Design-Build
With more than four decades and hundreds of projects as Design Builders, Pankow’s expertise in Design-
Build delivery is exceptional in the industry. By retaining independent design professionals—among
who are some of the most highly regarded architects and engineers in the United States—the Pankow
system of Design-Build blends the discipline of strong, collaborative design team management with a
respect for the aesthetic, functional and systems contributions of our design partners.
Our Design-Build program offers Clients with a single source of responsibility for both design and
construction, yet, in order to allow our Clients the level of input they desire during design, we are
flexible as to when in the process that contractual design responsibility occurs. Innovation and the
application of the Design-Build process dramatically impacts speed, cost and quality on the Client's
behalf.
Benefits of Pankow's Design-Build Process:
Quality. With Design-Build, Pankow is responsible for, and therefore motivated to, produce results that
we must stand behind after construction is complete. This contrasts with the traditional design-bid-
build approach which relies on imperfect documents that are the responsibility of the Owner, extensive
inspection and, too often, the legal system.
Cost Savings. Because design and construction work hand-in-hand, efficient solutions impact design
concepts before the production of drawings. With Pankow at the table, we can explore multiple options
that add value to the Owner.
Time Savings. Design and construction overlap; collaboration during the design phase eliminates
redesign time. This means total design/construction time is reduced. Construction begins in advance of
the completed working drawings.
Early Cost Guarantees. Pankow's early price guarantees help Developers establish financing
commitments at substantially less out of pocket costs prior to the availability of loan proceeds. Early real
cost guarantees eliminate the risk of an Owner, whether public or private, funding completed plans only
to learn that the project costs as designed are prohibitive.
No Change Orders for Design-Related Deficiencies. Once project scope and price are defined and
accepted, change orders resulting from design coordination issues are eliminated. Correction of such
issues is the responsibility of the design-builder, not the client.
Innovation. Since we are at risk, we have an incentive to improve efficiency without sacrificing quality.
This translates into our incentive to innovate, with design and construction working and communicating
as a team, evaluating alternatives efficiently and accurately, to bring value to the owner.