Design / Build has become the best approach for typical buildings that are privately owned.
By allowing the Contractor to furnish the design services under his contract, he can provide valuable services that are normally not tapped in the older traditional approach.
The Traditional approach is where the owner has an architect prepare plans, gets prices from contractors, contracts with the lowest bidder, and then pursues contract compliance. This procedure creates numerous problems and sets up adversarial roles, whereas Design / Build creates a team with the participants working together to accommodate the owner.
Benefits of Design / Build:
Allows participation of the Contractor during design to provide value engineering that encourages the most economical and efficient design.
Allows opportunity to fast tract the project, by selection of subcontractors and vendors before the plans are fully complete.
Allows the Contractor to negotiate with quality subcontractors, avoiding numerous problems that could prevent a successful project.
Provides better relations working as a team, thus, a more enjoyable and productive arrangement.
Saves time, by the time the traditional approach starts construction, a Design / Build Contractor could have the project well under way, with a better and more professional team.
Design / Build eliminates most high cost change orders.
By utilizing select subcontractors, the odds of litigation are minimal.
By negotiating with prime subcontractors up front they contribute ideas that make their operations more economical, giving the owner more for the dollar.
Fewer misunderstandings, direct communication between the owner and contractor. No buck-passing between the architect and contractor.
