In recent years, design-build has started to move into the territory of being a project standard for delivery. With state legislation opting in favor of this construction method, 43 states now widely utilize it in public agency projects. Design-build delivers on schools, offices, stadiums, transportation, and water infrastructure projects. This is also a method used to build quality homes in residential neighborhoods.
Here at Bat City Builders, we are a company that is known for design-build in Austin. Let’s go through what it would mean for you to take on single-source contracting and how you would benefit.
Why should you choose design-build over design-bid-build?
Design-bid-build is the traditional project delivery. In this type of construction, there are two contracts—one for the designer and one for the contractor. The main problem is that, although everyone is building per the specified design, they do not have substantial intel about changes being made in another sector. This could lead to complications with how long the project takes and, in turn, the cost of it.
Design-build, on the other hand, only requires one contract, with the designer and contractor working as a unit. Owners reduce their risk with design-build because, through the addition of collaborative problem-solving, there is significantly less blame being pointed. Providing flexible and competitive bidding, this method outperforms design-bid-build across categories, decreases administrative burden, and reduces litigation claims.
What does the pre-construction process look like?
First thing you'll need to do is choose a design-builder. You will benefit from either using a qualifications-based selection or a best-value selection method to pin down your design-builder. For qualifications-based, you will go through their experience and expertise, as well as their team’s history. For best-value, you look at their estimated price points and technical proposals, on top of their credentials. Our proof of authenticity at Bat City Builders is that we have won several construction industry awards for our residential builds.
Upon choosing your design-builder, engineers and architects can begin with their assessments of the mechanical, electrical, and architectural systems. For design-build in Austin, this includes the preparations for fires, existing floor plans, and interior room finishes, as well as the compliance requirements, usable resources, and codes. After collecting the necessary information, the team will identify the perfect construction program for your time constraints and budget.
What can you expect once construction begins?
The luxury of design-build is that, thanks to the overlapping of design and construction, your team will be more capable of producing a timely build. The clearly defined scope allows for the subcontractors and materials vendors to be on the same page throughout the process. While there is always the potential for challenges to come up, design-build makes the hurdles easier to jump over.
With the final design solidified, every member of the team will be involved throughout construction. After the completion of your project, your design-builder will provide you with the core documentation and any further instruction.
Projects of any size can benefit from design-build. With its faster schedules, lower costs, and emphasis on transparent communication, this method makes your job as the client all the less stressful. Contact us today to have a conversation about getting started on your design-build in Austin.
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