What is the difference between design build construction and construction using plans and specifications?
Great question.
Design-build has become synonymous with fast tracking a project.
This is a false understanding of the reasoning behind
design-build.
In a regular project or type of construction, there are a set of
plans with all of the required engineering. This means that the
total project has been conceptualized and planed, down to the fine
details.
In design build project an architects concept has been drawn.
Most design build projects stop here and get a permit so that the
owners time tables can be met. While construction begins,
engineering is continuing, and we tend to call it a design build
project. All of the engineering comes latter for times sake. More
of a fast track than a design build.
In a real design build project the architect's concept is there
but the engineering is in question as to how the project will
actually work. Most have some, if not all of the required
engineering, or at least an overall concept of the engineering plan
that include drawings and details. The reasoning for design build
is that the engineering concepts are only that, concepts, and have
not been actually proven in other than theory, or not to the scales
that they are being implimented in the project. Engineering details
may change with actual numbers and this is foreseen or planed.
The reason for design build is that there are expected changes
or unanswered questions in the engineering that can not be fully
answered until the building is to the point in construction that
the engineer can make a full determination or actual measurements,
loads and/or calculations.
Others may (and will) disagree, but this is my understanding of
the true meaning of DESIGN-BUILD.
!
Terry