Design-Build Construction in Pueblo

A 150,000 square foot defense complex for solid rocket motors and propulsion is going up at PuebloPlex, with completion targeted for the end of 2026. Whatever the delivery method on that job, the point for a smaller owner is the same: when a building has a hard date and a demanding user, the people who design it and the people who build it need to be in the same conversation early. That is the idea behind design-build.

Under design-build, one entity holds the contract for both design and construction. You deal with a single team, and we bring in the architects and engineers who work under us, or alongside us, depending on how you want to structure it. The owner gets one price and one point of responsibility, and avoids the old argument between a design team that says the contractor cannot read the plans and a contractor who says the plans cannot be built.

Design-build is not right for every project, and we say so. If you want a fully competitive bid on a finished set of drawings, or if public procurement rules require it, another route fits better. Our page on construction management at risk compares it with a nearby option.

The schedule gain comes from overlap. In a traditional process, design is finished, then bidding happens, then construction starts. In design-build, site work and foundation packages can be released while the rest of the building is still being designed. Long-lead equipment can be ordered early, which matters when switchgear or structural steel sets the calendar.

We do not promise a specific number of weeks saved, because it depends on the project. A simple warehouse gains less than a complex plant, and a project with an unclear program gains nothing until the program is settled. What we can do is show you a schedule with the overlap, and the dates by which decisions must be made.

We start with a program and a budget. Then we assemble the design team, run a few site and concept studies, and price each alternative as the design develops. The owner reviews and approves at set points, and the price is refined at each stage until it becomes a guaranteed number or a firm contract.

The owner stays in charge of the decisions that matter: the use, the quality level, the budget ceiling and the schedule. We stay in charge of the means and methods, the coordination and the cost. When there is a conflict between design intent and what the budget allows, we put the choice in front of you with the numbers, not behind closed doors.

Because the same team designs and builds, code questions are answered early. The Pueblo Regional Building Department lists the 2021 IBC, IEBC, IECC, IMC, IFGC and IFC as in effect, with the 2023 National Electrical Code. Colorado's HB22-1362 also requires local governments that update building codes on or after July 1, 2023 to adopt an energy code at least as strong as the 2021 IECC, so energy design is part of the early conversation.

We meet with the building department before the design is frozen when the project calls for it, to confirm review pathways and submittal requirements. For sites on larger tracts, such as those at PuebloPlex, the review path may involve the redevelopment organization as well as the county, and we bring those parties in early. Utilities, access roads and rail connections on a large tract can each have a different owner, and sorting that out takes longer than most owners expect.

Savings come from coordination: fewer change orders, earlier price checks and design choices made with real prices in hand. A designer working with us can see that a structural bay size saves money in steel, or that a wall type shortens the schedule, and can adjust before the drawings are too far along.

Savings do not come from skipping a competitive check. We bid the major trades and show you the results, so the price reflects the market. We also tell you when a request will raise cost, and we avoid padding the contingency to cover vague scope. A design-build price is only as good as the program behind it, and we spend time on that program for that reason.

Industrial users with a clear process and a hard start date use it often. Manufacturing companies with a production line to launch and defense or aerospace users at places like the former chemical depot, where the Army decommissioned the depot on September 12, 2024, are examples. The land and buildings there are being repurposed, and design-build suits owners who need design, site work and construction to line up.

Public owners can use design-build where state or local law allows it, and government and public-sector buyers should check their procurement rules before choosing it. We explain how it works under the rules they face, and we can support a qualifications-based selection. Where the law requires a competitive process, we say so up front instead of steering the owner toward something that will not survive a protest.

Bring the program, the site and the date. We will tell you whether design-build fits, what the process looks like and what it will cost. Owners who want to compare it with a conventional bid can start with our preconstruction estimating page.

Who owns the design?

It depends on the contract. Typically the owner owns the project documents after payment, and the design professionals keep their professional liability responsibilities. We write the ownership and use of drawings into the agreement so there is no question later.

Can I change my mind during design?

Yes, and the earlier you do, the less it costs. Changes during schematic design are cheap, while changes after permit are expensive. We keep a log of decisions and their cost effects so that you can see the price of a change before you make it.

Is the price guaranteed?

We can offer a guaranteed maximum price or a lump sum after the design reaches an agreed level. Before that, the price is an estimate that tightens as the design develops. We state at each stage how firm the number is, and we show the contingency openly so that you can see how much of the price is a reserve and how much is work. What happens to savings if the design comes in under the number is a contract term, and we agree the rule with you before design starts.

What does a typical design-build schedule look like?

Programming and concept design first, then schematic and design development with price checks, then permit and construction packages released in phases. Site and foundation work often start before the rest of the drawings are done. Our flex and light industrial buildings work often follows this pattern.