Design/Build—Pros and Cons

Fitzpatrick—Design/Build is a method by which the design professional and the general contractor are the same business or the same person. Here are the pros and cons for the homeowner, from the perspective of one who has worked on both sides:

Pros

1. Can lower the cost of a project since the designer/architect and contractor work together.
2. Can improve the speed and efficiency of a project since communication between designer/architect and contractor is facilitated by being in the same office.
3. Can avoid friction between designer/architect and contractor since they are both on the same team.
4. One-stop-shopping; avoids having to solicit multiple bids from different contractors.
5. Can employ innovative design solutions since both designer/architect and contractor work together.

Cons

1. Limits ability of homeowner to obtain competitive bids on a project unless plans are purchased from the Design/Build firm. In which case, the homeowner could have simply hired an independent designer/architect to produce a set of plans.
2. Can result in a general contractor acting as a designer/architect when she/he is perhaps not qualified, resulting in substandard design.
3. Limits checks and balances by an independent designer/architect and contractor, where both have responsibility to the homeowner.

As with most things in life, the success of the Design/Build endeavor depends on the quality of the skills, including communication, of the people involved. I’ve seen it produce great projects as well as ugly and expensive ones.