In Search of a Win-Win: The Value Engineering Process

by Peter Carey | March 19th, 2018

When most design professionals hear the term value engineering, they tend to get a dreaded sinking feeling deep in the pit of their stomach. To many of these people, this process, also referred to as VE, often comes in the form of re-selecting a material that was specified for a project that is most likely already under construction and has a hard delivery date to the client. No wonder that sinking feeling happens – both the design firm and the contractor are not only behind one 8 ball, they are really behind three 8 balls: preserving the look and design intent of the project, keeping construction costs to a minimum, and delivering the entire package on time. In this all-too-often situation, the odds of VE being a win-win for all involved are next to none. When seen over all phases of a construction project, VE rarely, if ever, saves a …