Today we’d like to introduce you to Devin Robinson.
Devin, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
Kinetic Design Lab, LLC is an interdisciplinary architecture, interiors and landscape Design + Build firm. The company started completing small residential and commercial projects in 2008 after Hurricane Ike devastated the Texas Gulf Coast and surrounding Houston Metropolitan area. It was formalized in 2015.
With a background in Architecture and a specialization in Construction Management. KDLab, LLC was created with the goal of always advocating for the client and his/her interest. My parents especially had it very hard, as they had to fight with insurance companies to get a settlement for the damage to their property after Ike and I did not think that was fair. That experience was pivotal in helping to foster my overall approach to the Architecture and Construction industry.
Additionally, I started to see a repeating pattern whereby there is a lot of bureaucracy or ‘red-tape’ involved in the building process. We set the mission statement that we would always work on the client’s behalf first and navigate the design, engineering, permitting, construction and final closeout of their projects.
We saw a need to help assist and educate our client’s with regard to all the moving pieces of a project. We see them as Team members and they are just as important to us as our engineers, craftsman, tradespeople, city planners and inspectors and all other Team members. Our belief is that no one project can achieve the highest degree of satisfaction without the contributions of many talented and reliable individuals.
Has it been a smooth road?
The old adage that “if were easy, everyone would do it” is quite true and to answer in all honesty and transparency.
No, it has not always been the smoothest of roads. In the beginning, we had no strong client base with which to rely upon. We would send proposal after proposal out and not secure work. What kept us afloat, in the beginning, were the small individual client’s who appreciated our honesty, candor and forthrightness. Building (and designing) can be an arduous task sometimes. It takes a client who appreciates your honesty and integrity in letting them know that there are going to be hurdles along the way, but that is why we are there for them. We are their advocate and professional representative.
Now, we have built a track record with a great client base, some of which are developers and realtors who know that they can call upon KDLab, LLC when there are some very challenging types of projects and/or issues which require a specialized type of experience that our office has gained working within the industry for the past twenty years.
We’d love to hear more about your business.
The company is structured as part architectural studio and part general construction firm. By integrating these two disciplines, we have been able to achieve a stronger sense of Ownership in the construction process. The previous model of Owner, Architect, Contractor always seem to bring with it a higher ‘risk factor’ or potential for error or omission.
The new model of Design + Build affords for a one-stop shop for all aspects of the project delivery. The designer is the same person who did the construction and the two are tangibly related to one another. There is far less opportunity to for something to get miss-interpreted or executed incorrectly because the contractors (who are usually separate from the design team). This, in turn, cuts down on time, cost and final delivery expectations.
Essentially, if there are any items that do not get executed correctly because of one reason or another, the buck stops with us and we fix it, period. At no additional costs to the Owner and on our dime.
Our specialty is re-purposing out of service Inter-Modal Steel Building Unit (ISBU) shipping containers into metal building units for both commercial and residential developments and applications. We have given several presentations to the City of Houston’s Green Building Resource Center on this topic.
I am most proud of the fact that at the end of the day I know we can stand by our commitment to honesty, integrity and fortitude. Being from a military family, I was brought up that you honor your commitments to yourself, your family, the community at large and your choice of profession. There are obviously hard and stressful days, but I know in my heart that if you act accordingly by these convictions you have nothing to worry about because you did nothing wrong.
I think our honesty and integrity is what sets us apart. I would be remiss if I did not mention that this model is not for everyone, as some are astonished that we are so transparent. It is almost like they can not believe it and it must have a catch? I find this interesting in the fact that it seems to me people, in general, have not had a shoot straight and direct attitude in awhile, It is almost like they forgot it exists.
Is our city a good place to do what you do?
This is a very paradoxical question. Our city is one in which people from all differing/diverse ethnic and economic backgrounds are encouraged, even welcome, to come to. This brings with it a perceived socioeconomic divide whereby people are competing for dollars ultimately. That is to say, some other individual is always going to have ‘cheaper’ price. That does not necessarily mean that that work is on par with that price/fee, or that the work is guaranteed. We have an open book policy and share with our client’s where every penny is diverted/spent.
If just starting a business, of course, I would encourage anyone to give Houston a fair shot. We have a diverse economy, low taxes and multicultural population to rival any in the Nation, if not the World.
Contact Info:
- Address: 420 Colquitt #3 Houston, TX 77006
- Website: www.kineticdesignlab.com
- Phone: (713) 898-2042
- Email: kineticdev@msn.com
Image Credit:
Andrew Parker
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