Design-assist is not without potential drawbacks. Here are some common concerns—and how your Building Team can reassure clients that DA is worth considering.
OWNER CONCERN: Lack of familiarity with design-assist. DA is a relatively new delivery model. Architects and CMs may have a tendency to revert back to traditional roles.
PLAN OF ACTION: Although the DA process produces a more efficient, collaborative design process, care must be taken to ensure that the collaborative process continues throughout construction. During construction, there are inevitable owner concerns. That’s why it’s important to have established a process to address these changes. The collaborative process can be used to resolve challenges in a quick, cost-effective manner.
OWNER CONCERN: Subcontract administration. The subcontractor might not perform as expected or fall out of line with the budget.
PLAN OF ACTION: It is important to administer a preconstruction contract with the DA subcontractor, which allows the owner to terminate the agreement at any time prior to construction. This acts as a safeguard when a subcontractor’s pricing is not in line with the budget, and there is no reasonable way to get to the budget; in such a case, the owner would have reasonable cause to terminate the subcontractor’s contract. In this situation the trade package would need to be bid, which could push back the schedule depending on the selection process.
OWNER CONCERN: Obtaining competitive pricing. Some owners believe early involvement with subcontractors and the construction manager in the project precludes them from receiving competitive bids.
PLAN OF ACTION: Because the construction team is hired early in the design phase, the Building Team can obtain benchmark prices during the programming phase, making competitive pricing feasible. The Building Team can also obtain nonbinding preliminary price proposals during the DA selection process based on initial plans, such as schematic drawings; binding final prices can be submitted upon completion of the plans.
OWNER CONCERN: Added costs of the DA process. Design-assist may add time and cost to the design phase of the project due to additional collaboration with subcontractors and added time to procure services.
PLAN OF ACTION: The reductions achieved in construction cost and schedule should offset additional costs during the design phases, making design-assist advantageous overall.
OWNER CONCERN: Design liability. Greater collaboration among the architect, engineer, subcontractors, and construction manager might raise questions about who has responsibilities and design liability throughout the process.
PLAN OF ACTION: The project team should clearly set obligations and liabilities of the team members with respect to plans, specifications, and the building information model (if applicable) to overcome this concern. You should also develop a design-assist execution plan to identify roles, responsibilities, and deliverables for all team members.
Related Stories
Architects | May 26, 2015
AIA design competition creates portable, temporary housing for the homeless
The winning design from the AIA's "A Safe Place" competition was built at the AIA convention in Atlanta and later donated to a local non-profit partner.
BIM and Information Technology | May 21, 2015
How AEC firms should approach BIM training
CASE Founding Partner Steve Sanderson talks about the current state of software training in the AEC industry and common pitfalls in AEC training.
Museums | May 13, 2015
The museum of tomorrow: 8 things to know about cultural institutions in today’s society
Entertainment-based experiences, personal journeys, and community engagement are among the key themes that cultural institutions must embrace to stay relevant, write Gensler's Diana Lee and Richard Jacob.
Building Team | May 8, 2015
Construction industry adds 45,000 jobs in April
The construction industry saw an increase in jobs during the month of April after losing approximately 9,000 positions in March.
Building Team | May 8, 2015
Surety bond forms specifically for design-build projects now available
The documents are the first of their kind to be coauthored by designers and builders.
Building Team | May 7, 2015
A new study ranks the best and worst cities to work for a small business
Based on 11 criteria, Charlotte, N.C., tops the list, Youngstown, Ohio, brings up the rear.
High-rise Construction | May 6, 2015
Parks in the sky? Subterranean bike paths? Meet the livable city, designed in 3D
Today’s great cities must be resilient—and open—to many things, including the influx of humanity, writes Gensler co-CEO Andy Cohen.
Sponsored | Building Team | Apr 29, 2015
Parsons Brinckerhoff and former CEO partner to solve the “brain drain” challenge
For firms large and small, hiring is always a balancing act between keeping the business moving forward and being patient to find the right people to fit into your organization
Sponsored | Building Team | Apr 24, 2015
New Products and Programs to Check Out at the 2015 AIA Convention
There is no bigger annual gathering of architects and design professionals in North America quite like the AIA National Convention.
Green | Apr 22, 2015
AIA Committee on the Environment recognizes Top 10 Green Projects
Seattle's Bullitt Center and the University Center at The New School are among AIA's top 10 green buildings for 2015.