In this episode of The Residential Developer Podcast, host Nathan Battishall tackles a topic he is passionate about: the critical difference between hiring an independent designer versus a design-build firm. He exposes the common "design-build trap," where a developer is lured in by a low initial price, only for costs to escalate significantly later on. 

The biggest danger is that the builder's in-house team owns the design copyright, preventing you from getting competitive quotes and locking you into their services. Nathan argues that to maintain control and ensure profitability, you must engage a designer first to create concept plans. This allows you to take those plans to multiple builders, keep them honest, and retain the flexibility to pivot if needed.

Topics: 

✅ Designer vs. Design-Build Firm 

✅ The Copyright & IP Trap 

✅ Hidden Costs & Price Variations 

✅ The Power of Autonomy & Control 

✅ Getting Quotes Before Full Approval 

✅ Why You Should Pay Builders to Quote

Connect with Nathan Battishall:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nathanbattishall/

Website: https://duplexbuildingdesign.com/

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