When one of the many trials faced by architects and builders — budget, timeliness, ordinances, collaboration — is accentuated by a particularly challenging aspect of a project, it may seem as though the entire plan could come unraveled at any point. In the Somerset Show House of Birmingham, Mich., all these factors — and others — converged to challenge the skills and nerves of those involved.

This spec home, designed by architect Dominic Tringali and built by Doug Derocher of Custom Homes by Derocher in Royal Oak, Mich., was built in only eight months and faced an extremely firm deadline. It is a high-end home, adding another facet of challenges to the timeline, and sits on a uniquely narrow lot, which created logistic challenges.

Making decisions collaboratively was the key to avoiding catastrophe in this project, according to Derocher. “All we had was the footprint of the home and the elevation; so much of the design was done on the fly,” he explains. “This can actually be easier, though, as it eliminates the delays from clients having too many choices. Clients who have never built a home face so many options. There is an endless amount of product available that can cause them to labor over decisions for too long. We had the luxury of making those decisions as needed.”

The original home on the lot was torn down and the lot sat vacant for years while owned by Derocher. The company performs many infill projects such as these, and generally keeps a handful of lots as inventory for customers to choose from. So when clients approach the company ready to build, the project isn’t delayed while looking for the perfect lot.

This home, however, was built for charity, with products donated by local suppliers. It also faced a hard deadline for the grand opening of a three-month long open house. The team of architect, builder, landscaper and interior designer was able to collaborate on decisions to quickly put together a package that worked.

“We created a virtual client; an empty nester couple — either grandparents or young professionals without children,” Derocher explains. The location of the home lent itself to this type of client. It is within walking distance to downtown, upscale shopping and entertainment, and is also in an established neighborhood.

A lot to consider