Is A Design And Build Construction Contractor Right For Your Project?

Construction & Contractors Blog

A design and build construction contractor is a professional who offers a more unified version of the process. They can help you devise the design for a project and then put it into action. You might wonder whether this approach is right for your project when compared to the traditional process of breaking up these functions. Here is how to tell if your plans fit this model of design and construction work.

Ready to Build

Design and build construction management typically works best when the customer is ready to get going with a project. The process is streamlined, and that means there's not a lot of room for modifications once things get rolling. When you sign off on a design, you can expect the work to go faster than it would if an architect had to connect with a general contractor who then had to round up subcontractors. The design and build construction management team handles all of those processes, and that means they can quickly move from one phase to the next.

Pricing

Financing construction can be tough, but the design and build system imposes strict pricing. There is one contract, and the price you agree to is the price you pay.

Design Limits

Generally, design and build companies use less diverse designs. If you're looking for a highly customized house, this may not be the process for that project. However, it works well for folks who'd prefer to develop a straightforward design for a house and then quickly pivot to the construction stage.

Notably, this can be problematic if you're dealing with issues fitting a building into an oddly-shaped lot. Specific on-site engineering challenges can also be tough. If you have a good lot that's reasonably rectangular, though, putting all of the design and building work on a single contract can lower the cost and speed things up significantly.

Collaboration, Communication, and Accountability

One of the major selling points of a design and build construction contractor is the heightened level of unity. With all the work happening within a single organization, you can expect excellent collaboration and communication among the team members. If the electricians have questions about why certain features are going through certain walls, for example, they know who to contact immediately.

Likewise, you can expect greater accountability. There isn't a GC in a position to blame a sub, so no one can pass the buck. If there's a problem with the project, you can expect the manager to find out quickly and remedy the situation.  

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1 February 2023

And the Buildings Go Up

Have you ever driven past a large building that was still under construction? You may have stopped for a moment and admired the steel trusses and the heavy concrete blocks used to form and support such a large architectural creation. Here's a secret: construction workers do the same. Workers in this industry never cease to be amazed at what they can create from seemingly boring materials. Concrete turns into a school. Steel turns into a doctor's office. It really is incredible. You may not feel quite as amazed as you read about construction on this blog, but if you get at least a fraction of that wondered, amused feeling, we will be satisfied.