Design-Build Saves Owners Time
and Dollars at Every Project Stage
Before Site Selection
In contrast to both realtors and consultants,
the contractor and his Design-Build partner/ architect will
know and can advise the owner on important details that profoundly
affect final project cost.
Two simple, common examples are the question
of what direction a loading dock will face – a decision
which can profoundly affect excavation costs, and the issue
of utility extensions.
In the latter example, one piece of local property
being considered by an owner would have required an
entirely new, mainline extension. A second site under consideration
required only a simple connection to
a lateral. Cheap land is not cheap if excavation and utility
costs are prohibitive.
Realtors are always
legally bound to represent seller interests. Thus, even if
they knew and understood
the importance of these details – an unlikely possibility
– they would be constrained from sharing that
information.
After Site Selection
In a Design-Build program, the contractor’s
early involvement allows planning, scheduling, and even the
purchasing of materials to begin before a design enters its
detail stage. Foundation, structural steel and
other early phases can almost always begin while the Design-Build
architect is completing final drawings.
For this reason, Design-Build is the preferred option for
fast-track projects.
Also, when the contractor is directly
involved in the design process, he can make sure that the
design
incorporates materials that are both practical for the application
and readily available.
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