Design-Build

Design-build describes a process in which the General Contractor is the sole contracting entity that the Owner has to deal with throughout the design-development and construction processes. Under this method of project delivery, the General Contractor, or Design-Builder, is responsible for the development of the design, the final design and construction documents, and all construction activities. Development of the design usually includes geotechnical services, surveying, civil engineering, structural engineering, architectural design, mechanical and electrical design.

Criterion General Inc. does not employ any design professionals in-house. We prefer to reach out to the design community and employ professional consultants for the various design disciplines. There are many firms in all of the various disciplines with whom we have excellent working relationships.

Key objectives of the design-build process include:

Time savings: The Owner in a conventional approach must put out design RFP documents, select a design team, wait for the design to be completed, put out bid documents, wait for the bids to come in, and select a contractor. The owner, consultants, and contractor then must go through the submittal, review and approval process. With design-build, after the initial RFP by the owner, all the above processes become nearly simultaneous. It is not uncommon for the design-build approach to save several months over the conventional approach.

Money savings: In the more conventional approach mentioned above, the owner would have the expense of the full design fees required to prepare bid documents, in addition to any management fees from the consultants. In the design-build approach, the design effort is limited to defining the scope of the project among a selected team, which usually requires far less in the form of specifications, details, and “boiler plate.” The contractor, having the design under his scope, can take the responsibility of the management effort. Design decisions can be made with cost-related input from the contractor, potentially reducing costs.

Improved cooperation: If the contractor and design professionals have chosen to work together, rather than being “stuck with each other,” as is often the case with low-bid scenarios, overall performance is enhanced for all parties. It is simply more professionally satisfying to get things built with people you have chosen to work with, as opposed to those you are forced to work with.