What 'Design and Build' Actually Means, and Why It Matters

One of the first decisions in a commercial fit-out is how to procure it. The two common routes in Singapore are the traditional one, where a designer and a contractor are appointed separately, and design and build, where one firm is responsible for both.

Both can produce good results. They divide risk and responsibility differently, and that affects cost certainty, speed and how problems get solved. This article explains how each route works, where each fits and the questions clients ask before choosing.

The traditional route

In the traditional route, the client appoints an interior designer to develop the design and produce drawings and specifications. Those documents go out to tender, and a contractor is appointed to build them. The designer may stay on to inspect the works, but the contractor is responsible for construction.

This gives the client a direct relationship with the designer and a competitive price for the build. Its weakness is the handover between the two. Anything the drawings don't specify becomes a decision for the contractor, who wasn't part of the design discussions. When something on site doesn't match the drawings, the client can end up between two parties, each explaining why it is the other's responsibility.

Design and build

In design and build, one firm is responsible for both the design and the construction. The client has one contract and one point of contact from concept to handover.

Because the people designing the space also build it, buildability, cost and programme are considered while the design develops. If a detail is expensive or slow to build, that becomes clear before it's drawn in full. When questions come up on site, the team that made the design decisions answers them.

What changes for the client

• One contract and one point of responsibility, instead of separate designer and contractor appointments.
• Earlier cost certainty, because the design is priced as it develops.
• A shorter overall programme, because design, approvals and ordering can overlap instead of waiting for a full tender.
• Fewer disputes over whether a problem came from the drawings or the construction.

The trade-off is that the client doesn't get a competitive tender on a fully finished design. A good design and build firm makes up for this with open pricing and a clear cost breakdown, so the client can see what they're paying for.

When each route makes sense

Design and build suits most commercial fit-outs where the client wants a predictable budget and programme and doesn't have an in-house project team to manage separate consultants. It works especially well when time is tight, for example when a lease start date or a move-out date from the current office is fixed.

The traditional route can suit clients with their own project managers and procurement teams, very large projects where the client wants to split the work between several contractors, and cases where a particular designer has been chosen for reasons unrelated to the build.

What to look for in a design and build firm

If you choose design and build, the firm has to be capable on both sides. Look at completed projects as well as renderings. Ask who on the team leads the design and who runs the site, and how they work together. Ask how pricing is presented and how changes are handled, and who coordinates the Qualified Person and the authority submissions.

Common questions

Is design and build cheaper?

The headline figure may not be lower. The main financial advantage is certainty: cost is tracked from the start, and there are fewer variations caused by gaps between the drawings and the construction.

Does design quality suffer when the builder is in charge?

It shouldn't. In a well-run design and build firm, designers lead the design and the construction team advises on how to build it. The design still belongs to the client, developed with the benefit of construction knowledge.

Can I bring my own designer into a design and build contract?

Sometimes. Some projects use a concept designer appointed by the client, with a design and build firm developing and delivering the design. The division of responsibility has to be agreed clearly in writing.

Who handles the authority submissions?

In design and build, the firm usually coordinates the Qualified Person and the submissions to SCDF and other authorities as part of its service. Confirm this in the scope.

What happens if something goes wrong after handover?

The same firm is responsible for fixing it during the defects liability period, so there is no argument over whether the design or the construction caused the defect.

In summary

• The traditional route separates design and construction. Design and build combines them under one firm.
• Design and build gives one point of responsibility, earlier cost certainty and usually a shorter programme.
• The traditional route gives a competitive tender on a finished design, with a handover between two parties.
• Choose based on your timeline, your in-house resources and how much risk you want to manage yourself.

Trattō Studio works as a design and build studio because commercial interiors turn out best when the people designing the space are also answerable for building it.