ENTECH / CREATIVE BRAND VISION
BOBBY FLAY'S AMERICAN CAFE: REALIZING THE CREATIVE BRAND VISION WHILE AVOIDING BUDGET BUSTS
- Written by John Marhoefer
CREATIVE BRAND VISION
We have found that one of the most important factors in effecting a positive project outcome in development of visionary high-end specialty fit-out, is
Correct and EARLY understanding of the in-place cost of the design, the driving factors which influence that cost and what options exist.
In a fair many cases that we’ve seen, unfounded cost expectations developed early in a project serves to both hamper good project decision making and cause disillusion and discontent throughout the project. In some cases, the project ROI’s are completely skewed to an unacceptable extreme well AFTER considerable funds may have been sunk.
WHAT IS THE COMMON PITFALL?
This does not have to be the case but there are several common reasons that it does often exist.
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The first is often the unfounded reliance of the Owner on the cost estimating skill of the design team. It is a serious, but often-made-mistake to believe that a design team necessarily has cost estimating skills. The design team in special development work is charged with creating a vision that achieves the brand objectives. There is a unique and special talent in creating vision however in most cases those who are such visionaries have little or no idea what the real in-place cost of realizing the visions may be.
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The second is because that such work, especially that work which utilizes the extreme talents of visionary designers, is very different from that of traditional bricks and mortar building construction. In other words, the true in-place costs of the fabrication techniques and the materials which go to make these such special places are known to a very small community of brand environment fit-out specialists. Many times though, Owner’s not knowing this nuance, will rely on the traditional brick and mortar constructors to oversee or marshal such jobs and again, such traditional firms may not know of or correctly apprise
the Owner of the true costs or options that he faces. The lack of options is often the result of the contractor not having the in-house creative design skill necessary to correctly interpret the vision within the framework of budget objectives.
The traditional approach may go something like this.
IN CONTRAST: HOW TO AVOID THE PITFALL
We offer several methods to avoid budget busts while achieving the Creative Brand Vision. One of the most effective is the Owner’s Option Guaranteed Maximum Cost Engagement also known as the Entech Owner’s Option Service. In such an engagement with Entech, the Owner is able to leverage our knowledge of in-place cost coupled with our technical and creative design skill.
Under our Owner’s Option Service (EEOS), the Owner retains us to provide a list of pre-construction services including most importantly, a design document review and guaranteed cost-estimate. The guarantee is that Entech will perform the work for the estimated amount.
However, in this phase, the Owner is able to take advantage of the other services we offer which most often involve creative/technical option development to meet cost objectives. Additionally, since we have built these environments many times before, we can predict base building interface difficulties and develop design options to mitigate them.
At the end of the EOOS, the Owner has in his possession, a set of design documents which have been vetted by an experienced creative fit-out contractor along with a guaranteed estimate/quote from Entech for performing the work.
THE OWNER IS THEN FREE AT HIS OPTION TO MAKE A TENDER SOLICITATION TO ANY OTHER CONTRACTING FIRM SHOULD HE/SHE HAVE THAT DESIRE. REGARDLESS OF THE RESPONSES HE GETS ON THE TENDER OFFER, THE OWNER IS ALREADY IN POSSESSION OF ENTECH'S GUARANTEED COST DUE TO THE WORK OF THE
EOOS WILL HE ALREADY KNOWS MEETS BOTH THE CREATIVE BRAND VISION AND THE BUDGET FOR THE PROJECT.
Our EOOS approach is unparalled in the value to the Owner.
MORE INFORMATION:
For more information, to schedule a one on one no-cost consultation or simply to learn more about Entech's Services, call 1-(888)-795-9060 and ask for Matt or Rick. Or you can contact us online through our Web site email form.