Design Assist Contracting

Since 2019, GCL Builds has been practicing “Design Assist Contracting” on its multistorey residential buildings.  After the concept design is approved and site plan approval imminent, we solicit “Design Assist” unit price offers from qualified trade contractors in the categories of concrete formwork, windows, façade elements, mechanical and electrical.  In the Design Assist format, the trade contractor is appointed based upon the concept geometry, surface areas and the unit count of the building.

These Design Assist awards are in addition to the other traditional early award items including shoring, window washing system and elevators.  Formwork is procured on unit rate per form face area, plus place and finish unit prices.  The window unit price is based upon the surface square foot measurement of the window areas.  For mechanical and electrical tenders, the heating and cooling system is described and all inclusive unit prices are procured on a per suite basis.  These early award trade contractors are then obligated to participate in the detailed design of the building and are expected to approve the various design details as they are drawn.  If the trade has issues with details, they are to make those issues known at the time that the reference detail is being implemented and suggest revisions that will maintain the committed unit price.

The design assist trade contractors are valuable participants on the design team, minimizing design rework and cost surprises.  To be able to act on the unit price bids, an Owner and Cost Consultant approved Class C Estimate is required.  The Class C Estimate identifies the unit price thresholds.

When the General Tender Documents are published, the Construction Manager, Trade Contractor, and the Owner’s Cost Consultant all measure the building and achieve mutual agreement on the various building areas.  With the various areas agreed, the unit prices are extended to calculate the amount of traditional, stipulated sum trade contracts.  During construction, the Design Assist trade contract is administered as a plans and specs stipulated sum contract.  The beauty of this system is the trade contractor participated in approving all of the design details, thus successfully guiding the design documentation from schematic level to tender documents with no change to the extended unit price offer.

It is a high value benefit to the Owner to know the final award amount of these major trade contracts at the SPA stage of the design work.  Binding contracts can be executed at a time that is useful for the Owner, satisfying an important element of the financing prerequisites.

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Design Assist Contracting

Since 2019, GCL Builds has been practicing “Design Assist Contracting” on its multistorey residential buildings.  After the concept design is approved and site plan approval imminent, we solicit “Design Assist” unit price offers from qualified trade contractors in the categories of concrete formwork, windows, façade elements, mechanical and electrical.  In the Design Assist format, the trade contractor is appointed based upon the concept geometry, surface areas and the unit count of the building.

These Design Assist awards are in addition to the other traditional early award items including shoring, window washing system and elevators.  Formwork is procured on unit rate per form face area, plus place and finish unit prices.  The window unit price is based upon the surface square foot measurement of the window areas.  For mechanical and electrical tenders, the heating and cooling system is described and all inclusive unit prices are procured on a per suite basis.  These early award trade contractors are then obligated to participate in the detailed design of the building and are expected to approve the various design details as they are drawn.  If the trade has issues with details, they are to make those issues known at the time that the reference detail is being implemented and suggest revisions that will maintain the committed unit price.

The design assist trade contractors are valuable participants on the design team, minimizing design rework and cost surprises.  To be able to act on the unit price bids, an Owner and Cost Consultant approved Class C Estimate is required.  The Class C Estimate identifies the unit price thresholds.

When the General Tender Documents are published, the Construction Manager, Trade Contractor, and the Owner’s Cost Consultant all measure the building and achieve mutual agreement on the various building areas.  With the various areas agreed, the unit prices are extended to calculate the amount of traditional, stipulated sum trade contracts.  During construction, the Design Assist trade contract is administered as a plans and specs stipulated sum contract.  The beauty of this system is the trade contractor participated in approving all of the design details, thus successfully guiding the design documentation from schematic level to tender documents with no change to the extended unit price offer.

It is a high value benefit to the Owner to know the final award amount of these major trade contracts at the SPA stage of the design work.  Binding contracts can be executed at a time that is useful for the Owner, satisfying an important element of the financing prerequisites.