Traditionally, commercial construction projects would involve working with a design firm to plan out the project, and then utilizing a bid system to select a different construction company to perform the actual building (design-bid-build). However, there are a few downfalls to this traditional form of delivery. Chiefly, navigating between numerous points of contact opens the door for miscommunications, mistakes, extra costs, and lengthened timelines.
Design-build construction, on the other hand, has quickly grown in popularity throughout the commercial construction industry, and is now considered one of the most efficient and cost-effective processes for completing a commercial project. This form of construction involves the designer, contractor, and engineer working jointly under a singular contract and reporting to the owner of the construction project. Here are a few of the key benefits of utilizing this form of build:
Cohesiveness
Having the design team and the construction team working in tandem under one contract makes your commercial construction project flow much more seamlessly. Because every team member collaborates with each other to meet the owner’s needs, there is far less room for miscommunication or mistakes. All parties are fully informed of the project from start to finish, and can communicate with each other much more frequently and easily. This is also extremely beneficial in the early planning phases, as all partners can provide input and expertise regarding the design, schedule, budget, and timeline.
Efficiency
Working with separate contracts for a design firm and a construction company can cause hiccups in the construction process. Alternatively, a design-build project is much more streamlined as each team member has been involved in the planning process and has full knowledge of the specifications, timelines, and any anticipated challenges. This means that any potential delays are communicated efficiently, and the project runs much smoother overall. In addition, avoiding the time associated with waiting for bids to come in, as would be necessary in a design-bid-build project, makes the process much quicker.
Cost-effectiveness
According to the 2021 Design-Build Data Sourcebook, design-build projects show 3.8% less cost growth and 36% increase in construction speed compared to the previously mentioned design-bid-build process. This means that not only are design-build projects more efficient, but also cost less overall. This is largely due to the fact that having a cohesive partnership between designers, contractors, engineers, and the owner means faster turnarounds and better cost estimates in the early planning stages.
Design-builds are an efficient process that maximize your time, talent, and budget, and makes your role as a business owner much easier to manage. Utilizing this form of construction ensures that your project flows as seamlessly as possible with minimal delays, miscommunications, or extra costs frequently found in the design-bid-build process.