What are the attributes of various construction delivery methods, including design-bid-build, design-build, and integrated project delivery?

Selecting the right construction delivery system for a parking garage project is predicated on many factors. These include complexity of the project, the experience of the owner in delivering parking garages, location of the project, procurement regulations and many other factors.

Since parking structures are not as programming intensive as most built projects, they are good candidates for design-build, as long as the program is well defined and the owner uses a two-step process for selecting the desired design-builder.

Design-bid-build, which has been used for years and encompasses the “traditional” approach makes sense for owners that may be delivering their first garage.  The process takes longer, but can result in competitive pricing, especially in markets where many strong contractors exist.

Integrated project delivery is being used more and more, often as a very attractive blend of design and construction, where separate agreements exist for the designer and the contractor.  Depending on the sophistication of the owner and the experience of their staff to manage the process, the integrated project delivery may make a great deal of sense as it engages the owner more during the design process, while working collaboratively with the contractor.

*Federal, State, and Local codes govern most of these requirements and should be thoroughly investigated. Data presented herein should be considered guidelines only.  For more specific information and assistance with implementation of these guidelines, please contact THA Consulting, Inc. via email at info@tha-consulting.com