Design/Builders
May 2nd, 2007 by Todd
In recent years the design/ build method has become an alternative delivery approach in the construction industry. Within this approach both the design and construction are packaged under the same contract with a single design/ build company. While this approach may work for some industries, it is not a good idea for the construction of a church facility for a number of reasons:
Loss of control- The church loses control over decisions affecting quality. This is because the contract is signed for a specific cost before decisions regarding quality are made. Rather than a partnership of design and construction, this scenario places the design entirely at the mercy of construction costs and methods.
No competitive bid process- There is no assurance that the church is getting a fair market value on the cost of construction. There is no “apples to apples” comparison of cost based on the design, and there is little incentive for the builder to reduce costs in the absence of competition.
No accountability- The architect is responsible to the owner as their representative in the construction process. It is the responsibility of the architect to make sure that the construction is built in accordance with the design, that materials installed are those specified in the contract documents, that applications for payment are appropriate and in line with the stage of the work, and to approve any costs associated with changes to the work. All of these protections for the owner are removed when designer is an employee of the builder.
Myth of design cost savings- There is a myth that there is a savings in the cost of design in this approach. The truth is that this cost is simply not seen, because it is buried within the overall construction costs.
Legality- In many states a design/ build company may not practice legally unless an architect or engineer is the owner of the company. In recent years a number of design/ build companies have been disciplined for this very reason.
For further information see Architect vs. Design/ Build in Facility Planning