Why Design-Build is the Most Efficient Project Management Method
I met up with my friend Dr Michael Omondi the other day, and he was not in his usual cheerful mood for our catch-up sessions. He looked tired and was not caught up on the latest world news and other topics we discussed. He is passionate about technology and politics.
I knew something was amiss when he wasn’t ready to discuss our country’s politics., especially now that the political temperature is rising. I went ahead and prompted him to share what could have been bothering him that much, only to find it’s something I could have helped him with had he reached out.
The Doctor was building his second house in Farasi lane, Lower Kabete, and the project was stressing him mentally and financially. He was having difficulty grasping the construction process and determining the project progress due to his busy schedule. Additionally, he was not satisfied with his consultants’ performance. They were not agreeable, and each sent their invoices with extra site visits and miscellaneous charges, which led to a higher than projected total cost.
The Doctor’s (developer’s) woes can be solved in several ways. On top of the list is a design-build contract. It offers the advantage of having a single point of contact for project design and construction management. The design-build option is popular with small to medium-sized projects where it is the most efficient and cost-effective project management method.
Understanding Your Dream and Actualizing Your Vision
Traditionally, a client approaches an Architect who puts their development ideas down on paper in architectural drawings. The Architect forwards the drawings to the appointed Structural Engineer (SE), who does structural designs and produces structural/working drawings for the project. The Architect becomes the project lead or the project manager.
There must be coordination between the two in consultation with the client to ensure drawings represent the client’s vision. For medium to large projects, there may be the need to involve services engineers, including the Mechanical Engineer, Electrical Engineer, Lift Engineer, etc., as required.
The next step involves a Quantity Surveyor (QS) who computes the project’s material quantities and cost estimates. It is also their responsibility to advise on expected overheads and come up with a more accurate estimate of the project’s total cost at the prevailing material and labour costs.
Building contractors bid for the project construction work based on the final bill of quantities produced by the QS. The successful bidder joins the rest of the consultants to form the project team.
The project team would consist of:
- The client (A Clerk of Works as required)
- The Architect
- The Structural Engineer (Plus Services Engineers as required)
- The Quantity Surveyor
- The Contractor ( Plus Sub-contractors as required)
On the other hand, if you decide to engage the services of a design-build consultant, the project team would comprise of:
- The Client ( A Clerk of Works as required)
- The Design-Build Consultant.
Remember to get all the required permits before construction starts on your project. Your chosen consultants will advise and guide you on this, so we will not get into it here.
Advantages of Design-Build Projects
1. Efficiency
Under the design-build option, you will engage only one consultant who will listen to understand your development vision and needs then proceeds to design, construct and manage your project. A qualified design-build consultant can transfer your development vision to paper and a finished project with very high accuracy.
On the other hand, involving an array of consultants creates a bureaucracy where instructions have to trickle down from the client — Architect — Structural Engineer — Quantity Surveyor, and finally to the Contractor. This process is less efficient and makes the final product not as accurate as envisioned by you.
2. Cost-Effectiveness
When you have several consultants on your project, each sends their invoice for services provided, which amounts to a considerable sum even for small projects. Let me paint you the picture for you the said consultants have registered offices, staff, company vehicles and other equipment, and costs of operation. They will charge you for attending project progress meetings and site visits before even charging for consultancy.
However, when you use the services of a design-build consultant, you would expect a single invoice as you are getting all the services under one roof. That makes it the cheaper option. Additionally, when it comes to project meetings and site inspections, only a single consultant is involved, so you can already calculate how much you will be saving.
When the design consultant moves to the site to handle construction and project management, it reduces construction errors and time. That is because the consultant understands the project better than anybody else.
3. Accountability
Having a design-build consultant on your project eliminates conflicts between project stakeholders. In my experience, the Architect’ and Structural Engineers’ site instructions may often differ, causing inconsistencies or the contractor idling while waiting for clarifications.
There may also occur conflict between the quality of material delivered to the site by the contractor or suppliers and the design specifications. In the worst-case scenario, the consultants may collude in purchasing poor-quality material and substandard fittings at prices lower than the clients pay as per the Bill of Quantities.
The good news is that you can avoid all these risks and possible losses by seeking the services of a design-build consultant. Accountability will increase when a single consultant is responsible for your project. Secondly, it will be easier to ensure the consultant uses the suitable material and maintains quality work.
4. Timely Delivery of Your Project
From experience, projects are rarely finished by their completion date as per the project schedule, and extensions are almost a norm. I hate to be the one to break it to you, but the consultants have a hand in this. However, this is a no-brainer as you have already seen how conflicts between consultants can lead to delays and contractor idling.
It takes longer to harmonise designs and site instructions and effect changes and modifications as instructions trickle down the bureaucratic ladder. Additionally, the process of finding, hiring, and onboarding all the consultants when you need them is time-consuming.
You can already picture how smoothly your project will flow when you have to find only one consultant who will take your views and opinions directly and move to execute them on site.
5. Quality and Control
When you involve a single consultant in your project, you give them the power to control the quality from the inception through design and well into construction. Better still, they can do this while keeping the project cost in check. Site instruction would be perfectly delivered to the site just as you issued them without any chance of distortions.
In other words, the back and forth between consultants is avoided, and control over design, complexity, and practicality of construction is maintained from the project start.
6. Single Point of Contact
A single point of contact simplifies communication and coordination of progress meetings, discussion of changes and modifications to the project. It also contributes to the effectiveness and cost savings for the project.
Additionally, I promise that you will never register absent consultants in your project progress meetings which can be annoying at times.
7. Value Engineering
Having all the services under one roof allows for proper coordination, control, and value engineering consideration at pre-determined milestones in the project life.
I know this is still possible when you have several consultants, each with their different views. So, good luck dealing with the conflict of ideas and competition to impress.
Take Away
If and when you have a project, especially a residential development, it is advisable to seek the services of a design-build consultant. You will get value for your money, your project will be completed on time, and you will have eliminated the stress of dealing with several consultants. The only more satisfying thing than having a single and accountable point of contact for your project is moving in, settling into your freshly finished house, and making it a home.