Design Build Central

By: Qualified Remodeler Magazine
  • Summary

  • Join Bruce Case and Bill MillHolland from Case Design as they talk all things "Design Build" Another podcast from Qualified Remodeler Magazine and SolaGroup, Inc.
    2024
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Episodes
  • No. 9: Creating Company Culture at Case with Allison Deland
    Sep 12 2024
    In Episode 9 we discuss a listener question related to employee retention (shout out to Steve Nash at Upscale Remodeling!). We think retention is closely tied to culture so we brought in an expert- Allison DeLand. Allison is the VP of Administration at Case and has worn many hats for the organization during her 20 years with the business. The conversation is wide ranging and addresses what we do in our business to retain employees and foster a healthy company culture:
    - events: company picnic, lunches, happy hours, Annual Meeting - engaging the team in Case Cares, giving back to our community - celebrations: quarter century club, milestone anniversaries - employee surveys: what do they think and the importance of responding to these issues - fair compensation packages - Personal Growth Fund- $500/ year to spend on education, fitness, technology, etc. - recognizing personal events: birthdays, marriages, babies, someone close passing away, etc. - just spending time with people getting to know them - understanding that employees go through an evolution: want to be told what to do when new, want you out of their way as they mature in the role - emphasize “fit” in the hiring process and onboarding new hires to have a holistic understanding of the business We also spend some time discussing how much more difficult this can be with members of the field team. They are not in the office everyday and may not feel as connected. We try to address this by making them feel part of the team rather than out on an island by themselves. In our case, the Project Manager, regular job site visits, regular communication and inclusion are all part of these efforts. We wrap up by highlighting the “Can Do” award. Anyone can recommend someone for this award that is given to an individual the goes above and beyond in helping a client or team mate. The award is $100 and being recognized in company wide email and newsletter communications. 15-20 individuals are typically recognized each month. If you have an idea for a future topic, or questions about this episode, please contact us at dbcentral@casedesign.com
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    30 mins
  • No. 8: How Case Smooths out the 'Joints' in its Remodeling Process
    Aug 20 2024

    At Case, we’re big believers in the design-build approach to residential remodeling. Our definition of design-build is design, development, project management, and much of the construction of the project is done in house by Case employees.

    As outlined in previous episodes, we have a carefully developed process to move a client from an initial conversation through the completion of the project. It’s a relay race where the baton is passed back and forth between development, design, and production.

    As well developed as our process is, we still have challenges. These challenges are typically related to the joints between steps in the process. The areas where we pass the baton from one role to another or pass through a transfer. Every once in a while, we drop the baton…

    In this episode we discuss details of the various steps in our process and some of the gates we have implemented along the way to ensure successful transfers of responsibility and information.

    We start by outlining how we conduct a trade walk through and introduce a Project Manager to a client. Next up is a contract review where a PM has 48 hours to review a project before a contract is presented. Can there be some conflicts in this step? You bet, but better now than after we’re in production.

    We continue to move through the process- package pass, expectations letter, pre-construction walk through, electrical walk through, mid job huddle, and substantial completion. We touch on compensation issues and how this helps align members of our team. We also touch on the importance of regular communication with all parties involved. We wrap up with some thoughts on surveys and project celebrations.

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    35 mins
  • No. 7: What Happens During a First Meeting With a Client?
    Jul 30 2024
    In episode 7 we unpack what happens at the initial meeting with the client. This topic comes directly from listener feedback requesting deeper dives into specific steps in our process. The conversation begins with a brief description of how we track incoming opportunities, assign them to Project Developers, and use batchgeo.com to map nearby projects. It continues to address several details of this initial engagement with the potential client that includes: - what to bring on the initial appointment - tools we use during the conversation in the home - a framework for the discussion - ideas, what is possible, options that should be considered - how long should they expect the design and construction process to take? - what is an appropriate budget for the project they are considering? - what they should choose Case for their project - the difference between educating and qualifying - how the conversation needs to center on them and be less about us We wrap up with an acknowledgement of how challenging it is to get and keep the attention of clients right now. Every effort needs to be made to take advantage of their attention while we have it.
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    41 mins

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