T.E.A.R.™

Richter + Ratner has witnessed a drastic change from the “Ultimate Collaboration” model of the Ancient Master Builder that existed for 5,000 years prior to the 1900’s.  Like many others who are now realizing the pitfalls of Design-Bid-Build which lead to animosity, exploitation of drawing flaws, and a total bifurcation of the collaborative approach that made the Master Builder so successful.

Our Analysis

We examine each element, method, and process for alignment with the project parameters, including:

Accurate Pricing

Materials, Building Systems and Equipment

Methods of Delivery

Construction Means and Methods

Scheduling

Phasing

Constructability Issues

Efficiency, Cost, and Availability of Labor

Trade Issues

Sequencing

The Origin of T.E.A.R.™

After the economic crash of 2008, architects were lump sum bidding more than ever, and the level of detail in drawings reflected owners’ sense of urgency to receive drawings and pricing quickly. This was based on a false assumption that their projects would bid out lower lump sum, and that pre-construction was a waste of resources. As a result, RFI’s, change orders, and delays were increasing. Whether we were on projects in the capacity of Construction Manager or General Contractor, collaboration took a back seat to the level of detail that was lacking in the drawings and the associated costs and delays. We were assisting architects by providing drawing reviews and comments, integrating means and methods, constructability, and much more. 

This led to the formal creation of T.E.A.R.™ (Technical, Evaluation, Analysis, and Recommendation).

Each illustration provides an example of studies performed by R+R team members and reflects the highly detailed focus on many vital elements of both Pre-Construction and Construction phases.

T.E.A.R.™ is a process implemented from the inception of the design, which integrates the principles of the Ancient Greek Master Builder, or arkhitekton. The main purpose of T.E.A.R ™ is to bring awareness to the critical aspects of collaboration, by integrating critical processes and procedures into the design phase, thus reducing change orders, making projects more efficient, and preserving design.