Britton Construction, Inc.

Britton Construction Design Build ...

Here’s what we hear from clients:

“Our architects designed something we can’t afford to build…”
“We came in way over budget due to change orders…”
“The architect says it’s the builder’s fault and the builder says it’s the architect’s fault…”

Design-Build is a method of project delivery in which one entity (Britton Construction) provides a single contract with the owner to provide architectural/engineering design service and construction services.

By contrast, with the “traditional” design-bid-build approach, the Owner engages an architect or engineer to prepare drawings and specifications under a design contract, and subsequently selects a construction contractor by competitive bidding (or negotiation) to build the facility under a separate construction contract.

In Design-Bid-Build contract the owner, (you) warrants to the Contractor that design documents are free from error. In Design-Build, the opposite is true. The Design Builder, Britton Construction, warrants to the owner that design documents are complete and free from error. This eliminates finger pointing between the architect and the builder. In a guaranteed lump sum contract, the design-builder assumes all of the risk to deliver the project at the specified price. The only reason change orders may occur are for changes in project scope, which arise from the owner, not from errors in the design documents.

For more information regarding the Pros and Cons of Design-Build vs. Design-Bid-Build contact Dave Magee (505) 268-2626 or dmagee@brittonconstruction.com.