Design Build Contractor: 7 Proven Reasons Design Build Saves 20% on Construction

How you structure your construction project—design-bid-build versus working with a design build contractor—fundamentally affects cost, schedule, and risk. Understanding the difference helps you choose the delivery method that best serves your specific project. Here’s what every owner should know about working with a design build contractor versus traditional delivery methods.

Understanding Delivery Methods

In design-build, a single entity—the design build contractor—contracts with the owner to provide both design and construction services. The team is integrated from start to finish with your design build contractor.

According to the Design-Build Institute of America, design-build now represents over 40% of commercial construction spending in the United States, up from less than 20% two decades ago, proving the value of a qualified design build contractor.

Design Build Contractor Advantages

A design build contractor offers several powerful advantages that explain growing market share:

Single Point of Responsibility

With a design build contractor, there’s one contract and one entity responsible for both design and construction. If something goes wrong, you don’t face finger-pointing between designer and builder about who’s at fault with your design build contractor.

Faster Project Delivery

A design build contractor allows overlapping design and construction. While detailed design continues for later phases, early phases can proceed to construction. This “fast-tracking” by your design build contractor can reduce overall project duration by 30-40%.

Better Cost Control

Constructor involvement during design enables real-time cost feedback with your design build contractor. When designers propose expensive approaches, the builder can suggest value engineering alternatives before drawings are finalized.

A professional design build contractor provides continuous cost estimating throughout design development, keeping the project aligned with budget rather than discovering overruns at bid time.

Reduced Change Orders

Since the design build contractor reviews drawings as they develop, constructability issues get resolved during design rather than emerging during construction. This dramatically reduces change orders.

Research from the Construction Industry Institute shows projects with a design build contractor experience 30-40% fewer change orders than traditionally delivered projects.

Enhanced Collaboration

A design build contractor creates aligned incentives. The design team and construction team work for the same entity, naturally encouraging collaboration rather than adversarial relationships with your design build contractor.

When Traditional Makes Sense

Despite a design build contractor‘s advantages, traditional delivery remains appropriate for certain situations where a design build contractor may not be the best fit.

Real Cost Comparison

A design build contractor may show slightly higher initial pricing because they assume risks that remain with the owner in traditional delivery. However, total project cost including change orders, delays, and dispute resolution typically favors working with a qualified design build contractor.

Studies show projects with a design build contractor average 6-8% lower total cost than traditional delivery for comparable projects, primarily through reduced change orders and schedule compression.

According to FMI Corporation research, owners working with a design build contractor report higher satisfaction and perceive better value than traditional delivery, even when direct costs are similar.

Choosing the Right Design Build Contractor Approach

Choose a Design Build Contractor When:

• Schedule is critical and fast-tracking with a design build contractor provides value
• You want single point of responsibility from your design build contractor
• Early constructor input from a design build contractor could improve cost and constructability
• Budget certainty matters more than design control with your design build contractor
• Past projects experienced significant change orders that a design build contractor could prevent

Evaluating Design Build Contractors

If you choose a design build contractor, selection becomes critical. Look for:

• In-house design capabilities or established design partnerships with your design build contractor
• Portfolio demonstrating successful design-build projects from your design build contractor
• Professional liability insurance covering design services from the design build contractor
• Clear communication about design and construction processes with your design build contractor

At Bowser Construction Group, we offer both traditional construction services and integrated design-build delivery as an experienced design build contractor. We help clients evaluate which approach best serves their specific project needs.

Making the Right Choice

There’s no universally “best” delivery method. A design build contractor offers compelling advantages for many commercial projects, but traditional delivery remains appropriate for others. The key is understanding your priorities.

Want to discuss which delivery method best fits your next project? Contact our team to explore your options and understand how different approaches affect cost, schedule, and risk, including working with a qualified design build contractor.

Learn more about our design-build services and how integrated delivery as your design build contractor creates value for commercial construction clients.

Explore our traditional construction management capabilities for projects where separate designer selection is preferred over a design build contractor approach.