Design-Assist vs. Design-Build: Capitalizing on the Efficiencies while Addressing the Risks

Description

Fundamental to every construction project, the owner must make a determination as to how the project will be designed and built. Though the traditional design-bid-build delivery method has been predominant over the last century, the design-build delivery method has made a recent resurgence over the last few decades due to certain efficiency advantages it offers owners. In turn, design-assist is a newer practice that has recently gained favor based on advantages comparable and complimentary to those offered by design-build.

Under a design-assist arrangement, the contractor/construction manager and specialty subcontractors are brought in to work with the design professional during the design phase to provide “boots on the ground” input and thereby improve constructability and reduce time and cost. In theory, design-assist services will address concerns about plans early on in the design process rather than at bid time or during construction, when it may be too late to solve these problems efficiently. In theory, design-assist should reduce both RFIs and change orders during the course of the project. However, because of its novelty, design-assist agreements and liabilities have not been standardized and therefore present pitfalls for various project participants, including specialty subcontractors. Design-assist services can be used in conjunction with either a design-bid-build delivery method or design-build delivery method.

Design-build offers advantages in line with design-assist. In a design-build delivery method, the owner contracts with a single design-build contractor who bears responsibility for both design and construction. As this system is integrated, there is less assignment of liability and the owner has the benefit of a single primary contact as well as greater coordination between the design and construction roles. Like with design-assist, the contractor has the ability to control the design process with an eye towards constructability, and it may utilize design-assist services by relying on input from specialty subcontractors when doing so.

Listen as our authoritative panel addresses the advantages and disadvantages of the use of a design-assist versus a design-build construction agreement and how to mitigate risk after selecting the form.