Design-build

Architect, engineer and builder working off one budget instead of three.

Why the split model goes over budget

In the traditional sequence a client hires an architect, gets a finished set of plans, and only then finds out what it costs to build. When that number comes back high, the design goes back for an expensive round of redrawing. The plans were never priced as they were drawn.

Pricing the plan as it is drawn

Design-build puts the builder in the room from the start, so cost is a live constraint rather than a verdict delivered at the end. Decisions get made against a real number while changing them is still free.

What it covers

Architect and engineer coordination, plans priced as they develop, and the permit set handled end to end — through whichever jurisdiction the lot sits in.