Assembling the Team

You may be capable of doing everything required to design, build and maintain a new home or renovation, but you will probably get help with some or all of the tasks required. Choosing the right team members can make a big difference on project going smoothly. 

The design team is involved in planning the project. They may include licensed architects and engineers, possibly licensed landscape architects or interior designers, professional building designers and consultants, design/build contractors, or you can do it yourself. While it’s not hard to create a basic design, there are a lot of pitfalls and things to know so it may make sense to involve design professionals to help plan your project.  

The financing team provides the capital for your project. A few lending institutions will provide green mortgages, which consider the added value and reduced operating costs of a high-quality, energy-efficient home. Or you may be able to self-finance your project, in which case ROI may be even more important than for projects with outside financing. 

Builders, contractors, tradespeople and craftspeople build your project. Ultimately the project is in the hands of this key group. As with designers, building high-performance homes requires a different type of knowledge, so look for a builder experienced or at least interested and educated in high performance building. 

The maintenance team keeps your project in good condition after it’s built. Using low-maintenance materials and equipment can minimize the need for this group, and there are a lot of tasks a homeowner can do on their own, but make sure you have support for the materials and equipment you select.  

Getting these professionals together during the design stage is a good way to make sure everyone is rowing in the same direction and to address any issues well before they happen.