RENOVATION AND CONSTRUCTION
Photo courtesy of SCG Fields , LLC
opportunity for project owners to select a construction firm that brings a comprehensive body of knowledge , including product technologies and construction means and methods .”
Design / bid / build , by contrast , is the most often used , which is why , according to Penley , “ It ’ s often referred to as the traditional project delivery method . That ’ s because of its time-tested process that has been used almost as long as construction has been an industry .”
Plus , he noted , “ This technique is simple enough . The person who needs a building constructed , or the project owner , hires a designer to draw up the schematics and plans for the building . The designer can then hire consultants as needed , who report directly to the designer . Once the building is drawn up , the designer is done with the project outside of consultation and tweaks as needed .
Photo courtesy of Verde Design
“ With plans in hand , the project owner gets construction bids from various firms to construct the building ,” he added . “ The project owner picks the bid they like best and hires the contractor . As with the designer , the contractor can hire subcontractors as needed who would report directly to them , not the project owner . Then the building is constructed based on the schematics and documents that the designer made . A variation of this system includes a qualified project manager , who serves as a proxy for the project owner .”
DESIGN / BUILD VS . DESIGN / BID / BUILD “ In a traditional design / bid / build model , the owner bears significant risk and may lose money if , for example , an approved design has to be changed once construction has begun ,” said Penley . “ The design / build model takes much of the risk off a project owner and puts it on the design / build team .”
Paul Arcella of CSR Heavy offered additional advice for field owners ( or those planning to have a field built ). “ Here in our area ( south Florida ), especially when it comes to athletic fields , tracks and the like , we have been pleading with cities , municipalities and owners to prequalify the bidding contractors before they are allowed to bid ,” said Arcella . “ At the very least , entities should be asking for resumes of completed projects and proof of several years of experience with athletic construction .”
According to Arcella , some entities even require that the main contractor or subcontractor performing the work must hold American Sports Builders Association ( ASBA ) certifications .
22 SportsField Management | May 2024 sportsfieldmanagementonline . com