Introduction to the Process
It is often mistaken that any experienced contractor with good construction techniques can construct a good skate park. Although, many building principles are the same, skate structures require an area of expertise since they are "specialty projects." A good quality skate park facility is not merely wooden or pre-fabricated ramps or curved concrete structures. The radius', crests, grade and locations of each area and structure requires precise coordination and construction, produced by an experienced Skate Park Specialist, to create a park that the community will get the most enjoyment of. The design, function, type of materials and location of coping are just several examples of expertise only skilled individuals who skateboard can comprehend.
Concrete skate parks are in essence a sculpture project, the designer is also the builder that will ensure that all design details are up to skate park standards. At this level of expertise it is advantageous to allow the Skate Park Specialist to conduct both the design and actual construction of the skateable terrain to allow for progressive changes and ensure that all structural and design elements are precise. We work off the concept design and will most often perfect the design elements on site and under our own cost, if necessary, to achieve a top of the line skate park. The disregard of a successfully designed and constructed concrete skate park will result in skaters returning to the streets to perform and perfect their sport. It is essential for a municipality to understand that the design and construction of skate parks should not be separated.
Design-build is a unique, distinctive project delivery process. It combines the best features of both professional design selection and construction integrity. The project requirements should be comprehensive enough to assure that the intended result is achieved, but not restrictive in a way that would inhibit one of the greatest potential benefits of design-build: creative solutions. The benefits to be gained in establishing a well-designed and managed Design-Build process include the following:
Singular Responsibility:
With both design and construction in the hands of a single entity, there is a single point of responsibility for quality, cost and schedule adherence. The Owner is able to focus on scope/needs definition and timely decision making.
Quality:
The greater responsibility implicit in Design-Build serves as a motivation for high quality and the proper project performance. Once the Owner's requirements and expectations are documented in performance terms, it is the Design-Builder's responsibility to produce results accordingly. (By contrast, with traditional design-bid-build, the owner's warranty for the approach relies on restrictive contract language, extensive audit and inspection and occasionally, the legal system, to ensure final project quality.) The Owner should not merely modify existing documents designed for other procurement processes. Documents should be tailored to design-build.
Cost Savings:
Design and construction personnel, working and communicating as a team, evaluate alternative materials and methods efficiently and accurately. Value engineering and constructability are utilized more effectively when the designers and contractors work as one team during the design process.
Time Savings:
Because design and construction are overlapped, and because bidding periods and redesign time are eliminated, total design/construction time can be significantly reduced. Under this method, construction work is allowed to begin in advance of the working drawings being fully completed. The time savings translates into lower costs and earlier utilization of the completed facility.
Reduced Administrative Responsibility:
Under a streamlined procurement process, the potential exists for design-build to reduce the Owner's administrative burden. Initially, preparing RFP's and conducting evaluations can be resource intensive; however, this effort should lessen after an early learning curve. After award of the design-build contract, the Owner will not have to invest time and money coordinating and arbitrating between separate design and construction contracts. Change orders due to drawing and specifications errors are eliminated because the correction of such issues is the responsibility of the Design-Builder, not the Owner.
Knowledge of Firm Costs:
Because the entity responsible for design is simultaneously estimating construction costs and can accurately conceptualize the completed project at an early stage, guaranteed construction costs are known far sooner than is otherwise possible. This permits early establishment of financing, reduces exposure to cost escalation, and avoids the possibility of committing substantial time and money for design, only to learn that the cost of the project is prohibitive.
Best Value:
By giving credit in the award mechanism for design quality, functional efficiency, team experience and other factors in addition to price, an Owner can select a proposal that reflects the greatest value and not simply the lowest first cost.
Conclusion:
The success of the design-build process is greatly enhanced by the Owner's willingness to take advantage of an innovative process for designing and construction facilities of high quality and competitive cost, while bringing projects on-line quickly and absent the usual disputes or change orders. By knowledgeably pursuing design quality, and by effectively controlling costs and schedule, a design-builder makes certain that concept to completion is more than idle discourse, it is a reality carved in concrete.
