If you’re about to embark on a commercial construction project in the Pennsylvania area, you’ll need to decide how to handle both the design and the actual construction. The traditional method of commercial construction involves hiring a Pennsylvania general contractor through a bidding process after finalizing your design with an architect; your general contractor then works with other entities to build your project. However; with design build construction services, all steps of the project are handled by a single entity. No matter which option you choose, you will achieve similar results, but there are many differences to consider between the two options of general contracting services and design build construction.
Design Build vs. General Contractor
Timeline Considerations
Choosing a design-build construction company can help eliminate some of the common obstacles when it comes to finishing a project on time. Design-build contractors maintain a large staff tasked with each part of the construction process. With all workers on the same team, communication is speedy and problems can be quickly ironed out. If an unforeseen problem crops up while using the services of a general contractor, you may have some delays in your project since they will then need to go back and confer with the architect.
Risk Tolerance
Working with a general contractor does add more risk to your project due to the increased chance of unexpected obstacles which may impact your budget. When working with a design-build construction company, you are less likely to run into schedule issues and a final cost that exceeds your initial budget.
Cost Differences
Due to the collaborative nature of design build construction services, costs for construction projects typically do not go over the original budget. A commercial design and build contractor can offer the architect services as a seamless approach to the overall construction project; thereby saving you money. As a bonus, if you choose a design-build firm that has experience in your industry with your specific commercial project, they can probably give you an accurate estimate for your project.
One of the major issues with going with a general contractor and an independent architect is that they might not have a full understanding of the project and have worked closely to develop the plans. In the end, this could increase the overall cost due to miscommunications or execution of the designs. Additionally, delays may end up costing you additional money.
Design Freedom
If you need room for creativity in your project, working with an architect first can give you more design freedom. You can choose your own independent architect to design your project instead of using an architect who is part of a design build construction team. Then to implement the design, shop around for the best general contractor to execute the plans. But also be aware, this step might take a little longer and might cost a bit more. Only you can decide if this option is worth the additional time and money.
Level of Involvement
Business owners who want to be involved in the details of their construction projects may find working with a general contractor most appealing. You can work with your general contractor on the minute details of your project and add changes without majorly disrupting the process. If you have experience with previous projects under your ownership, the general contractor option may also work for you.
If you’re looking to find a Pittsburgh general contractor, give us a call. We provide commercial construction services in all of Pennsylvania, Ohio, western NY or NJ. CBF Contracting is a commercial Pennsylvania contractor that offers a full range of commercial construction services to help you get your project done. We offer both general contractor services and design-build construction services so that you can get your project done exactly how you envision it. Contact us today at 814-745-3000 to learn how we can help your vision become a reality.
