Frequently Asked Questions

What Is Design-Build?

A design-build contract has one manager who oversees the project engineering and construction. In contrast, a typical design-bid-build construction project keeps the design and construction under two separate entities. Such separation can lead to engineers and contractors having an adversarial relationship, thus bogging down the project and increasing cost. Design-build construction projects minimize those issues with a collaborative approach, with contractors and engineers on the same page from the start.

What’s the Difference Between Engineer-Led Design-Build and Contractor-Led Design-Build?

In a contractor-led design-build project, a general contractor provides design-build services by hiring engineering consultants to handle the design. For engineer-led design-build jobs, the engineer works directly with you, creates the needed designs and teams up with a trusted contractor.

With engineer-led design-build, the project design and quality are never circumvented for the sake of economy. Construction is implemented under the guiding hand of the engineer, and the contractor has a say in the means and methods from the initial stages. This results in striking a balance between getting it done right and cost-effectiveness.

Is Engineer-Led Design-Build More Expensive?

Contractor-led design-build teams might initially outbid engineer-led design-build teams. But that’s not factoring in additional costs that could accrue if a contractor has to make changes mid-project. Such changes are usually due to a lack of pre-design work or scope items being omitted because a comprehensive design package was not created.

By keeping the engineer in the driver’s seat, the engineer-led design-build process addresses all design items before a shovel hits the ground and keeps construction as per the design requirements. This helps to ensure that the upfront quote you see is the final project cost.