Design-Build

Design-Build is often selected when The Owner wants to manage only one contract with a single point of responsibility. The designer and contractor work together with the Owner from the beginning, as a team, providing unified project recommendations to fit the Owner’s schedule and budget. Any changes are addressed by the entire team, leading to collaborative problem-solving and innovation, not excuses or blame-shifting. While single-source contracting is the fundamental difference between design-build and the old ways, equally important is the culture of collaboration inherent in design-build.

Qualities that make design-build appealing to us

The design-build team and the owner are in this together, and they have the same goal –to complete a successful project that meets or exceeds the owner’s expectations.
One entity, the design-builder, is accountable for the entire project, including how the end result looks, how much it costs, and how quickly it is completed. When the same group that designs the project also builds the project, much more attention is given to pricing and scheduling in the design phase.
A design-build firm is involved in the project from start to finish, which adds an inherent efficiency and effectiveness to the process. The chance of items being overlooked is greatly diminished.
Design-build firms are experts in both fields: design and construction especially when everyone is on the same-team. Individually – everyone acts on their own behalf. When combined – the approach is much different, and people tend to work collectively for a common goal.
Design-build firms are experts in both fields: design and construction.
The design-builder acts as a trusted advisor to owners throughout the construction process, guiding the way to the best possible outcome.
In design-build, the owner retains total control over the project, and the team is there to empower and collaborate with them.
Design-build is transparent because owners understand the process and know what is always going on.
One of the biggest advantages of design-build is being able to start much more sooner than the conventional methods of construction. This allows an Owner to receive and move in much sooner and allows for a faster completion of the project.
Inherent to the design-build model is a savings of approximately 6% of the project costs. This is accomplished by getting the project started earlier, making decisions along the way and discussing budget during the design phase (not waiting until the bids come in) which helps to keep the project within a realistic budget. Communicating the cost implications of design decisions ensures that the owner plays a key role in arriving at the final project price. Once the scope of work has been finalized, the project costs are clearly defined and controlled by the design-build firm.