUCTION MANAGEMENT
This is perhaps the most exiting phase throughout the entire project. At TLE Design and Management, we are specialized in project management of construction projects. Whether we are the construction manager or acting as your representative, we can assure you that your construction will not be left unattended
We have years of experience collaborating closely with contractors and trades. We will act as the point of contact between you and the contractor, and we will facilitate all communication with regards to the construction. TLE will perform regular site visits to monitor the progress and hold regular meetings with all parties. This way, project updates can be communicated and formally documented, and arising issues, if any, can be resolved as soon as they are discovered.
Our process will help you to manage the project finances. We will review progress claims from all parties and advise as to the accuracy as well as the validity of these claims. All you have to do is to approve the claims.
This might surprise some, but site conditions and design changes are inevitable on most construction projects. We are skilled in responding to site conditions, and work closely with all necessary parties towards efficient resolutions. Any cost and schedule impact due to these changes will be reviewed, documented and communicated, so you don’t get any unexpected invoices.
PHASE 6: PROJECT CLOSE OUT
Once the construction nears completion, it will be the time to start closing the project. Closing a construction project may sound simple but it actually involves much more than just paying off the last invoice.
Many of us have heard that the last 5% of the project takes forever to complete and it has been known to cause so much headache and inconvenience for the owner. How can we help? Well, by helping the contractor to stay hyper-focused on your project.
We will help the contractor to create punch-list and resolve all items captured on the punch-list before the established substantial completion date. We will conduct a substantial completion walkthrough with all parties to confirm the status and conformance of the final product. If deficiencies are identified during this walkthrough, we will document them in a formal report and ask the contractor to correct before close the project. Only after all deficiencies are corrected, all disagreements are resolved, and all permits are closed, we will close the project.