As a residential architect and head of an established design/build firm, it has been challenging for me to approach this column, “Jauregui On Design,” from a design perspective only. It’s like designing with one arm tied behind my back. With the indulgence of the magazine’s readership, I’m going to direct this article to my fellow design/build companies.

One of the queries we often get from prospective clients is what advantages do we offer over the traditional method of working with an architect and builder independently. I will approach this from a perspective based on my own company’s organization and services.

The first thing we communicate is how advantageous it is to have both the architect and builder at the design table. There are many upsides to this collaboration for the client, and it becomes an easy sell when comparing it to the standard method of contracting services separately.

First, the client benefits from having the architect’s design expertise and the builder’s knowledge of cost together at the design table. It results in a financially feasible and well articulated project. Clients are provided a realistic cost estimate upfront and kept informed via periodic cost updates. Ultimately, clients benefit by becoming empowered with information that allows them to direct their investment where it makes sense for them.

A second advantage is the elimination of finger pointing because the project is wholly managed by one entity. “The buck stops here” has never been truer. For the client, this results in a smoother process and ultimately less stress when conflicts remain internal within the company.

High-quality documents are fundamental not only to a successful project but also to the long-term health of a design/build company. These documents are critical and should be emphasized as the basis of the agreement among parties. The perception is that design/build companies have the ability to design as they go, and therefore may not require well developed drawings. This opinion is more prevalent in builder-lead companies rather than designer-lead firms. Builders may be happy with builder sets that allow for interpretation in the implementation and dismiss a well detailed design as unnecessary. This is dangerous in a contractual context for a design/build company because the buck does indeed stop with us.