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Design-Build Process
We are a design-build residential construction company, providing both the design and building services required to build your home. We begin with an initial meeting to define your preliminary design needs and budget goals. We then go through the process of helping you find the perfect plan by either searching the thousands of plans that we have access to or hiring the services of an architect working under the direction of our Company. Or, we can begin with a plan you already have. And if you can't find the perfect plan, we can make the custom design changes for you. During the design phase, we define your building specifications, assist you in making product selections, develop a detailed cost estimate, generate construction schedules, and evaluate the building requirements on the property you are building on. We then generate a contract to build, assist you in obtaining construction financing (if needed), and finally obtain all applicable building permits and insurance requirements prior to start of construction. During construction, almost daily communication is maintained with our clients and frequent quality assurance inspections are made on the work performed. To help you better understand our design-build process, we have provided you with a brief description of this home building delivery system.
Definition and History
Design-build is a construction project delivery system where, in contrast to "design-bid-build", the design and construction aspects are contracted for with a single entity known as the design-builder or design-build contractor. The design-builder is usually the general contractor, but in many cases it is also the design professional (architect or engineer). This system is used to minimize the project risk for an owner and to reduce the delivery schedule by providing single source management over the design phase and construction phase of a project.
In our case where the design-builder is the contractor, the design professionals are typically retained directly by the contractor. Or the contractor is directly involved with the client with the selection and procurement of plans from an architect. This is one of the oldest forms of construction since developing from the "Master Builder" approach. Under the Master Builder approach, a central figure of the architect held total project accountability. From inception to completion, the master builder was the key organizational figure and strictly liable to the owner for defects, delays, and losses. The design/build system is a return to some of the fundamentals of the Master Builder approach. For nearly the entire twentieth century, the concept of Design-Build was classified as a non-traditional construction method in the United States, which is the last country to still embrace the old standard of Design-Bid-Build.
Overview
Design-build focuses on combining the design, permit, cost estimating and construction schedules in order to streamline the traditional design-bid-build environment. This does not shorten the time it takes to complete the individual tasks of creating construction documents (house plans, specifications, product selections, cost estimate, allowances, schedules, contract), acquiring building and other permits, or actually constructing the home. Instead, the design-build company will strive to bring together design and construction professionals in a collaborative environment to complete these tasks at the same time. Typically the hallmark of a Design/Build project is that one organization is responsible for both design and construction of the project. If this organization is a contractor (as would be the case with our Company), the process is known as "Contractor-led Design-Build". If the organization is a design firm, the process is known as "Design-led Design-Build". In either case, the organization employed by the owner rarely handles both aspects of design and construction in-house. In fact, the organization often subcontracts with on-site personnel (if design-led) as well as architects and engineers (if contractor-led).
Potential Problems of Design-Build
The owner must rely on the reputation of the design-builder for a satisfactory product. The design-builder is given a great deal of control over the entire process of both how the project is configured, and how it is completed. With no third-party observer such as an independent architect to administer the process, an unscrupulous design-builder may sacrifice the quality of materials and systems such as HVAC, lighting, plumbing, and even structural elements in order to pad his own profits at the expense of the owner. Since the owner may not have the expertise to evaluate the quality of portions of the work, he/she must trust the design-builder to properly overseer the design and properly build a home that will meet the needs of the client, and to execute the design properly, according to codes, and consistent with industry-standard specifications. Unless the builder agrees with the owner's assessment of the situation, the owner may have no means to insist on correction of work done improperly but to go to some form of formal dispute resolution such as litigation, or arbitration. In exchange for the ability to save money, the owner assumes the risk and responsibility to review contract documents, such as plans, specifications, and agreements for services, and to hold the design-builder accountable to design and deliver a quality product. By contrast, under the typical design-bid-build or negotiated project delivery system the architect is in a better position to reject work not performed according to the standards he set forth in the plans and specifications. Several organizations (such as the Design Build Institute of America) provide standardized form contracts for design-builders to use, but it is not unusual for the design-builder to provide its own contractual documents. Architectural societies, such as the American Institute of Architects, warn that when non-standard documents are used, great caution should be exercised because they may be untested, or may be written to favor one party or the other; therefore, qualified legal council should be employed to review all contracts before signing.
Benefits of Design-Build
It is important to note that the design-build method, while not focused on saving the client construction costs, nonetheless often saves the client money on the overall project through the benefits of enhanced communication between the builder and the client, increased accountability by the builder, single source project delivery, and a value based project feedback system.
Enhanced communication
Because the design parameters of building a home are being defined and weighed simultaneously along with the budgetary goals, construction methodologies, specifications and budget conditions, the home building project is more likely to be realized than with a pure design approach. The client has greater access to our Company working on project development as the project is being developed. This efficiency is not a negative "short cut" as a rule, but rather the keystone to the success of the Design Build model.
Accountability
Rather than a segregated level of responsibility of the classic design-bid-build, design-build provides an integrated solution for the client. This moves the home building project away from the "finger-pointing" that is often commonplace in contemporary home construction projects, and allows the client to look to one entity with any questions or concerns.
Single Source
Instead of having to deal individually with both the contractor and architect, a client has just one entity to deal with. Design revisions, project feedback, budgeting, permitting, construction issues, change orders, and billing can all be routed through our design-build firm. This single point of contact allows a certain degree of flexibility for the client. Most design-builders including our Company will leverage that flexibility for the client's benefit by continually refining the home construction process to maximize the client's value at the completion of the project.
Value-based Project Feedback
Typically, in order for a contractor to bid on a home building project, very specific details relating to the methods and materials must be given to avoid any ambiguity and to make an "apples to apples" comparison of bids. In a design-build context, the client and the design-builder can work together to determine what methods and materials will maximize the client's value. In instances where marginally more expensive materials, designs, or construction methods might yield a higher return on investment for the owner than those of lower cost, the client is free to adjust the project's program. Almost 70% of traditional contracts end up over budget, compared to Design Build which is only around 25-30% over budget. To our credit, our past clients' budgets have historically come in under budget. The overage of a Design Build project is generally client driven whereas the overage in the more traditional method tends to be a result of the budget disconnect to which many architects and other design professionals are prone.