Do you need to deal it as a competition?
Clients often requests design plan and approximate estimate of it. This is effective in the case that clients wants to compare several individual design plans from several designers like the building competition of new National Stadium (for the Tokyo Olympic Game in 2020, Kengo Kuma received the order).
However, in the case that clients wish designers to make the same space like "the store of…" and " the picture on this magazine", there is no place for creativity of designers. The clients requests us imitation. Every designers submits similar solutions and similar estimates.
If the plans are different each other, the estimates should be different like the competition of the new National Stadium, this is meaningful. But is it really necessary that similar plans and estimates from plural designers?
The clients in this case don't want to see proposals of various designs but to cheap a little to suppress the construction cost. So they choose the most cheapest estimate. This is not bad way, but they don't need designers. In that case clients should choose any one design firm, request bidding of construction estimate and choose the most cheaper construction company. If that's still exceed budget, they should have designer revise the plan to reduce. (See this blog article "Value engineering")
Though approximate estimate, at least it needs plan view and CG by designer. Meetings, field works, and desk workings spend a few weeks, and construction companies makes estimate from these completed materials by designers. Designers usually works these process without charge. because if the designer demands fee, clients refuses the request. They sets 10 to 20 design firms to work by using matching website. Even though clients don't need design, many design firms are forced to compete meaninglessly.
I would like the clients to think once more. Do you need to deal it as a competition?
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