Design/Build Developers & Contractors Services

Design Build Profesional Services

Design/Build Project Challenges

Design Build projects have become more the norm, rather than the exception. There are many advantages to the design build approach. The challenge is to understand the makeup of the Design/Build Team and to build your strategy and deliverables based on your project team strengths and the Owners requirements. Early involvement with the construction team and estimators is essential to identifying building products and field installation requirements to assure a successful project for all team members.

Our Approach

Since 2006, we have teamed with Architects, Engineers and Design/Build Contractors & Developers in a variety of projects from retail, higher education, mixed-use projects, commercial and civic type projects. 

DTR has worked with Architects and Engineers to develop projects since our inception.  Today’s developers and contractors involved in design build projects are sophisticated and in our experience, produce a higher quality project.  They also have employed design staff in-house to fully design & produce or oversee the design/production of construction documents through other partnerships. We understand the commitment of early involvement to synchronize thoughts on design, building materials, methods, phasing and schedule.  Our office size and project experience allows us to a great partner for a developer/contractor looking for a technical partner.

We are also fully committed to establish a professional relationship with the on-site contractor ensuring we can quickly resolve the many issues that arise during every construction process.  Our goal is to assist the Contractor in allowing them to have the data that they need to build the project in a timely fashion. The Contractor is always in charge of their means and methods.   

Having well rounded and experienced DTR representation in the field is going to reduce the manhours your firm will expend in the Construction phase. Less manhours equates to better revenue retention. A Win-Win relationship.

When our clients are profitable, we have a repeat client...

DTR Advantage

Our technical staff has better than 22 years experience in the design and the construction industry. We have extensive experience in selecting building materials, developing technical building specifications, constructability/peer reviews, building enclosure design and other technical services that comes with the experience of hundreds of projects, billions of dollars in construction costs, multiple offices, technical and support staff, along with some of the best resources in the country all in one firm.

Ten years ago we founded DTR to provide the Design Industry a design technical resource firm to provide our clients with the best professional technical services in the Western US.  We have employed staff from various backgrounds and experience and created an environment which allows us to learn for our experiences, both old and new.  In addition, we have provided professional services on more than 35 projects seeking LEED Certification (Certified through Platinum)

Our technical staffs are exposed to experience gained from our many clients, manufactures and project types.  Many of us work on both pre-construction and construction services on project types such as mixed-use high rises, courthouses, city halls, libraries, commercial offices, police stations, research labs, military facilities, universities to pubic education, hospitality projects and large scale retail…

We originally developed and still utilize a studio approach to providing our clients with the best technical services in the west. We have employed staff from various backgrounds and experience and created an environment which allows us to learn for our experiences, both old and new.  Our technical staff are exposed in one year to the experience that a typical architect would be exposed to in six to seven years.  With some of us working on as many as 25 projects a year, from high rises to institutional, civic,  public use, mixed-use projects, science research labs, military facilities, higher education, K-12 pubic education, hospitality projects and large scale retail… we have a lot knowledge to share.

Specifications

In 2006, DTR Consulting Services expanded its in-house consulting services to independently write architectural, engineering and other consultant construction specifications, including design and Constructability/Peer Reviews to assist our Design Build Contractors.

Architectural/Engineering Firms have traditionally developed and edited their own in-house specifications. DTR however has been working with Engineers and Architects since 2002 developing specifications. Many firms have in-house specification masters which have fallen out of date, while other firms have their Engineers edit specifications given to them by the Architect or some other source.

Over the years we found that our firm works with many design firms very well in producing specifications specific to individual firms as well as projects. Engineering specifications vary greatly from Architectural specifications in that much of the project specific material falls on the drawings, in such items as light fixture schedule, mechanical equipment schedules or plumbing schedule, structural design criteria, planting schedule, etc, so there is no need to duplicate that information within the specifications. This is true for most engineering specialties.

After a facility design is complete and construction products have been selected, construction specifications should be clear, correct, complete and concise (4 C's). Specifications should conform to recognized standards for formats in order to be expediently produced and used.

