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To Design or To Design-Build? That May Be Your Question
by Kevin Hebblethwaite
An incredible number of decisions go into every technology construction project. At some point you will have to decide how you will “deliver” your project. Two primary alternatives are to hire a design-build contractor (also referred to as integrators or installers) or to hire a qualified design consultant to lead the project.
Design-build is a method of project delivery that provides you the ability to have a single contract with the same entity during planning, design, and installation (“build-out”) phases. Contractors that specialize in design-build delivery take total responsibility (and liability) for the project, from start to finish. In contrast, a consultant-led project may involve one or more build-out contractors who implement your project based on the requirements, design documents and specifications developed by your consultant. Design-build has become increasingly popular and can be an appropriate delivery method for some projects. The purpose of this article is to help you assess your own project situation and make an informed choice. We’ll analyze this decision around three key project elements: equipment selection, time commitments, and total project cost.
With most technology systems in buildings, there are large numbers of components, connectors, conduits and cables that must be selected for use in the project. For example, suppose you are building an audio-visual conferencing space. You’ll likely be considering projectors, screens, speakers, microphones, and cameras that together create a system solution for your functional needs. A consultant’s approach will typically be to identify those needs first through an interactive discovery process. Then the consultant will create documentation that generically lists the necessary equipment and its associated performance requirements (such as the number of lumens a projector can produce). Contractors using the design-build method generally propose equipment in accordance with pre-existing dealer or “channel” agreements they have with manufacturers. In some cases this can limit your ability to get exactly what you need.
The more you know about the equipment you need, the more likely it is that you will be able to evaluate equipment suggestions objectively and make informed decisions on design-build solutions. If you are not comfortable with your technical knowledge in this arena, it may make more sense to rely on a consultant who is not financially affiliated with any particular product.
Another critical consideration in your decision should be the amount of time you can personally contribute to the project. In many cases, the oversight of technology build-out projects is assigned to individuals whose day-to-day job responsibilities have not changed. Attending meetings, reviewing plans and observing construction progress all require significant investments of someone’s time. If your full-time job is to oversee all communications cabling projects at your company, you may have an excellent justification for using the design-build approach. You are likely expected to document requirements, solicit and evaluate proposals and serve as the point person for all interaction with your selected integrator. Conversely, let’s consider for a moment the unfortunate Information Technology Director who gets assigned all of these responsibilities on the morning of the day that the company network gets infested with the latest version of MyDoom – not a very happy camper. The point is this: take time to think about whom is going to be doing what throughout the entire course of your project. Sometimes the risks associated with the “distractions” of special projects are high enough to merit engaging a special consultant to help balance the load.
There is still no free lunch. One common misperception about the use of the design-build method for technology projects is that it will always be cheaper. The key to understanding the financial nuances of a consultant-driven versus design-build approach is to focus not only on how much money will be spent, but where and when the money will be spent. By hiring a consultant, you will definitely be spending money earlier in the project. It’s no different from spending money earlier by paying an architect to begin design work before ground is broken. Using a design-build approach with technology, it may often appear that the upfront planning and design work is being offered as a complimentary or low-cost service. No matter which method is used, it takes money to employ knowledgeable, experienced designers. No company can afford (for very long) to offer design “for free.” The expense is simply incurred as a part of the integrator’s total cost proposal rather than separately as a consultant’s design fee. If you choose the consultant route, the money that is spent in advance for an independent plan and design will often be recouped in full or more towards the end of the project. When the consultant creates a detailed design package that shows and describes exactly what your project requires, there’s no need for assumptions or guessing from the responding integrators. They spend less time putting proposals together and will typically be more competitive knowing that all “suitors” are playing by the same rules. A professionally managed RFP process can typically reduce construction costs by 10-20%. This may be your best approach if you do not have strong existing relationships with specialized contractors that can build your project.
Obviously, there are numerous matters to consider when deciding how to manage your technology, security and audio-visual projects. Furthermore, these systems, though significant, are just one piece of a very complex puzzle in large-scale corporate and institutional facility projects. The selected method for the overall project will likely have some impact on the way the technology component is delivered. When deciding how to proceed, consider the depth of your understanding of the technology equipment, the amount of time you have to commit to the project, and the budget in terms of the total delivery cost of the project. After considering each, you can make a well-informed decision between the design-build and the consultant methods.
If you would like to discuss these considerations related to your particular project, please contact Kevin Hebblethwaite at khebblethwaite@ediltd.com
