Why early collaboration between owners, designers, and builders can reduce risk, control costs, and create better project outcomes
For decades, the design-bid-build process has been the most common approach to commercial construction. The owner hires an architect to design the project, contractors submit bids, and the lowest bid is selected. While familiar, this traditional model can lead to gaps between design intent, cost, and construction, sometimes resulting in delays or unexpected expenses.
At Supreme Structures, we often encourage clients to reconsider the “bid” phase. Early collaboration between the owner, contractor, architect, and engineer can reveal cost-saving opportunities and improve coordination before work begins.
One effective alternative is design-build, where all parties work together from the start. This method allows design and construction to overlap, streamlining communication, saving time, and aligning goals throughout the process.
On the front end, the process allows for transparent fee negotiation, and in most cases, a competitive bid process is incorporated as the design develops. Typically the architect and general contractor recommend a handful of preferred subcontractors to bid on divisions of work.
We’ve seen how this approach delivers results. Projects such as Duluth Trading Co.’s corporate headquarters in Mount Horeb and Saco Foods in Middleton benefited from early team alignment that reduced overall costs and change orders, minimized delays, and created smoother, more efficient builds.
When owners choose collaboration over competition, they gain a stronger partnership, greater transparency, and a construction process that leads to better outcomes.