Two paths. Same thinking.
How a HCB Designs project moves from conversation to a completed home — shown as two equal engagement paths, side by side.
HCB Designs does not build every project, and does not need to. Clients hire HCB for design and construction together, or for residential design and construction consulting when another contractor is performing the work. Both are real engagements and both get the same thinking.
Design-Build
HCB designs and builds
- 01
Consultation & Goals
We start with a conversation about what you're trying to build, for whom, and on what budget band. Goals and constraints come first — design comes second.
- 02
Feasibility & Preliminary Budget
Before drawing anything, we test whether the idea can work on the site and whether the budget can carry it. A preliminary budget range keeps design decisions honest from day one.
- 03
Schematic Design
Loose plans and massing studies test the big moves cheaply. Design thinking — light, proportion, flow, orientation — turns the program into a building, not just a footprint.
- 04
Design Development
Materials, elevations, windows, ceilings, and detailing get resolved. Constructability stays front of mind: we design what we know how to build, so nothing here gets re-engineered later.
- 05
Permit / Construction Documents
A permit-ready construction set your builder can price and build from. Drawings, details, and notes are coordinated so trades aren't guessing in the field.
- 06
Pre-Construction
Scope, sequencing, trade coordination, long-lead items, and a schedule matched to the drawings. Coordination and communication here prevent most of the surprises that show up later.
- 07
Construction
HCB builds it. Hands-on construction knowledge means decisions in the field are fast and grounded — we drew it, so we know what the drawings meant.
- 08
Closeout
Punch-list, final walk, warranty documentation, and a clean handover. The project ends accountable to the documents and to the people who will live in it.
Design & Consulting
Another contractor builds
- 01
Consultation & Goals
We start with a conversation about what you're trying to build, for whom, and on what budget band — and whether design-and-consulting is the right fit for your builder relationship.
- 02
Feasibility & Preliminary Budget
We test whether the idea can work on the site and whether the budget can carry it. A preliminary budget range gives you and your future contractor a shared target before bids go out.
- 03
Schematic Design
Loose plans and massing studies test the big moves cheaply. Design thinking — light, proportion, flow, orientation — shapes the building so your contractor has something real to price.
- 04
Design Development
Materials, elevations, windows, ceilings, and detailing get resolved. We draw with constructability in mind — clear, buildable, and coordinated so your contractor isn't left to interpret.
- 05
Permit / Construction Documents
A permit-ready construction set any builder can price and build from. Drawings, details, and notes are coordinated so trades aren't guessing in the field.
- 06
Bid & Contractor Selection Support
We help you get apples-to-apples bids and evaluate contractors on more than price — scope coverage, sequencing, and whether they can actually build what's drawn.
- 07
Construction Administration / Owner Representation
We represent you through construction: reviewing submittals, answering RFIs, visiting the site, and keeping the work accountable to the documents and the budget.
- 08
Closeout
Punch-list, final walk, and a documented handover. We make sure the completed work matches what was drawn and contracted.
Whether HCB builds the project or consults while another contractor does, the same design thinking, constructability, coordination, and communication carry through every step — grounded in hands-on construction knowledge.