A Master Builder has traditionally been understood to be the central figure at the core of a project, responsible for all design, construction, schedule, and project cost decisions. The evolution of the building design and construction industry has made this approach and role a relic of the past. The loss of this individual at the heart of a project has created gaps in responsibilities between the team of consultants and contractors performing the work, resulting in a less efficient, conflict-laden design and construction process with lower quality project results and unsatisfied project owners.

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Where It Started

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Prior to the Industrial Revolution, a Master Builder was the individual in control of all aspects of a project, balancing the project goals with its constraints, to get quality, soulful results in the most cost-efficient way possible. The Master Builder was responsible for everything – from design to construction, managing the cost and schedule of the project. This balancing act was the basis for how all decisions were made.

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The Industrial Revolution brought with it a process of specialization which saw the central role of the Master Builder dismantled. The architect and contractor roles evolved, focusing their skills on the specific design and construction aspects of the project, providing specialized design solutions and potential construction cost savings through a competitive construction bid process. Projects would now be developed through a ‘Design-Bid-Build’ process. Contractors would take responsibility for the construction of a project through a bid process which relied on the thoroughness of the architects’ drawings and contractors’ skill at interpreting those documents.

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The separation of these roles also created a gap in responsibilities between the architect and contractor, leaving the owner responsible for filling it. The owner would now have to oversee and direct the separate design, architecture, engineering, and construction teams on technical issues, conflict resolution, and lead the project execution through the maze of municipal approvals - all while maintaining the teams’ focus on time and cost sensitive issues to avoid unnecessary delays to the project.

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Today

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This shift of responsibility has resulted in a loss of project quality, an increase in conflicts, and an unsatisfying process. Projects suffer from multiple consultants and contractors engaged with misaligned motivations, pulling the project in conflicting directions based on their own interpretation of their scope and role. Often, the team members are more focused on protecting their own position rather than finding solutions to project issues.

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Owners are expected to fill this gap. Professional property developers employ an internal team of industry professionals to lead and manage these issues. Private owners most often don’t have the time, interest, or capacity to take on the leadership position to lead the design and construction process. Owners are business operators, restaurateurs, banks, hotels, condominiums, and property owners and operators, who do not necessarily have the project development knowledge or expertise of the architects or contractors needed to successfully manage a project.

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Owners need someone on their side who has the skill set and experience to take this responsibility off their shoulders and assure them a quality project result. To achieve this, owners can benefit from an alternative approach of working with a Design-Builder who can take on a single point of responsibility and accountability, or working with an Owner’s Representative who can bring the expertise and leadership capability the owner needs.

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A ‘Design-Build’ approach provides for an alternative to the standard ‘Design-Bid-Build’ process, focusing on a single point of accountability for all aspects of the work associated with the project development. The core architect and general contractor roles are unified into one team at the center of the project. They collaborate and coordinate with project designers, operators, and specialty contractors, throughout the entire project development process. They work through construction solutions with the design team rather than guess what they intended. A Design-Builder is positioned with the knowledge and central role needed to produce high-quality results through a team of specialists working as one.

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When a project’s scale, complexity, or other requirements demand a ‘Design-Bid-Build’ development process, an Owner’s Representative provides an owner with an outsourced development team with the depth of knowledge and experience to lead the project to a successful result. They fill the gap in the project team on the owner’s behalf, taking on the responsibility of engaging and directing the team of designers, architects, engineers, attorneys, and contractors required to meet the specific demands of the project.

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Through a ‘Design-Build’ approach or working with an Owner’s Representative to develop a project, owners should expect the leadership required to alleviate their day-to-day responsibility for ensuring project success. Design-Builders and Owner’s Representatives have the capacity to fill the gap in the development team’s responsibility and mitigate the finger pointing plaguing most projects. Either approach will allow an owner to get back to focusing on their vision for the project, and to enjoy the process of bringing it to life.