Architecture Design/Build

1. Teamwork

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. This team of designers and design-assist consultants is established right at the very beginning of the design process. When projects encounter challenges (and there are always challenges), pointing fingers is not an option. Instead, the design-build team is solely accountable for having one single contract with the owner. Thus, when challenges occur with design, budget, or construction issues, everyone rolls up their sleeves and works on solutions together as a team.

2. Total accountability

One entity, the design-builder, is accountable for the entire project, including the quality of the design, how the end result looks, the total costs, and how quickly construction can be completed. When the same group that designs the project also builds the project, much more attention is given to the details, including designing to the target budget, frequent estimate updates, and design constructibility reviews. The costs of all aspects of the project are taken into account early on in the process; all design fees, anticipated construction costs, and market condition forecasts. As the design updates, the design-builder will update the cost estimate in real-time. This allows frequent evaluation by the owner to pursue additional scope or rethink a current solution. All this data is transparently shared with the owner by the design-builder at all steps along the way.

Unfortunately, it is not unusual to hear about situations with design-bid-build or construction manager at risk where the cost of the project is much more than the designer said it would be or the construction manager was not involved during the design. This often results in missing the target budget. This can cause intense stress during the project resulting in a financial burden or delayed schedule per needed re-designing. Such a scenario is unacceptable in the design-build world. Design-build focuses on results and owner satisfaction.

3. Continuity

A design-build firm is involved in the project from initial concept to completion, which adds an inherent efficiency and effectiveness to the process. Clear and effective communication channels are established before early concepts are created. This allows a streamlined process throughout the duration of design and construction. Design-build best practices utilize an integrated project leader that leads the design team during design and carries forward to be the point person during construction as well. This integrated project leader sees the project from cradle to grave and becomes the glue that holds the team together as well as reliable communication with the owner.

4. Expertise

There is a tremendous advantage to working with a design-build firm with an established in-house team and design-build partners. This allows your design-builder to be able to think both like a designer and a builder. Design-build team leaders are licensed design professionals with advanced formal training and applicable project experience. A qualified design-builder brings a wealth of construction experience to the table at key checkpoints during the design phase. Understanding how early design decisions can impact the budget or construction schedule is a key trait of a skilled design-builder. An experienced design-build team is an expert in general construction and building systems and has strong partnerships with reliable and pre-qualified subcontractors.