2 years ago
Traditionally when you have a construction project, a house you want to build perhaps, the first thing you do is find an architect who will draw this amazing plan for you depending on your requirements. The architect will probably ask you what your budget is and produce a design that's inline with that. Then you take that design and find a contractor to do the building. You will probably compare 5 to 6 contractors and worst case the architect was over budget, and you end up going for the cheapest contractor who won't deliver up to standard work. But there's a much better and more sane way to approach this, welcome Design Build process.
Design build is a project delivery process in which you as project owner only have to get into contract with one firm, the design build firm. The firm then takes care of everything from the design to selecting the contractors to the end. In this type of approach there's collaboration between the designers, engineers and contractors and all working towards the same goal, the success of your project. To better understand it, let's take a look at the nitty-gritty.
With design build, you only sign a contract with one firm, the design build firm which will then have their own subcontractors of designers and constructors as a team working towards the same goal, the success of your project. You begin by selecting the best design build firm, to get the best service you can do competitive bidding for the project. However, this does not mean you don't get a say in the project, but rather the design takes all the responsibility of managing the project for and lets you focus on other tasks that pushes the project forward.
The design firm gives you a Guaranteed Maximum Price (GMP) which is the maximum price your project would cost. If it so happens the cost exceeds, the design build firm is liable to for extra costs. After all the logistics, the designers begin to design the floor plans, drawings collaborating with constructors to come up with feasible designs.
So you might be wondering, is this efficient. With the right team of designers and constructors in place, the process results in faster delivery of your project. The collaborative project management means work will complete with fewer problems. The design build phases usually overlap, which means there's rapid delivery.
You also get better quality, design-builders meet performance needs, not minimum design requirements, often developing innovations to deliver a better project than initially imagined. The design build firm have your best interests in the project and as a team the designers and contractors work towards the success of the project as a whole, not their respective fields.
You might also be wondering if this is going to be expensive. Studies show that design build projects are having a unit cost that is 6.1% lower than design-bid-build projects. Besides, you get a GMP based on your requirements, goals, and your budget, the design build team will produce exactly what fits your budget since the contractors and designers are working together to come up with the design.
Any project can be delivered with design build, if hiring separate designers and contractors having the risk of redesigning or unrealistic design doesn't sound good to you, then you need design build for your next project.
Here at PME Design and Build, we introduced design build construction for our projects because of the benefits it offers both for us and our clients