Teamwork- The advantage of being a team when tackling any project in life is well known.  Design Build leverages the relationship amongst the Design Team, Contractor and client to work as a team to achieve a successful project that meets or exceeds the client’s expectations.  One of the many advantages of the design build process is when design, budget, or construction issues arise, everyone can quickly roll up their sleeves and work towards the most advantageous solution.

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Total Accountability- The Design Build contractor is accountable for the entire project, quality of design, total costs, speed of execution, and final results.  By having all decisions controlled centrally, the likelihood of costly expenses or delays can be greatly reduced.  When the same team that designs the project builds the project, more attention to detail is given and costs are more clearly outlined earlier in the process, thus allowing for a higher level of transparency by all parties.  Clients are empowered to make more cost-effective decisions and avoid costly change orders down the road.

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Continuity- Being involved from beginning to end allows for a higher level of efficiency and effectiveness.  This is compounded by having a dedicated project manager.  The project manager is the conduit between inhouse management, designers, vendors, subcontractors, and client.  Leveraging the Design Build approach in planning is then carried into the execution by a dedicated project manager who is intimately familiar with all aspects of the project.

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Expertise- Another advantage of the Design Build approach is the experienced relationship between designer/architect and builder.  By being able to integrate both aspects from the beginning of a project, real time solutions can be implemented to avoid delays, unnecessary expenses, and miscommunication.  An experienced builder can recognize potential difficulties during a part of the design and provide input to modify design as needed to stay on budget.

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Professional Guides- The construction industry is riddled with stories about out-of-control budgets and extended project timelines.  Design Build can nearly eliminate these issues because the relationship between builder and client is based on trust and advocacy for the client’s best interests. This always leads to the project being guided to the best possible outcome by a collaborative effort of design team, builder, and client.

 

Owner Involvement- Design Build functions best when there is an appropriate amount of owner involvement throughout the process.  This ensures that the client’s goals are being accomplished once established during discovery and design.  Owners can be presented with options on finishes, product selections, and even sub-contractor selection to balance budget requirements with desired outcome. 

 

Collaboration- Unlike traditional models where the owner/client can have different agreements with multiple parties, Design Build offers one master agreement between client and Design Build firm.  The Design Build firm oversees responsibility for all aspects of job execution and planning.  This allows a greater level of control and transparency for the client.  The heart of the relationship is based on collaboration and trust between client and contractor.  This is not always the case in a more traditional agreement.

 

Open, Honest, and Frequent Communication- The Design Build process outlines costs in a very transparent manner so the client can make informed decisions.  Design Build avoids telling clients what they want to hear, but more importantly what they need to hear.  Through clear communication, a realistic budget can be established early in the process and becomes the driving force for making key decisions and agreements for the entire project.

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Time Management- Having all planning and implementation controlled by one entity, allows for the most efficient schedule management.  It allows for “long sightedness” empowering the project management team to recognize potential obstacles early on and implement solutions effectively.  All key players are involved and make decisions to avoid moving backwards.  Design Build can adapt quickly and respond in real time.  This helps to avoid potential costly change orders and delays.