Any experience with New Avenue Homes design/build

Hi I’m an actual, current New Avenue client. We’re doing a pretty major renovation and a bit of new construction on our house in North Oakland. With full time jobs we don’t have the time to do much of what it likely takes to project manage at this level so that’s one of the first ways New Avenue has been an incredible partner - the software and the way the project is managed is intuitive and easy to keep all stakeholders on the same page, keep all docs in the same place, simple billing, and probably more that I haven’t needed to use yet. Another was working with New Avenue has been a huge help to us is that our designer and builder are both extremely vetted and we don’t worry for a second about their respective experience and expertise. I don’t know that we’d find them without tapping into New Avenue’s network and I take a lot of comfort in knowing I’m working with people and a system, combined, that are going to be transparent and consistent- informed by lots of data - and keep the surprises to a bare minimum. It’s a LOT of trust to literally tear your home up with someone and while I can’t say it’s as cheap as piecing everything together yourself if you have the time for that (and managed to get good people) it’s actually cheaper than another architect/builder quote we got and I’m very happy with the trade offs that leave us feeling very confident in our bids and schedules.

I am a designer with my own residential design practice since 2015, and I have been a New Avenue design partner since 2016, as part of my independent architectural practice. I can say that from my own experience, New Avenue does not charge more for my design services than I charge my own clients that are not introduced to me through New Avenue. So I disagree with this person’s assessment that New Avenue prices are higher; New Avenue prices are competitive.  New Avenue is not a "middle man". New Avenue is a network of architects, designers and builders who offer clients a design-build team to deliver a quality design and finished end product, on budget and on time, much like any other design/ build firm works. The team is integrated and collaborative which makes the design and construction process as smooth as possible.  I tell my clients that part of the New Avenue service is having access to reliable construction cost comps, and access to the New Avenue builder network who will provide construction cost estimates early on in the design stage. Too often when designers and architects design without builder cost feedback during the preliminary stages, they get so far into the process, or even complete the Construction Documents, only to find out that the construction cost kills the project altogether. I know this from first hand experience working in architecture firms that did not collaborate with builders early enough in the design phase. Beyond having access to builder cost feedback at any point in the design phase, the New Avenue builders with whom I have worked do excellent work. The builders are professional, care greatly about the end product and that care shows in their high level of craftsmanship. I think it would be worth giving them a call and talk with some of their designers and builders. I cautiously tested the New Avenue system for several years before switching all of my projects over to New Avenue. I now use New Avenue's web-based application exclusively for all of my projects, because it is more efficient for both me and my clients. New Avenue’s Bay Area team is made up of talented and community minded professionals, who are interested in helping create beautiful, livable spaces and are committed to addressing our state’s housing crisis, one ADU at a time.