Greg Opinski is an accomplished construction executive and project manager with more than 20 years of experience completing commercial projects in California. As the former project manager and estimator for Opinski Construction in Merced, Greg Opinski became adept at using a variety of constriction delivery methods. This includes design-build, a system in which a single entity handles both design and construction responsibilities. The method possesses a number of advantages, as explored below:
1. Single-entity accountability. Accountability for the entire project falls to a single team in the design-build method, offering a greater sense of cohesion and cooperation between the design and construction phases. Singular accountability also motivates the team to produce a successful project and reduces financial risks for the project’s owner.
2. Streamlined communication. A design-build method gives the owner a single entity to communicate with throughout the project, as opposed to two separate contractors. It also streamlines communication between the design and construction crews and allows for the creation and alteration of specific details as the project progresses.
3. Time and cost savings. The design and construction phases overlap in the design-build model, which can lower expenses and reduce the time it takes to complete the project. Owners need only hire one contractor instead of shopping around for separate design and construction firms, and the team effort involved in design-build fosters value engineering and constructability. The overlapping nature of the method also allows the construction crew to acquire equipment and materials as the design is finalized.
4. Enhanced quality. The design-build method involves a lot of collaboration as designers and the construction crew work together to deliver a successful project. This allows personnel on both sides to identify and address problems conjointly and reduces the chance for miscommunication or ambiguity. In addition, their shared responsibility serves as motivation to produce a quality product.
