DESIGN+BUILD

COMPANY PROFILE

BONA AND KOLB BUILDING COMPANY, INC.

Through a combined 35 years of residential design experience, the principals of Bona and Kolb Architects and Designers, Inc. have been exposed to the workings and performance of many residential builders - some quite negative, some extremely positive, most best described as mediocre.   The process of home building requires a myriad of skills and expertise.   Many homebuilders have the requisite technical building skills, but lack organizational and communication skills, and most importantly, a professional approach. Most builders, knowingly or unknowingly, structure every aspect of their operations to enhance their bottom line:

  • homeowners are steered toward material selections that may not be in their best interest - but indeed may be more profitable to the builder
  • subcontractor selections are based only on price
  • the path of least resistance becomes the norm

These realizations led to the establishment of Bona and Kolb Building Company, Inc. in 2001. Our focus is to provide a professional approach to residential construction.   As a building professional, our recommendations and decisions throughout the course of a project are made in the best interest of our client and the project.   Our fee is not driven by margins.   It is established early and is modified only due to changes in scope.

We've learned other things about ourselves through building several of our designs.   First and foremost, we've discovered that we love to build -- we enjoy the pace, the interaction with subcontractors, and the relationships developed.   Secondly, we feel that our designs are enhanced due to our day-to-day involvement with the construction -- we can "tweak" the design during construction and final selections of fixturing and finishes are more carefully and more appropriately made.

Bona and Kolb Building Company, Inc. maintains an active Michigan residential builder's license.   The company offers building management services only for homes designed by Bona and Kolb Architects and Designers, Inc.

THE PROCESS

There is no substitute for clear, consistent and thorough procedures. Bona and Kolb Building Company, Inc. has established such a process.   Technical building skills are only valuable when managed properly.   Budgets, schedules, insurance, deliveries -- these and all other aspects of residential construction require periodic management and maintenance.   Homebuilding has two distinct components:   the office work -- how the money works and the field work -- how the house is built.   A brief description of our office and field work follows:

HOW THE MONEY WORKS

Bona and Kolb Building Company, Inc. is retained as a Building Manager.   All budgets, accounts, expenses and other finances related to the project are open-book .   The homeowner pays actual cost for all materials and labor required to build the home with no mark-up .   Bona and Kolb Building Company, Inc. is paid a professional fee for its involvement.

Upon receipt of complete drawings and specifications, we commence a Bidding Phase so as to collect pricing as necessary to establish a Project Budget.   The Project Budget is compiled in a comprehensive spreadsheet listing all subcontractor and material pricing required to complete the work.   The majority of the numbers compiled in the spreadsheet will be actual subcontractor bids and material costs, some will be material allowances and some will be estimates.   Additionally, a single line item will be identified as a Contingency Account.   The Contingency Account contains a recommended dollar amount set aside for cost overuns. This spreadsheet will become the basis for a Sworn Statement which will be used for bank draw requests.

Bona and Kolb Building Company, Inc. does not assume responsibility for total cost or guarantee a maximum price for houses built by the company.   Our experience says regardless of contract structure -- the owner pays.   This being the case, we feel our professional approach creates a flexible model that ensures good value -- one has a read on the actual budget and you get what you pay for.

We maintain excellent relationships with area financial institutions and title companies.   We are experienced with bank draw submittal requirements -- including arranging inspections, collection of lien waivers and project closeout procedures.  

David Bona assumes leadership for the office work related to all homebuilding projects undertaken by Bona and Kolb Building Company, Inc.

HOW THE HOUSE IS BUILT

Successful construction is an orchestration of many diverse components -- materials must be at hand, subcontractors must perform, inspections must pass, weather must cooperate.   We have no secret or magic wand.   Our success is based on adherence to schedule, communications and hard work.

We have assembled a high quality group of subcontractors and suppliers.   All work accomplished on site is subcontracted; regardless, we have earned a reputation of being quite hands-on in the field.   From adjusting field layout of siding panels to helping fine-tune the installation of a stone countertop - we are there at critical times to ensure the construction and installations are precise.   When appropriate, we interrupt the aforementioned path of least resistance.   Our subcontractors tend to share our passion for thinking it through, being creative and ultimately doing things right.

Kevin Kolb assumes leadership for the field work related to all homebuilding projects undertaken by Bona and Kolb Building Company, Inc.