What should you look for when hiring a design/build firm?

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A Design-Build firm offers in-house expertise and experience that can drastically improve the overall outcome of construction projects

A good Design-Build firm will aim to reduce overall costs while delivering a project in an efficient manner. With everyone on the same team there is an incentive for increased communication between all parties. Often the most challenging part of communicating in a construction project is knowing how to ask a question. With experts all working together, solutions can be reached in a more timely manner.

Design-Build firms optimizes the traditional model for a construction project by combining the expertise of a construction supervisor and a lead architect under one roof. Instead of a triad of owner, contractor and architect, Design-Build firms enable an integrated design process. A good firm will involve the owner from the beginning with an expectation that the owner will be an integral part of the process throughout the project. For owners who prefer to be tasked with less active involvement and decision-making, the Design-Build approach might not be the best fit.

The Design-Build process has many measurable advantages over a general contractor who implements the design of an independent architect. Cost is reduced due to efficiencies in personnel operations as well as the lower overhead costs of a single business entity. Conflicts and miscommunications are dealt with in an expedited manner. The typical lag in communications between a contractor in the field and the architect is cut. If there is an issue on a project demanding immediate attention from all parties time is not wasted coordinating meetings.

A good Design-Build firm will employ project leads with deep experience in their respective fields. This expertise creates a multidisciplinary understanding of the construction process. Architects will create designs that take into account construction costs, and contractors will make informed decisions rooted in the mission of the overarching design set forth by the architectural team. Each party from designer to field carpenter is empowered by their direct influence over the final product. Over time this institutional understanding of construction processes is an invaluable asset not easily reproduced.

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Andrew is absolutely correct. A well-structured, design-build firm employs a strategic company structure, creating the propensity for best alignment for success with projects such as custom homes builds and custom-designed structures. But, do not rely on name along, validate the company’s experience and reviews before making the final decision. This general rule must be applied to every home remodeling project.

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While both authors here make a case for the benefits of a Design-Build solution, and we also provide this service, missing from their notes is the caution that such a decision is typically related to both budget size and overall scope of project. There is a reason that architects exist beyond a desire for higher fees. Their advanced level of education and depth of understanding of both design and construction is often a requirement for larger and more technically demanding projects. Of note, most States, and California in particular, require a licensed architect or designer to sign plans submitted for permit. Regardless of whether plans are created by a Design-Build firm or separate professional Architect, structural engineering sign-off is required - along with other professional analyses depending on the project that range from soils reports, Cal-Green, Title 24 Energy and potentially other requirements such as overlays like the Coastal Zone district and more.

Nothing here is to suggest there aren’t real benefits for working with a quality Design-Build firm. The decision should be made on the qualifications and reputation of any firm selected and matched to the complexity and scale of the project. Indeed, California law provides that a project can be signed by a licensed designer who does not have to be an architect, though a structural engineering stamp will be required in either case. In our case, we evaluate each project before we select the right architect or designer and match their experience and style with the goals and budget of our client.