If you’re planning an office refurb or fit out, you may be wondering whether to go down a traditional procurement route or use a design and build company.

Here we explore the advantages and disadvantages of each option, helping you make the right choice for your business and project.

Deciding between design and build and traditional procurement methods may feel like a daunting decision to make. To say that one route is better than the other isn’t necessarily true. The answer depends on your building project and specific goals.

Here we give you an overview of each method:

What is traditional Procurement?

The traditional procurement method has moved on significantly from its original approach – with bills of quantities, variations, and claims – and we are now seeing a significant number of projects being delivered through a process where design is developed to a certain level by the professional team (usually RIBA Stage 2,3 or 4) and is then tendered to competing contractors.

Traditionally, the client partners with a Project Manager, Contract Administrator or Employers Agent to appoint a design consultancy (or architectural practice), before requesting bids from contractors to deliver the project. They would oversee the project and manage the relationship between the design team, contractor and client.

What is Detail and Build?

This newer approach to the traditional route is often referred to as detail and build, where the design is set by the client team, but the contractors carry the risk and complete the final detailed design portion.

This client team will generally retain involvement throughout the delivery of the project as client advisors, thereby providing the client with professional advice throughout the life of the project.

Some examples of our traditional build projects are LABS and WeWork. We have recently announced projects in Manchester and Preston for leading law firm Brabners, working alongside Knight Frank, Incognito and Crookes Walker.

What is Design and Build?

Turnkey design and build projects, deliver both the full design element and the construction under a single contract, and the contractor takes on all aspects of the design development and responsibility.

Due to this approach, the bidding process can take place earlier on, choosing one contractor to provide consultancy, design, specification, project management and construction (as well as engagement and activation where applicable) services efficiently. It’s their responsibility to make everything happen.

For the vast majority of our Design and Build projects, we would find that the client would have supporting professional advice through the services of a Project Manager or Quantity Surveyor.

Often the responses to a tendered Design and Build pitch will result in numerous differing ideas, designs and proposals – this can make the assessment of selection challenging as commercial submissions will be varied, but does offer a wider lens on what the space could be.

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Traditional procurement pros and cons

What are the are the advantages and disadvantages of Traditional Procurement?

Pros of Traditional Procurement:

• A greater level of cost comparison between tendering parties
• Visibility of investment and greater understanding of cost proposals
• Allows for risk transfer to contractors under detail & build approach
• Affords clients time to invest in the design

Cons of Traditional Procurement:

• More time hungry in pre-contract period, developing design and tender packs
• Upfront investment in professional team appointment

We’re specialists at delivering high-value, complex fit-outs and collaborating with top-tier professional teams. If you’re interested in taking a traditional procurement route, we provide a comprehensive construction and delivery service, all from our expert in-house teams.

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Pros and cons of Design and Build

What are the advantages and disadvantages of Design and Build?

Pros of Design and Build:

• One contractor retains overall control and accountability
• It can speed up the relocation or refurbishment programme
• Reduces expenditure on professional fees
• Integrate activation and engagement for the end user communication

Cons of Design and Build:

• Unable to see a true like-for-like cost comparison for tendered submissions
• Greater reliance on a single provider, therefore more trust needed in the team you appoint

We’ve designed and built some of the UK's most inspiring workplaces including MoneySuperMarket, BLM and Flutter Entertainment.

The best of both worlds?

There is a current trend we are witnessing where a hybrid approach between design and build traditional procurement is being taken. Clients are seeking a combined submission, with pre-designed layouts and specifications being tendered, but with a contractor’s design portion allocated for feature areas.

This allows the best of both worlds, with the direct cost comparison for the main works, plus the ability to see alternative views, ideas, and approaches for the design elements.

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