Does MÉTODO act as general contractor on its projects?

No. We design and provide construction administration. We select and coordinate specialized contractors, but the construction contract is between the client and the contractor, not MÉTODO.

How are contractors selected for a MÉTODO project?

We recommend contractors we have worked with before on similar scope and material type. For specialized work — stone installation, board-formed concrete — we use craftspeople with demonstrated experience in that technique.

Who is responsible if the contractor makes an error?

The construction contract defines liability. Our role is to document the error, direct the correction, and ensure the work meets the design documents. We stay on site to catch problems before they become costly to fix.

Can I use my own contractor with a MÉTODO design?

Yes, with conditions. We need to review the contractor's experience with the material and structural specifications in the project. An inexperienced concrete contractor on a board-formed concrete project produces a different result than an experienced one.

What does construction administration involve in a MÉTODO project?

Regular site visits, review of submittals and shop drawings, response to requests for information from the contractor, and review of payment applications. We are present, not absent, during construction.

Custom Home Architect and Contractor in Mexico City: How It Works

MÉTODO Arquitectos explains how an author architect coordinates with contractors in Mexico City custom home and remodel projects — and why this structure matters.

In Mexico City, the relationship between architect and contractor in a custom home or remodel project is the most consequential decision after the design itself. A design that is well-reasoned in section and material can be built badly by a contractor who does not understand what the drawings are asking for. At MÉTODO, construction administration is not optional — it is part of the work.

How the Architect-Contractor Relationship is Structured

We do not act as general contractor. Our role is design and construction administration: we produce the drawings, specifications, and details; we select and recommend contractors from our network; and we maintain oversight of the construction process through regular site visits and document review.

The construction contract is between the client and the contractor. This structure keeps the financial relationship direct and the contractor's liability to the client unambiguous. Our role is to ensure the built result matches the design intent.

This is not a passive role. Construction administration in a Mexico City custom home project means:

Site visits at critical construction phases: formwork before concrete pour, structural connections before they are covered, stone installation before grout is set, finish carpentry before walls are closed
Review of shop drawings from specialty contractors — stone fabricators, millwork shops, structural steel fabricators — before fabrication begins
Written responses to contractor questions that document every design decision made during construction
Review of payment applications against completed work

Contractor Selection for Specialized Work

Mexico City has a large and varied construction market. The range of quality between the best and worst contractors working at the same price point is significant. Material-specific experience matters enormously.

For board-formed concrete, we work with contractors who have demonstrated experience releasing forms cleanly from a concrete pour without surface damage. The detail lives in the release agent, the formwork joint, and the pour sequence — none of which is visible in a contractor's portfolio if you do not know what to look for.

For stone work — volcanic basalt, cantera, or tezontle — we work with stone masons who have cut and installed the specific species in the specific application the project requires. A contractor who installs ceramic tile cannot produce the same result as one who regularly works with irregular volcanic stone.

For structural concrete in seismic zone projects, we work with contractors who have experience with the rebar detailing our structural engineer specifies and who have not substituted lighter reinforcement on previous projects.

The Custom Home Process: From Design to Move-In

A Mexico City custom home project with MÉTODO follows a sequence:

Site analysis and section study — before any plan is drawn
Schematic design and options matrix — client approves spatial and material direction
Design development — full interior and exterior material specifications, structural coordination
Construction documents — drawings and specifications at a level of detail that can be priced and built without ambiguity
Contractor selection and bidding — we solicit bids from our network, review them with the client, and make a recommendation
Construction administration — we stay on the project through substantial completion and the punch list

Steps 1 through 4 take four to six months for a typical custom home. Construction runs 12 to 18 months depending on scope.

Why Construction Administration is Not Optional

The gap between a design drawing and a built result is where most quality problems originate in Mexico City residential construction. A contractor who has not built in exposed concrete before will patch a failed pour with paint rather than repour the section. A stone installer who has not read the joint detail will default to a wider grout line than the drawing shows.

Construction administration is the mechanism by which the design intent survives contact with construction. It is not supervision — we are not on site every day. It is oversight, documentation, and intervention at the moments when a decision will either express the design or degrade it.

Próximos pasos

If you are planning a custom home or major remodel in Mexico City and want to understand how to structure the architect-contractor relationship for best results, the first conversation covers scope, contractor selection, and construction timeline — before any design work begins.

Conoce el método de MÉTODO to understand the full sequence from site visit to move-in.