10.06.2006
bids are high
We have the bids in for the cohousing project, and things are a bit high. It's really tough to figure out why or how it translates to individual mortgages. I'm starting to figure out why standard developers just build the same unit over and over - no surprises. I'm sure we can get it figured out and still keep on schedule, but it takes the wind out of every ones' sails. People get really excited that they might be able to add that one thing if the bids are on, but now they have to think about getting rid of something instead. "Who wants to ride the roller coaster? Step right up!"
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3 comments:
Blowing wind to your sails from Ann Arbor! Pfttfffffffffffff.... shoot I'm a smoker so it might not get to you. But don't despair! It will be awesome either way.
Has the group done any work around prioritization/values? When it came time for "value engineering" (i.e. cuts) at Swan's Market Cohousing in Oakland, it was relatively easy to tell the developer to tell the builder what to cut or not because the group had already come up with a list. For example: We added $17k to unit prices to get our central gas-fired baseboard hydronic heat, rather than baseboard electric, for environmental reasons, quality, efficiency, and the environment. Other stuff (like guestroom walls/bathroom) we chose to do ourselves after move-in to avoid the development-process 30% markup)
Thanks Raines,
We have managed to cut about 250k out of the project. Part of that is in choosing to finish some work ourselves. We love what you have done at Swan's, it looks great.
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