Tenants increasingly opting for design & build services to save time and money
Design & build, a popular form of cooperation between office tenants and suppliers in many countries, can be simply described as the design, implementation and delivery of a commercial turnkey interior from a single contractual partner. In the Czech Republic, the trend has clear objectives: to save tenants' costs, streamline the implementation of the whole interior, adhere to the construction timetable and achieve transparent communication between the client and the supplier.
Cooperation with customers
How does design & build work in practice? Collaboration with the client on the interior does not start with a ground plan study; it is preceded by an understanding of the philosophy, the overall style of work and the future vision of the tenant, especially on the part of the interior designer. Design & build connects corporate culture with a specific space and its technical possibilities.
Design & build can be likened to a well-coordinated sports team. Architectural design, project documentation, building licences, construction work and furniture are provided by a single supplier, which assumes total responsibility for each phase of the work.
Financial plan
The first design of the space plan is followed by a so-called cost plan, i.e. fixing the preliminary costs for the implementation and furnishing of the interior. It is often prepared in several price variants so that the client can choose a solution that fits their budget. This is followed by a coordination meeting with the architect, designer and project manager to give the project a concrete form and timetable.
It's best to contact design & build providers already when looking for suitable premises for a future headquarters or showroom to make sure your ideas match the space.
One project, one responsibility
Having its own team of experts already in the initial preparatory phase saves the investor money, because it is not forced to pay external co-workers and their margins. Coordination is also much easier. The members of the team know each other, work according to established methodology, and bring the project to completion more quickly.
Final solution
Most importantly, Design & build provides the client with a single end-to-end solution for multiple occupations at one time. This eliminates disagreement and the shifting of responsibility between architects, designers and the building company, as sometimes happens when each part of the project is supplied by a different contractor.
How does the project unfold?
Together with the interior designer, the designers prepare the overall office design, often including furniture. After design approval, the Design & Build provider will prepare an itemized budget for the construction that the client can use to verify the price of the work. The construction implementation is again coordinated by the design & build guarantor who meets with the client in regular coordination meetings or control days directly in the construction interior.
For us the service doesn't end with the delivery of the finished interiors within design & build. We verify how our design solutions work in the actual space and how they adapt to the needs of clients as they change in connection with the development of their businesses. We stay in touch with the client over the following months and years, while also receiving valuable feedback for other interiors.
Author: Jiří Baloun
Images: Damián Skořepa, Petr Andrlík
Renders: Marek Šnyrch