Our Process

New Construction, Remodel and Addition Process

At Opus Vitae, we advocate an intensive front-end, preconstruction design process. This begins when you hire your hire your team, consisting of an Architect or Interior Designer, and us as your General Contractor.

Once the Core Team has been assembled, we work together to skillfully listen for your values. Overall project cost, functionality and flow, aesthetics, durability, and client-specific comfort and health considerations are all weighed for your consideration.

  • Step 1

    Introductory Meeting

    Introductory Meeting: “We invite you to our office so we can get to know each other, share about our Preconstruction process, and talk through what it looks and feels like to partner in a construction project together.

  • Step 2

    Hire Your Team

    We’ve spent hundreds of hours cultivating relationships with some of the premier Architectural and Interior Design firms in Portland and the Pacific Northwest. If you come to us before finding a design partner, we’ll help you!
     
    Once we’ve got familiarity with you from our Introductory Meeting, we suggest a design professional we feel will match you and your project. Alternately, if you come to us with an Architect or Interior Designer in mind, we’re happy to meet them. Once you’ve settled on a design professional, hire them for design and us for Preconstruction Services Agreement (PSA).

  • Step 3

    Pre-construction

    When you sign our PSA, you’re hiring us to be your build expert and consultant during the design phase. It also covers the hours we need to generate an accurate and comprehensive contract budget for your project. Would you like us to email you a Preconstruction Life Cycle PDF? Fill out our contact form and tell us you’d like a copy

    • Coordinate with design professionals on project details.
    • Facilitate site visits with design team and specialty trade contractors.
    • Review preliminary and final design plans for feasibility.
    • Complete a full engineering study for Passive House projects.
    • Perform project discovery and forensic demo.
    • Test for lead paint and asbestos.
    • Prepare contact-worthy budget numbers.

  • Step 4

    Design

    We are not a Design-Build firm. Instead, we partner with a variety of Architects and Interior Designers in Portland and the Pacific Northwest. This decision is driven by the demands of the project and temperament of our client. It’s impossible to overstate the importance of thorough design when it comes to accurate construction pricing and scheduling. For a brief reflection about the design process, follow this link.

  • Step 5

    Construction

    An Opus Vitae Project Manager will guide every step of the construction process. He or she will build and guard the schedule, coordinate with trades and suppliers, regularly help you understand what to expect and answer your questions, and facilitate discussion between the design team and trades as questions arise. In short, we work tirelessly to keep the construction process flowing smoothy – on time and budget. And, of equal weight, we lead relationally, always imagining what it’s like in your shoes.

    Would you like us to email you a Construction Life Cycle PDF? Fill out our contact form and tell us you’d like a copy.

  • Step 5

    Post Project Support

    Structures and materials settle and acclimate to the environment after any build, causing small imperfections. About a year (several season changes) after the project concludes, we’ll arrange with you to come out and address shrinkage cracks and minor settling issues at no additional cost.

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