Home Biographies Gallery Contact Us Awards & Recognitions Blog		Design / Build  |   Energy Services  |   Small Projects  |   Home Maintenance The MARK IV Method At MARK IV Builders, we try to strike the perfect balance between being systematic and being flexible. We have, through the years, fine-tuned a process of working together with clients that has served everyone well. It involves a carefully planned series of steps, regular weekly meetings and ongoing day-to-day communication. The MARK IV process generally goes like this: Let’s Talk. If you are like most clients, you first heard about MARK IV from a friend or neighbor who has worked with us. When you call our office, chances are you will speak with Jeanne Casamento. She will gather some basic information from you and will pass it on to our Design/Build Specialists, who will return your call within 24 hours. When we call you, we’ll answer any questions you may have and explain how we work. We’ll also set up a meeting at your home to discuss your project in greater detail. At this meeting we will also discuss your budget. This is often the part of the meeting clients would rather avoid, but its importance can’t be understated. We need to clearly understand your budgetary goals so we can help shape an affordable solution to your needs. Our broad experience with renovations big and small is helpful in guiding our discussions about what is possible within specific budget parameters. We will also review a sample MARK IV contract and explain what it requires on both our parts. Within a week of our first meeting, we will send you a letter recapping our discussion and summarizing our initial conclusions. At this point we invite you to call us if you wish to work with us on your project. Designing Your Project. When you feel ready to begin exploring design options, we will sign a Design Agreement and carefully match you with an architect who can best meet your needs. Together we will lay out your wish-list and create a design. Toward the end of the design phase, we hold “trade day,” during which we bring the plumber, electrician and other specialty subcontractors to visit your home. We give them plans and specifications specific to their work, give them a tour of the job and ask each of them to meet briefly with you to get a clear understanding, directly from you, about your goals for the project. This ensures that we are all “on the same page.” Getting Started. When you are ready to sign a construction contract with MARK IV, we will schedule a pre-construction meeting. This meeting is run by the site superintendent who will oversee the project. During this meeting we will review a comprehensive list of practical issues, such as where the crew should park, as well as any special considerations involving children, animals or security systems. Sticking to the Schedule. We create a written schedule for each job, an item of great importance to us and our clients. The schedule outlines the various stages of the project from demolition to finish work. We post the schedule on site and update it regularly. You can tell at a glance how the work is going relative to the schedule. Weekly Meetings. At the outset of the project, we will schedule weekly progress meetings with you. We meet each week with each client to review the accomplishments of the past week; discuss the plans for the next week; discuss any issues or concerns clients may have; and remind clients of decisions they may need to make regarding fixtures or color selections, for example. We will also use these meeting to keep payments on schedule. We Won’t Forget. Finally, at the end of the project, we will perform a final inspection. Your Design/Build Specialist will perform this inspection personally to make sure every detail meets his high standards. We meet with you and develop a “walk-through list” that records minor issues that need to be addressed to satisfy either the client or MARK IV. The items on the list are addressed and MARK IV presents you with a “close-out” book that includes all colors, materials, phone numbers and warranty information related to the job. Finally, two subsequent inspections are scheduled: one in six months and another in eleven months. MARK IV recognizes that once the house goes through a full heating and cooling cycle, there will be minor issues such as cracks or nail-pops. We will repair all such “settling” imperfections at the eleven-month inspection. We know that at this point these types of repairs will stay repaired. MARK IV Builders, Inc | 5161 River Road Bethesda, MD 20816 | (240) 395-0400		Bethesda Magazine Ad "Partners" Join our Newsletter Sign Up and receive weekly energy saving tips!