DTR develops constructions specifications with our clients that demonstrate a high standard of care for quality construction, tailored to Design/Build projects needs. We strive to represent the best approach to meet our client's budget, long-term needs, and schedule. Specifications are prepared in Construction Specifications Institute (CSI) 2004/ 2010 format (50 divisions).

Construction specifications developed with the team are to be complete and accurate, which historically has demonstrated few change orders. DTR averages less than 1 percent of overall construction costs in construction change orders, when we prepare the project specifications.

This does two things for your firm:

 Increases the confidence that others have in your firm to produce quality documents and limit change orders.

 Improves your profitability on each project through reduce man hours on providing supplemental documents during construction as well as minimizing time spent responding to RFI's.

Constructabilty/ Peer Reviews

DTR can best assist your firm in being that outside source, a third eye that can review your drawings and specifications to verify that all information is properly indicated, documents are coordinated with other disciplines, information is clear and concise and meets your level of quality. Hundreds of studies have been done which indicate the costs saved on these reviews more than pay for the fees to conduct them.

This is why many project Owners hire outside reviewers. Unfortunately, too many are conducted by unqualified or loosely focused people, whereas many of their comments are made without a complete review of the documents, or are design related.

DTR has always had on goal in mind… Save our clients money in the Construction phase by assisting in a better coordinated set of documents.

See our Constructability/Peer Review & Construction Confilict Resolutions webpage for additional information.

Construction Communications

One of the most important aspects during construction is "Communications". Within the Construction documents we define various methods of communications and the hierarchy of those communications.

DTR has defined our system to allow the subcontractor to submit RFI's, submittals and other forms of communications electronically. Architects, Engineers and Contractors can respond to these documents from any location and at any time. Documents are automatically logged in and closed according to the rules set-up at the beginning of the project, such as a uploaded RFI at 4pm would be logged in on the following business day because the specifications noted that RFI's received after 3pm will be logged on the following business day.

When all communications are digitally monitored and recorded, logs are generated electronically and disputes over who controls the logs and whether they are being properly kept, are eliminated.

Architects, Engineers and others notified by email letting them know that documents are in the queue that requires their attention. RFI's and Submittals can easily be forwarded to various disciplines through the Architect (or Engineer) to the proper consultant. Our system tracks who has each document not closed out and sends the recipient a reminder each day.

Our system can also identify Frivolous RFI's , which can be recorded and discussed at the weekly site meetings, documenting this unprofessional conduct, off-setting potential runs on RFI's in preparation to build a case for extended General Conditions.

Construction Submittals & Substitutions

DTR is available for assistance with more technical shop Drawings and Product Submittals, including LEED Action Plan Submittals, or we can review all the project submittals depending on your firms needs.

Since our firm is very experience in technical specifications, we have a lot of experience reviewing project data. We systematically review all submittals based on the specification requirements and our client's instructions. We will also review project schedules to notify the Contractor if they are missing or late with critical submittals helping to eliminate emergency substitutions due to unavailable Lead Time based on a subcontractor or vendors inaction. Sometimes, late submittals are initiated by the GC's delay in contracting with its subcontractors and vendors.

DTR works with you to make sure that Substitutions are adequately addressed in your Division 01 General Requirement specifications, defining substitutions for either "Convenience" & "For Cause". We would also set limits as to when each are acceptable and set time limits from the Award of Contract. Generally substitutions "for cause" will be reviewed through-out most of the Construction phase. "Cause" is defined as a manufactured product that has been made unavailable due to natural disasters, union strikes and a few other minor exceptions. Substitutions for "Convenience" should be limited to during the Bid Phase or up to 35 days following the award of contract.

The Architect/Engineer may always consider Substitutions that benefit the Building Owner at anytime during the construction of the project, but is not obligated to do so.

Having DTR on your team during construction of your project will help you minimize your efforts on the project and will allow your senior staff to spend more time in the office overseeing our work, but available for more profitable services.

Related Services

DTR has the following related Services to help you with your CA services:

 Field Investigation Services

 Construction Conflict Resolution Services

 Technical & General Specification Writing Services

 Client Educational Training Classes

Please let us know how we can assist you.