What Is Design-Build Construction?
Design-build is simply a project delivery system used in the construction industry in which the design and construction portions of the project are coordinated by a single contractor (typically a licensed general contractor). This minimizes risk and overall costs for the project owner and allows the project to move forward smoothly and be completed faster than with traditional methods.
Design-build is often compared to the “master builder” approach, which was a similar method used in construction for hundreds of years. The master builder was typically a highly respected member of the community whose work came to them purely by word of mouth. The design and quality of construction was tightly bound to the master builder’s reputation and future success.
The “traditional” delivery method is actually much more recent, only coming to popularity in the past 150 years. The traditional approach consists of a designer and a contractor, hired separately by the project owner and fated to work together on the project.
The differences between the traditional approach and design-build can be quite stark once the project is underway. With an experienced design-build firm, you’re much more likely to get the home you want, on time, on budget and at an exceptional level of quality, because you’re guaranteed the people who design and build your home are actually end-to-end experts in home design, constructablity and construction.