Top 3 Barriers to Successful Design-Build Implementation—and How to Overcome Them

Limited Understanding About Design-Build

According to interviews, many owners, especially in the public sector, lack a strong understanding of best practices in design-build projects. This limited understanding can lead to difficulties in managing projects, collaboration issues, and decision-making challenges.

To bridge this gap, consider investing in educational resources or workshops to enhance your knowledge of design-build processes. For example, DBIA holds regular classes, seminars and certification workshops. Our blog post “The NC Process for Design Build” also outlines key steps and criteria that can help you feel more confident and informed when entering into design-build agreements here in North Carolina.

Perceived Loss of Control

The perception of losing control when operating in design-build projects is a common concern for owners and stakeholders. Owners worry that they will lose control of the design, or that the design-builder will make important project decisions without consulting the owner.

In fact, owners gain more control over the design process by weighing in on design decisions and cost tradeoffs early in the project. This control, however, relies on a good relationship between the design-builder and the owner. To address this, focus on building trust and fostering open communication with your team.

Collaboration Challenges

Interviewees also identified collaboration challenges as one of the top reasons design-build projects can fall short. Since the design-build process is flexible, iterative and fast-paced, a successful design-build team will need to collaborate with the owner and within their own team at every step.

One way to address this concern is to select design-build teams who have worked together before. Do the contractors and designers know each other, or did they meet in the parking lot before the interview? You might also look for integrated teams where the design team is an in-house team within the construction group.

A unifying theme across these challenges is a general unfamiliarity with the design-build process—especially among owners new to the method. This unfamiliarity can create obstacles in project execution. At Brady, we understand the complexities of design-build projects and partner with you to bridge knowledge gaps, streamline processes, and ensure your project’s success. Stay tuned for our next blog post, where we’ll explore historically underutilized business (HUB) participation in design-build—highlighting the value of integrating HUBs to drive innovation and contribute to more successful project outcomes.