Design Build Construction: Uncovering its Strengths
For many in the construction industry, designing a building and the actual construction process have long been separated in timing, in budgeting, and in contracting. A single entity looking to create a new building would contract with separate firms to design the building and to construct it. This process flow is known as the design bid build delivery method because after the outside firm designed the building, the main mover of the project would seek out various construction firms to build that design. Those construction firms bidding, though, had no say in the design process and that separation of duties and timing has created some notorious headaches in the construction industry.
If you’re curious about ways to streamline and optimize the construction of new entities, then perhaps you should look away from the design bid build construction and embrace the emerging popular design build construction. Design build construction eliminates that middle step and instead allows the design and construction processes to happen under a single team and a single contractual entity. This shift in mentality and process creates new value for the building process, including the following top five benefits:
1. More seamless cooperative solutions
In the traditional method of construction delivery, it would be too easy for the construction team to blame their challenges or delays on unrealistic design outputs. They have no loyalty to that design team, and they become easy targets for blame. However, when the design and construction teams are aligned from the beginning via design build construction, cooperation is fostered from the get-go, and the construction team will have buy-in to make the design of the project succeed.
2. Optimized timeline and budget
The additional steps from handing a project from one team to the next come with noticeable interruptions and extra inertia. Going back and forth to talk to the designers and the construction team adds delays to the project, and that time lost is money lost. But when the design build construction process brings these entities together on one team, the budget and delivery are all optimized to your benefit.
3. Fewer logistical challenges
Too often, construction teams will have trouble understanding a design element when they don’t have the context for why certain decisions were made. Further, design teams will inherently not know the construction team’s tools, expertise, or other pathways to success in the design bid build process. But the design build construction system will reduce or even eliminate these logistical challenges.
4. Earlier identification of problems
When the identified construction team is involved from the beginning, their expertise and professional experience can readily inform the design process. They’ll be able to identify and rectify problem areas before they arise, and that will make the ultimate construction process that much smoother.
5. Continuity in vision and delivery
When you hire on a single team for the design and construction of your building, you’re getting into one arrangement to deliver on your vision. That continuity from beginning to end of a project is invaluable, and it alone is a reason to explore a shift to the design build construction process.
Find Out More
At DBe, our contracting, management, and advisory services in the design and construction process are fully aligned with the benefits to design build construction. If you’re curious to learn more about how this shift in project delivery could benefit you, get in touch with us today.