The Department of Administration shall have and exercise full authority in the erection and construction of new buildings at the veterans homes. When new buildings are to be erected and constructed by authority of the state or old buildings to be remodeled it shall be the duty of the Department of Administration to cause to be prepared plans and specifications for the same, but in so doing it shall consult with the commissioner in respect to these plans and specifications and shall adopt and carry out, so far as it deems practicable, their requests and desires in the matter.