Episode 103: Dagan Koffler of Dagan Design & Construction
Today Brad speaks with Dagan Koffler, the sole owner and general contractor for Dagan Design & Construction. Established in 2012, DDC specializes in luxury home renovations and custom home builds in San Diego’s North County.
Dagan's interest in design and construction began at a young age when he assisted his father in designing and building their home in Solana Beach. After college Dagan worked in New York City as a set designer and builder for commercial photo shoots. He also designed and constructed several high-end storefront displays.
When he returned to the West Coast, Dagan worked in Northern California doing complete home renovations and remodels. During that time he also developed an affinity for and honed his skills as a woodworker and carpenter. His path eventually led him to receiving his general contractor license and founding his own firm, DDC.
With supply chains continuing to be shaky as of August 2021, Dagan talks about how he is able to keep his stock organized and “stay ahead of the curve” by maintaining a close relationship with valuable vendors and subcontractors who often update Dagan on price changes and other developments in the market..
Along with having to stay on top of fluctuations and other uncertainties in the industry, Dagan shares how he calculates the lump sum for his remodels and builds, as well as how he deals with changes requested by clients when a project is already underway.
Finally, Dagan speaks on his varied career path which includes his transition from the wine industry into furniture design, and finally into construction.
Topics Discussed:
[00:56] How Dagan is coping with the current state of the supply chain
[13:37] How Dagan calculates the lump sum for remodels
[21:34] Staying protected whether you opt for lump sum or cost plus
[23:20] How Dagan deals with requests from clients that impact the bottom line
[31:56] From the wine industry to furniture design to construction
[36:41] What Dagan wishes he knew about construction from day one
[43:26] Trends that have come about due to COVID
[49:34] Dagan’s work aside from general contracting
[1:03:56] What’s next for Dagan?
Connect with Dagan Koffler:
Instagram @dagandesign
Connect with Brad Leavitt:
Key Quotes from Episode:
With cost plus, the risk is on the owner to spend as much as they want. With lump sum, the risk is a little bit more on the contractor.
Setting up systems is key in getting those change orders signed right away and making sure that everyone’s on the same page.
Everyone wins when I have the confidence to say “no”.
