Design-build delivery for complex facility work.
Roberts DBS connects design, cost, procurement, construction, commissioning, and service handoff earlier so owners can make better facility decisions.
Traditional delivery can make complex work harder.
When design, pricing, procurement, and field execution move separately, owners can face delays, gaps, and late cost pressure.
Where Traditional Delivery Breaks Down
- Fragmented responsibility. Designers, contractors, and trades often solve problems from separate positions.
- Lowest-bid pressure. Early prices can miss scope realities that surface later as changes.
- Design and cost in silos. Pricing often arrives after major design decisions are already locked in.
- Late constructability input. Field conflicts are more expensive when they are found during construction.
The Hidden Costs of Traditional Procurement
- Building performance risk. Code-minimum solutions can leave long-term comfort, ventilation, and energy issues.
- Budget uncertainty. Traditional projects often carry more cost growth after bidding.
- High procurement effort. RFP development, evaluation, negotiation, and award consume staff time.
- Sequential schedules. Design, bidding, award, and mobilization happen one step at a time.
Two practical paths to delivery.
Bring your architect, or ask Roberts DBS to manage the full path from planning through construction.
Architect-Led Turnkey Design-Build
You bring the architect. We lead critical MEP scope.
Roberts DBS supports the architect-led team by owning the mechanical, electrical, plumbing, controls, and commissioning decisions that drive performance and schedule.
- Complete MEP engineering with BIM/CAD clash detection
- Architect coordination from design through commissioning
- Self-performed critical installations by Roberts union craftsmen
- One accountable team for MEP systems
- Cost and design reviewed together
Fast-Track Turnkey Design-Build Program
We manage planning, design, trades, and delivery.
Roberts DBS manages architecture, engineering, trade coordination, procurement support, construction, commissioning, and handoff through one integrated process.
- Full architecture design development when needed
- All-trade coordination and construction management
- BuyFair cooperative contract support
- Open-book budget development
- Fast-track schedule options
- Single team from planning through handoff
Design-build compared with traditional delivery.
Industry research shows design-build can improve cost, speed, and coordination when the model is used well.
Sources: DBIA Data Sourcebook, FHWA Design-Build Effectiveness Study, FMI/DBIA 2023 Mid-Cycle Survey
What This Means for a $5M HVAC Project
Our 5-step design-build process.
A clear process keeps scope, budget, schedule, procurement, and handoff moving together.
Discovery
We define facility needs, budget parameters, timeline constraints, and the right delivery path. Timeline: 1–2 weeks.
Conceptual Design
Engineers develop conceptual design, load calculations, preliminary equipment selections, scope, budget, and schedule. Timeline: 2–4 weeks.
Procurement & Engineering
We finalize engineering, coordinate BIM, procure long-lead items, and prepare the project for approval and mobilization. Timeline: 3–6 weeks.
Construction
Roberts craftsmen and managed trade partners execute the work with dedicated project management, schedule control, and regular owner updates. Timeline: project-dependent.
Commissioning & Handover
Systems are tested, documented, commissioned, and handed over with staff training and service support. Timeline: 2–4 weeks.