What Are the Advantages of Design-Build?

Just as all things do, the construction industry has undergone major shifts in the approaches, methods and processes implemented as best practices over time. During our years as a premier remodeling company in Phoenix, AZ, White Builder, Inc. has witnessed these changes firsthand and understands the difference between a momentary trend and a long-term improvement.

What is design-build?

The phrase design-build refers to a method of approaching construction and remodeling projects. For many years, a general contractor in Phoenix, AZ would work in conjunction with a designer or architect to complete a project using a method called design-bid-build. However, this method created communications issues and added to the overall expense.

Now, construction enterprises embrace the design-build methodology, which makes the contractor the representative of the client’s interests during a project. The contractor works directly with the architect and engineer and manages any subcontractors hired for the job.

Why is the design-build approach better?

Unless you work for or own a remodeling company in Phoenix, AZ, you’re probably not familiar with the advantages of implementing a design-build methodology for construction and renovation projects. Here are some of the key benefits:

• Save money: Research finds that contractors who use the design-build approach save their clients up to 10 percent of the overall project cost. With a single person (the contractor) overseeing the entire job, there’s more opportunities to find cost-saving alternatives. Your contractor can account for any delays and plan workarounds so you’re not paying subcontractors to sit around and wait.
• Save time: During the design-build process, the design and construction timeframes overlap, allowing the project to move ahead at a faster pace. Plus, your contractor creates a work schedule and handles any unexpected downtime or disruptions by finding cost-effective ways to get around these challenges. This ultimately means your construction or renovation project comes in at or before the deadline.
• Single point of contact: With the design-bid-build model, a client had to manage multiple contact points and coordinate between these separate entities. A design-build approach simplifies this process, making the contractor the client’s only point of contact and coordinating efforts and communication between everyone involved.
• Project continuity: Using the design-build approach, your contractor remains the project lead from start to finish. You don’t have to waste time or effort bringing other people up to date because your contractor knows every detail. This minimizes or eliminates miscommunications, so work isn’t duplicated or skipped.
• Improved teamwork: Your contractor leads up a single team that includes the architect, designer and subcontractors with the design-build approach. All of these people work together to complete the project. On the other hand, with the design-bid-build methodology, different companies and professionals go about their work with little collaboration or minimal communication. In most cases, this creates costly, time-consuming problems that set your job back days or even weeks.

As a top-rated general contractor in Phoenix, AZ, White Builder, Inc. has embraced the design-build methodology for all projects because we know it delivers the best value to our customers. If you have questions about starting a new custom home building job, get in touch with us today.