Contractor-Ready Project Planning Guide
What homeowners and project owners should organize before requesting construction bids.
Get your project information organized.
Use the Project Planning Questionnaire to tell ATECT Architecture about your property, scope, budget, timing and documentation needs.
Start with a defined scope.
Contractors can price a project more clearly when the scope is understandable. Identify what is being added, renovated, removed, relocated or constructed.
Organize the project information
- Property address and site information
- Existing conditions and photographs
- Survey or site information when available
- Project goals and scope
- Preferred materials or fixtures
- Known project constraints
- Target schedule
- Budget expectations
Understand the role of drawings
Construction-ready documentation can communicate dimensions, layouts, materials, assemblies and other information needed to support pricing and construction. The appropriate level of documentation depends on the project.
Ask what the contractor is actually bidding
When comparing bids, make sure contractors are responding to the same defined scope and documentation. Otherwise, differences in price may reflect differences in what is included rather than a direct comparison of construction cost.
Keep design decisions organized
Late changes can affect documentation, pricing and construction. A clear decision process helps keep the project coordinated as it moves forward.
Need construction documentation?
Complete the ATECT Project Planning Questionnaire and indicate whether you need construction drawings, permit documentation, construction-ready documentation or contractor-bid support.