First, let's define "design/build". Our definition is that you, the homeowner, entrust your building assignment to one organization to have complete accountability for designing and building your project. That organization has, under one "umbrella", the architect, engineers (civil, structural, etc.), landscape architect , construction personnel, etc. to bring your project to fruition.

Informed owners are instructing their designer/builder to take much more than a simply artistic interest in their project. Because design alone in the absence of good, well thought out cost controls, value engineering and scheduling, set up the owner for failure and costly overruns.

The singular responsibility inherent in design/build serves as a primary motivator for superior quality and proper performance. With "traditional" design-bid-build, the owner is relying on the legal system and restrictive contract language to ensure project quality and timeliness.

Arguably the most important aspect of design/build, is the time and cost savings. Most owners in the "traditional" design-bid-build scenario become simply a patron of the architect. The architect rarely has an eye on the owner's budget and designs what he (she) believes to be what the owner desires with little or no eye on costs. In design/build we are your advocate and one of our most important jobs is to control the budget you prescribe.

Finally, change orders due to "errors and omissions" (and architects do make mistakes) are virtually eliminated because the designer/builder has the responsibility for developing drawings and specifications as well as building a fully functional project.