The Advantages And Disadvantages Of The Design-Build Procurement Method
Job owners have several approaches to acquiring the necessary goods and services for their construction projects. Among them is the design-build traditional procurement method.
The design-build procurement process is a little different from other methods in that the work is put in the hands of one contractor rather than involving multiple parties.
We’re going to examine some of the advantages and disadvantages of the design-build procurement method so you can see if this type will be the right fit for your project.
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What Is The Design-Build Procurement Method?
The design-build procurement strategy is a more straightforward route for a project owner rather than the design-bid-build procedure. It’s a 2-stage construction delivery method where one company is hired to build the structure from start to finish.
Whichever contractor is selected by the job owners will be in charge of designing the architectural drawings, determining the costs of materials needed, and delivering the job before the deadline date.
What’s The Difference Between Design-Build And Design-Bid-Build Project Delivery Methods?
If you have read our post on the design-bid-build method, you’ll know that the procedure is split up into three phases. An architect is hired for the design part to generate the drawings, the project is opened for bidding, and then a contractor is chosen and signs a contract before carrying out the work.
As for design-build, one contractor undertakes all the work and is usually directly chosen by the job owner, also known as negotiated tendering.
Advantages And Disadvantages Of The Design-Build Method
All procurement methods have their pros and cons, including design-build.
Let’s take a look at some of them.
Advantages Of The Design-Build Method
One party is accountable – Since all the work will be left in the hands of a single contractor, the responsibility lies solely on them, eliminating the possibility of conflict with other stakeholders and simplifying the line of communication.
Quick turnaround time – With design-build, there’s no waiting around for approval from different parties like other procurement methods. The work can begin once the drawings are completed, cutting out any possibility of wasting time.
An affordable option – Dealing with one contractor can be more affordable since it leaves more room for collaboration and not having to satisfy the needs of other parties.
Decisions are made faster – Fewer parties means fewer opinions, accelerating the pace of decisions being made between the owner and contractor.
Disadvantages Of The Design-Build Method
No competitive bidding – Because the contractor is chosen directly from the owner, there’s no bidding process, which can sometimes bring down the price and open the door for a more experienced contractor.
The owner can lose control – Putting all the power into the hands of one contractor removes some part of control from the owner. One of the ways this can happen may include the contractor not involving the owner in important decision-making.
Can reduce the possibility of creativity – Working with one contractor means job owners have to rely on their skills, which may not be as competent as others. If there’s nobody else involved, the whole project could lack creativity.
Conflict of interest – Due to the contractor being in charge of both the design and build, they may try some shortcuts to speed up the process, which could have a detrimental effect on the project’s outcome.
Do We Recommend The Design-Build Method?
If a job owner wants to complete their project as soon as possible without any delays and is willing to deal directly with the contractor frequently, the design-build method is for them.
On the other hand, we would suggest job owners with less construction experience go for the design-bid-build approach as it’s more hassle-free.
A Final Note
The design-build method procurement method features a variety of different advantages and disadvantages. Some might directly affect certain contractors more than others, but if you know the ins and outs of the construction industry, you can operate with this model.
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