Big Sky :: Design Build



	Why partner with a Design Builder? Because time, money and liability are important to your business or organization. Time involved with the day-to-day operations for your project will be reduced, if not eliminated. Money will be saved because the professionals all fall under one roof. Liability will be reduced because the responsibility of the work to be performed falls on the shoulders of the design-builder. Many years ago, Henry Ford stated, “Before everything else, getting ready is the secret of success.” Let Big Sky facilitate you getting ready. Managing Risk In the Traditional Process the Owner/Organization certify to the Contractor that design documents are free from error. In Design-Build the Design Builder certifies to the Owner that design documents are complete and free from error. This removes the blame game between the architect and the builder. In a guaranteed lump sum contract, the design-builder takes on all of the risk to deliver the project at the negotiated price. The only reason change orders may occur are for changes in the project scope, which arise from the Owner/Organization, not from miscalculations in the design documents. Traditional Approach: Pros and Cons Pros The process is well understood by owner/organizations, professionals, and contractors. Allows for competitive bidding among both subcontractors and general contractors Gives the lowest price for a specified set of documents Cons There is no input from contractors during the design phase Frequently bids come in over budget due to change orders Might not provide the best value to the owner/organization Difficult to identify long lead items which can lead to scheduling delays Takes more time for a detailed bidding phase Makes “fast track” construction extremely difficult Can cause a detrimental relationship between the design professionals and the contractor Design-Build Approach: Pros and Cons Pros Design-builder is the only source of responsibility Owner/organizations can influence the design and cost early in the design phase Less time is required from inception of project through completion because the bidding phase is shortened and major design changes are made early rather than later Design team works together with builder to provide the most creative solution to any problems and eliminates any personality conflicts between designer and builder “Fast track” construction is facilitated Contractors have input early in design phase in reference to budget Can identify long lead items early to prevent scheduling delays Cons Process not well understood by owner/organizations and architects Perception by owner/organizations that there are no “checks and balances” Summary Design-Build offers numerous advantages over the “Traditional” approach. The one particular obstacle for an owner/organization to overcome is the perception that they will be paying more because their project is not competitively bid. To overcome this issue, it is important for the owner/organization to have a high level of trust, which you will find with Big Sky Enterprises