It can be hard to know what approach to take with the design and construction of a new commercial building. The two most common methods are to work directly with a construction company or an independent architect.
The most suitable approach for you will likely depend on how you would like your project to be managed and how involved you would like to be as the client. In this article, we break down the pros and cons of each approach and explain what solution XL Structural Steel can offer.
Hiring a construction company to do the design & build
Under this arrangement, the construction company is responsible for the full design and construction of the project as a ‘package’. Usually, you will have a couple of points of contact at the construction firm who will relay the details and organise all parties.
This can be great as it can free up your time, but when responsibility is abdicated so is control. We provide more information as well as some of the challenges with this structure in our recent article "Common problems with design and build contracts".
Working with an architect independently of a construction company
This arrangement requires you to hire an independent architect, separate from the construction company you are using, to get the plans drawn up. These can then be tendered out directly to one or multiple contractors for them to price off the plans, giving an ‘apples for apples' comparison.
Working with an independent architect can work quite well depending on the nature of your project. We have highlighted some of the pros and cons of this approach below and explained how XL can help with a ‘design and tender’ type project.
The pros of working with an architect
- As you are not tied into using one builder or the construction company you are building with to design your build, this process gives you more options. It also allows you to gain clear comparisons.
- You have a direct line of communication and can work alongside the architect, rather than going through a builder. This is particularly advantageous if you want to have a lot of influence on the design.
- If you have a particular style in mind or you want to work with a specific architect to create something bespoke, this approach gives you that flexibility.
The cons of working with an architect
- Many architects are more specialised in residential houses rather than industrial or commercial projects. This can mean they are not as conversant with compliance or the ‘ins and outs’ of industrial projects.
- Many architects do not have a direct link to the cost drivers of a project. They may not know all the small things that can save money on an industrial project.
- An architect-led project can result in a very bespoke design that an engineer will then have to work around structurally. While in comparison, an engineer-led project is designed to make the structure simple and efficient, and then the architect can ‘dress it up’.
- There are a large number of other consultants required in an industrial building project, not just an architect. Often the architect will provide some coordination however some consultants will end up working amongst themselves or with the client directly, not linking in the architect. This can make communication channels unclear and can blur the lines around who is responsible for ensuring timelines are met.
XL Structural In-house Design
Over the past years, XL Structural has had a lot of experience working with architects all over New Zealand. From this experience, we have built our own in-house design team to manage all aspects of the design and compliance required for a commercial building.
While XL can and does, work with client-specified architects, we find that our team offers a more comprehensive design package. When we manage the whole design process and provide you with a project team specific to your build.
This team will be made up of the following:
Project Consultant
Project consultants contribute their operational, strategic, or technical expertise to your projects. They collaborate with clients in the design process assisting with communication, pricing, and any pricing variations, as well as ensuring the scope is met.
Project Manager
The project manager is the person who will be responsible for the delivery of the project post consent, and who will work with the onsite contractors. They will be involved in the early stages of planning to ensure the design is practical and easy to build.
Structural Designer
This person will look after drawing the plans for the structural elements or ‘skeleton’ of the building. They will also work alongside the structural engineers to produce the supporting calculations and producer statements.
Architectural Designer
The designer draws architectural plans for external cladding, facades, offices, ablution areas etc. They also ensure code is met for H1, HVAC, weather tightness, and accessibility. The architectural designer also typically coordinates with other consultants as required.
To ensure you are kept up-to-date through every stage of your build, your XL project team will organize a weekly or fortnightly cadence of meetings with you as the client, as well as other parties, where items can be discussed and brought forward.
You will also get a weekly summary from our team outlining what was done in the week, what we plan to complete the next week, and what information we require from you as the client.
Our project team will manage all the consultants for your project. The consultants for a full commercial/industrial project can be extensive, and may include:
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A structural engineer.
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A Geotech engineer.
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A civil engineer (for pavements, retaining, stormwater, crossings etc).
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A fire designer/engineer.
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HVAC design.
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Accessibility design.
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Glazing design/PS1.
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An interior designer.
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Documentation for interior-related items (such as gantry cranes and pallet-racking solar panels).
Depending on your project, you may also need the below consultants:
- A planner — for resource consent.
- HAIL report (for contaminated land).
- An electrical engineer.
It can be an overwhelming exercise for a single architect to manage and be the ‘glue' between all consultants. It can also be overwhelming for the landowner to get questions from all different directions without knowing the full implications of these decisions.
Our solution is to have the XL team engage and manage all of the above. We then coordinate the flow of information and bring anything that needs the client's attention to the meetings. We also explain the implications of different options and follow up with the relevant consultants as required.
Other benefits of using the XL process
All drafting and consents are managed in house
Typically an architect gets an engineer to provide structural designs for a commercial project. This usually means two sets of drawings done by different companies that then have to be coordinated. If there are changes, these can be missed by either party if they are not used to working very closely together.
At XL Structural we have the structural design team in-house and side-by-side with the architectural designer. They have a model-sharing process that overlays designs to show up clashes and onsite challenges before construction starts.
Our teams are also responsible for both sets of plans, whereas if the architectural and structural aspects are separate, neither party is ultimately responsible for the other.
Interior design
Often interior design can become split off from the main project or is something that is not considered until the design is well developed. This can result in gaps or overlaps in scope.
The XL architectural design team have the skills to do full interiors as well. This can be as simple as helping with colours and layouts through to full spatial design and interior schedules based on in-depth consultation with your team.
From experience, we have found this gives a more coordinated approach to interior design, rather than it being somewhat of an afterthought.
Practical Designs
Often architects get few opportunities to engage with builders onsite and those at the face of the project who have a direct connection to the cost and time drivers.
The XL design team regularly visits the site and coordinates with our estimating and project consulting teams to compare options from the perspectives of cost, quality, and time.
Our project managers also have early engagement with these designs, to provide feedback and advice to ensure that small changes are made to reduce onsite timeframes and delays.
Through past projects, we have found that everything is streamlined significantly when the XL Structural team manages the whole design process and the consultants required. To learn more about the XL in-house design process and how we manage all these moving parts and consultants, get in touch with our expert team today.
