Design-build is a single contract, a single point of accountability, and a sequence that only works if every phase is done in order. Nine phases, each with a defined deliverable. Nothing begins until the prior step is complete.
Every engagement begins with a structured intake — not a back-and-forth, not an open-ended call. We ask about the property, the affected areas, the vision, a working budget range, ownership status, and whether plans already exist or full design-build support is needed. This front-loading lets us qualify the fit and respond with substance rather than platitudes. Response time is same-day to two business days.
A focused call or email exchange to verify what the intake surfaced — scope, urgency, realistic budget range, and timeline. We're establishing fit on both sides, not selling. If the project is outside our capacity or the timeline doesn't allow us to do the work right, we say so here rather than three months into drawings. The outcome is a clear next step, not an ambiguous handshake.
We visit the property before we write a number. Measurements are taken, conditions are photographed, and scope assumptions are documented on-site. The contract we eventually prepare confirms that the estimator observed the property directly and prepared the estimate in good faith from those conditions — a commitment that only means something if the visit actually happened. Simple work may require one visit; additions often require a second pass once structural conditions are better understood.
After the walkthrough, we build a working budget: an itemized PDF with line items, an allowance schedule, documented assumptions, explicit exclusions, and the major cost drivers for the project. This is not a round number produced from a quick glance — it is a planning document backed by sheet-by-sheet material takeoffs, code-driven assemblies, and trade quotes where required. Unused allowances are credited back to the owner. Scope changes go through a written change order before any work proceeds.
Where the scope requires it, we develop the full design package: architectural and construction drawings, site plan, structural and engineering details, and a finalized allowance schedule reflecting the owner's finish selections. On more complex projects, the design phase may produce a revised estimate when structural conditions or program changes shift the budget materially. We coordinate the licensed architect and structural engineer, not just the trade work.
The estimate and approved plan set become the foundation for a written, MHIC-compliant home improvement contract: final scope, contract price, allowance schedule, payment milestones, exclusions, start date, and deposit terms. The Information Notice and lien notice are on page one. The deposit is compliant with Maryland §8-617. Payment milestones are tied to measurable construction events, not arbitrary calendar dates. Nothing begins until the contract is signed by both parties.
We pull the permits — not the homeowner. Submitting permits under a homeowner permit shifts liability to the owner when a contractor makes a structural error. We file under our MHIC license with the current, stamped plan set: Baltimore City Combo Permits, ePermits via Accela, trade permits, and any special approvals. Every assumption is documented, reviewer comments are preserved, and portal confirmations are saved. Simple permits may be issued in one to three weeks; complex additions routed through ePlans or requiring sitework approvals can take four to ten weeks or more.
Field work begins once permits are in hand. We coordinate the trades, inspections, materials, and site conditions — and we verify dimensions, locations, and quantities before we order and build. Every change in scope, materials, timeline, or price moves through a written change order signed by both parties before the work happens. This is not a formality; it is the mechanism that keeps the final bill from surprising anyone. Progress updates accompany milestone payment requests. Inspections are scheduled and logged.
At substantial completion we walk the project with the owner, identify every outstanding item, and produce a written punch list. Corrections are made and re-inspected until the work meets the contract standard — not a relaxed version of it. Final completion and final payment are released together, after the punch list is clear. This sequencing protects both parties and ensures there is no ambiguity about what 'done' means.
The pro-forma is a planning document, not a sales number. Line items, allowances, assumptions, exclusions, and cost drivers are visible before the contract is signed. Unused allowances are credited back. The estimate is the budget the project gets measured against — not a floor that rises on change orders.
We coordinate a licensed architect and structural engineer, not just the trade work. On a recent whole-house renovation in Baltimore County, a structural engineer flagged undersized LVLs on a primary beam before framing was enclosed. We paused the affected zone, revised the drawings, and let independent scope proceed without delay. Stopping because something is wrong is not a disruption — it is the work.
The contract requires field verification of dimensions, locations, and quantities before ordering or building. Any change in scope, materials, timeline, or price moves through a signed change order before the work happens. No surprises on the final bill. That constraint shapes how we estimate, how we plan procurement, and how we manage the trades throughout construction.
On major cost-plus engagements, we maintain an open-book owner ledger — every subcontractor payment, every material receipt, and our own fee draws visible and reconciled against the budget through the life of the project. It is the back-end version of the same transparency the pro-forma provides on the front end. We make this available on large-scale projects where the financial exposure and duration make it the right tool.