WHAT IS DESIGN-BUILD?
Design-build is a project delivery method used in full-service general contracting construction where a single entity (a design-build firm) handles both the design and construction phases of a project. Unlike the traditional design-bid-build method, the design-build approach permits a streamlined process, including analysis of different idea solutions and concept designs incorporating information on availability and potential new technology that can be sorted out prior to the final design being completed with respect to costs, timing and performance.
Key Features of Design-Build:
- Single Point of Responsibility:
- A design-build firm, like Peak, is responsible for both managing the design partner and constructing the project. This means the client has one point of contact, which simplifies communication, accountability, and overall project management.
- Collaboration Between Design and Construction Teams:
- Since the same company manages and deploys both design and construction, there’s a closer collaboration amongst the client, architects, engineers, and construction professionals. This typically results in better coordination and fewer design errors or conflicts that could arise during construction.
- Faster Project Delivery:
- Because design and construction can overlap, the project can be completed more quickly than with traditional methods. The design phase and the construction phase can run concurrently rather than sequentially.
- Cost Efficiency:
- Design-build can often reduce costs because the design and construction teams work together early in the project, potentially identifying cost-saving measures and value-add solutions to avoid costly changes during construction.
- Streamlined Communication:
- With one point of contact, there’s less chance of miscommunication or misunderstandings among the client, designers, and contractors. Expectations and goals are established and implemented early on, with periodic confirmation of their alignment throughout the process to facilitate the project’s success.
Advantages of Design-Build:
- Faster completion: The overlapping of design and construction phases reduces project timelines.
- Cost control: It can be easier to maintain a budget and provide value-add solutions, as the design-build team works together to control costs and mitigate challenges.
- Increased accountability: The single entity is responsible for both the design, or design partner, as well as execution, making it clearer who to turn to for any issues.
- Improved quality: Close collaboration can lead to better overall design solutions and fewer construction errors.
Challenges of Design-Build:
- Less design flexibility: Some clients might feel that giving control of both design and construction to one entity limits their input during the process.
While an understandable concern, make sure you understand the specific process that the design-builder will follow in order to bring the client’s goals and vision to fruition. While design-build is a common delivery method term, different companies may use different processes with respect to shared information and alternative decisions. Without the client having a fully transparent design-build process, with choices for each design decision, including aesthetics, initial costs, required long term maintenance, system performance and reliability, the final project may meet a client’s minimum goals and expectations, but may not achieve the greater client satisfaction obtained with their input. With the design-build method, the client understands each decision during the entire process so that it perfectly aligns with their expectations overall goals.
- Risk of conflicts of interest: The design-build entity may prioritize things differently with respect to initial costs, aesthetics, or functional aspects of the design solution alternatives that are developed to meet the overall project goals and objectives.
The client needs to select a design-build contractor that offers full participation in every design development and alternative solution discussion with all of the various design professionals on the team. These should include all choices, alternatives, and corresponding costs and time impacts so recommendations for client approvals can be accomplished efficiently and on an informed basis. The best solutions for any project are achieved when the design-builder leads a transparent process providing all of the client-approved design decisions, as well as individual impacts to the overall project goals and objectives on a continuous basis and through a fluent process. This results in the harmony of initial costs, aesthetics, functional design, maintenance, and no surprises to the client when the project is completed.
