Design-build is an integrated method of project delivery in which the owner contracts with a single source for architecture, engineering and construction. The method:

• controls costs better than other methods;
• gives more control to the owner;
• allows for fast-tracked scheduling, resulting in faster project delivery;
• improves quality of workmanship and owner’s satisfaction with the finished product.

History
Design-build has its roots in the Renaissance and continued as the accepted approach to design and construction projects until the late 19th century. When the industry began to develop licensing standards for the individual functions of architecture and construction, the more linear process of design-bid-build became more popular. Design-build gained recognition again in the 1980s because owners and practitioners saw clear-cut advantages in the improved ability to predict project outcome in an industry fraught with variables that are difficult to control.