IN CASE YOU HAVEN’T HEARD

You won’t get very far into a conversation with Lagois Design Build Renovate before we dive into our 3-Phase Process. And rightly so! It’s the foundation of all of our projects and the reason we can promise with certainty that your project will be delivered on time, on budget and impeccably constructed, with a 5 year warranty.

We’re not just giving this lip service. Through our careful design, details and building phases, we keep your vision on track in terms of being realistic, achievable and affordable. This is where 30+ years of experience has brought us.

WHAT HAPPENS WITHOUT OUR 3-PHASE PROCESS?

Any gaps or disconnect between the design, details and building phases can result in delays, overages, and frustration. Over the past 35 years we’ve seen the disappointment on the faces of clients who come in with “cool” drawings prepared by someone else only to be let down when they realize that the design just won’t work.

Why don’t all designs work? Sometimes it’s the space. Sometimes it’s the budget, or the time frame. And sometimes when we look critically at the plans with the homeowner, we quickly discover that the design didn’t address their core concerns in the first place when it comes to the functionality and flow of their space.

No one likes to start on the wrong foot or in the wrong direction, and so to avoid having to go back to the drawing board (literally!) Herb Lagois developed the 3-Phase Process and makes sure all projects, no matter the size, follow the steps to a T.

ALL OR NOTHING

Call it a hat trick, if you will. A combo deal. A 3-for-1. No matter how you frame it, each of our three phrases is critical in its own right and we give each phase the attention it deserves to set your project up for success.

Phase I of our 3-Step Process is there to ensure that your design meets all of your needs and that your investment makes sense. Our design team guides you through 6 steps to help you visualize your dream! To avoid the disappointments we mentioned above, we absolutely will not skip this (or any) step.

Phase II is where we commit to being on time and on budget through planning, planning, and more planning! Over the years, owner Herb Lagois discovered that most design-build processes take a risky leap directly from design to build. But if you don’t choose materials early it can change the timelines, the design, and ultimately the budget.

Imagine the disappointment of learning that your dream tile from Italy won’t arrive on time. We avoid all last-minute decision making, rushed changes and disheartening surprises by hammering out every detail before we ever touch a nail! Reed more about 6 Details steps here.

IT’S ALL IN THE DETAILS

Design choices are literally endless and it’s really fun to go “window shopping” for all of the bells and whistles. But when those upgrades and top-end finishes actually end up in your shopping cart, it’s easy to lose track of the potential costs that are associated with the changes.

Your new cabinets requires moving the plumbing?

The electrical needs re-locating to accommodate your amazing dining room fixture?

It’s our job to make sure all of these line items are on paper so that you can have a clear look if the budget grows. The details phase keeps you, the client in the power seat. Homeowners remain in control and are armed with all of the information they need to make informed decisions about which bells stay and which whistles go!

PATIENCE PAYS OFF

If you were to jump straight to construction after the design phase without the right amount of planning you can could get caught having to make snap decisions in order to keep your project on time. No one likes to make a rushed choice about where to put a wall, or even an outlet for that matter, just because the crew is waiting on your approval.

Such rush decisions rarely meet client expectations in terms of timing, budget or design. Having all details carefully planned into the design and building plan pays off by avoiding snags, snap decisions, and snarled schedules.

When we’re planning your project, the Lagois team will visit your site with our trade partners to assess the existing conditions and make sure everything is documented. Our internal processes have all the checks and balances in place so that there’s less risk for homeowners to be surprised by delays, ambushed by extra costs, stuck having to make sacrifices in design and functionality.

Because we devote the right attention to Phases I and II, our building phase goes smoothly with no surprises – especially for those who are living amidst the renovation during the building phase. We carefully vet all of the trades that we work with, making sure that they have insurance, WSIB clearance certificates and that they’re well-versed in all of Lagois safety standards and components that we hold ourselves to. Furthermore, we don’t just go for the lowest bid – we work with trusted and top trades people who are suited to your project.

During the building phase you’ll have a dedicated site supervisor as your main point of contact with formal weekly meetings to keep you updated on the status of the project and where we stand on time and budget. We pride ourselves on being very responsive and will sit with you to define the communication processes and expectations for everyone involved (because yes, you will get brilliant ideas at 3 in the morning and we will want to hear about them, at an appropriate time!)

THE CONVERSATION CONTINUES

The end of Phase III is by no means the end of our relationship with our homeowners. All clients receive a binder with everything from warranty documents down to paint colours and our 5-year warranty, outshining the industry standard 5-fold, means that we’ll be proactively checking in with you regularly, returning for nail pops, and standing by our work in every way.

Warning! If you’re not interested in a value-added, long-standing relationship with your design-build firm, we might not be an ideal match! Likewise, if you were really looking forward to being interrupted at work or while on vacation to make an on-the-spot decision about where to move a wall or put an outlet because the electrician is leaving the site shortly, you might be disappointed that Lagois never puts you in that position thanks to our 3-Phase Process. It really is the magic that brings your project to life!