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MONTHLY NEWSLETTER: FEBRUARY 2010 ISSUE
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WHY SHOULD YOU USE THE DESIGN-BUILD APPROACH?
BY JESSE HARRIS, ARCHITECT
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School developers want to simplify the process of developing and building a school and save money at the same time. The cost of designing, building, operating, and maintaining structures continues to increase. The variety of building types and methods of construction are also increasing. Of all the choices available to school developers, we believe the design-build process may be the most attractive option. The term “design-build” is used to describe a variety of building development processes. The owner gets the building design and the building construction within one contract. We will use “design-build” to describe the following package of services:
- Building design complying with code requirements and building permits by a qualified, licensed team of architects and engineers
- Funding arranged by a financing consultant and a team of resources who specializes in funding charter schools
- Construction by a qualified licensed contractor and team of subcontractors
- Vendors who specialize in owner-purchased products and systems for assembly and educational facilities
During the last century, often the building design has been separated from the building construction. Separating the processes in this way can become adversarial. When the architect designs the building and expects the builder to follow his wishes without input, then quality and cost conflicts may develop. When the design and the construction are separate contracts, the builder is generally working on a fixed-fee basis, so any changes, even though beneficial to the project, come out of the contractor’s pocket. Consequently, adversarial relationships can develop between the owner, the architect, and the builder. Requests for additional compensation (change orders) are often the cause of conflicts. If the builder or the
architect request change orders for which the owner doesn't want to pay, then the conflicts can result in lawsuits.
When architects work separately from the builder, as much as ten percent can be added to the cost of a project just because the architect is not aware of the price differences in the products he specifies. For instance, he may specify lock A, even though it may cost three times more money than lock B, which would be just as good.
During the last couple of decades, we have seen some movement in the construction industry towards the design-build concept. Typically, a construction company is hired on a design-build basis. The owner gives the design/builder the parameters for his project and relies on the architect and the builder to work together to minimize the costs and maximize the benefit to the owner. When the architect and the builder are both included in the design process and the construction process, more cost-effective design and construction usually result. This method is the most advantageous to the owner--to find a design-build team and contract with them for the total project. The best way to select a design-build team is on integrity, knowledge, and past performance.
Some of the benefits of the design-build process should be a building with the following features:
- Functions effectively for the school’s needs
- Attractive appearance that represents the owner’s vision
- Efficient construction--requiring the least amount of material for the largest amount of space
- Safest construction--the most stable, reliable, and durable
- Interior environment that reduces the cost of heating and cooling by up to 40-60%
- Construction that takes the least amount of time
The design-build approach to a project emphasizes the symbiotic relationship between the architect and the builder as a team of equals under the owner’s direction--pushing the job to completion.
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Jesse Harris is an architect with LPDJ
E-mail: jesse(at)lpdj(dot)com
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