Source: Berkley Construction Professional A design-build contractor hired an engineer for a multi-building commercial office complex. The main tenant could  not obtain a certificate of occupancy as the buildings failed their smoke tests due to the negligence of the engineer.  Unfortunately, the design-build contractor permitted the design firm to include a limitation-of-liability clause in its  […]

Source: Berkley Construction Professional A design-build contractor placed foundation piles for a high-rise apartment building in incorrect locations due to an error by a land surveyor they hired. The surveyor was uninsured and had gone out of business. The design builder  needed to fund the settlement because there was no other insurance available. The remediation […]

Source: Berkley Construction Professional A design-build contractor completed an apartment complex and the owner alleged that concrete cracking throughout the building and on numerous balconies severely impacted the owner’s ability to rent the apartments. It was  determined that the foundation design caused the cracking. Repairs had to be made and the owner also needed to […]

Source: Distinguished Programs A specialty concrete contractor under a design-build contract for a parking garage hired an engineering firm to  provide the structural specifications. Following construction, the garage owner noticed cracks in the support  columns. The cause was determined to be that the rebar specified in the engineering plan was insufficient to support  the structure. […]

Source: Distinguished Programs A GC was hired to build an athletic field using plans from a civil engineer who was retained by the owner to complete a preliminary design. At the owner’s  insistence, the GC hired the civil engineer under a design-build contract. After the field was constructed, it was determined that the completed design […]

Source: Distinguished Programs A GC under a design-build contract hired an HVAC subcontractor to design and install an HVAC system for a residential apartment project. Once completed and occupied, the apartment units began developing mold and  residents subsequently began complaining of respiratory problems, headaches, and other physical ailments. An error in the HVAC design plans […]

Source: https://www.constructionequipmentguide.com/, June 30, 2023 When investing in construction projects, government, municipal and private owners often face complex challenges: tight budgets, strict timelines, regulatory compliance, and workforce deployment are all set against the need to deliver high-quality infrastructure. In many cases, these challenges are exacerbated by traditional project delivery methods that, by their structure, limit […]

Source: https://www.constructionexec.com/, April 26, 2023 By: David Pacifici Design-build delivery carries much greater risk to a contractor than conventional project delivery methods. Chief among these risks is the potential for increased actual or final costs to a general contractor or design-build entity compared to the estimates presented in their bid. The result is that many […]

Source: https://www.enr.com/, December 1, 2021 By: James Leggate Officials in Texas have settled on plans to replace a flawed design for the new Houston Ship Channel bridge project over safety concerns, with an added build cost of nearly $300 million on top of the original $962 million price. The new design for the 4.1-mile bridge, […]

Design build contractor responsible for 11-story dormitory for University housing.  Deep foundation package was a design-build subcontract.  Geotechnical study was commissioned and subcontracted by the design build contractor.  Differential settlement was specified to be no more than ½”.  Construction of the rammed-aggregate pier system completed with no apparent issues.  Installation of the building cast-in-place concrete […]

Design build contractor responsible for surveying activities of a coastal commercial property in Florida.  Surveyor plots the points for the construction of the building and foundation.  The foundation is laid with sub-terrain electrical and plumbing complete. The contractor discovers that the surveyor failed to take into account the required municipal 2 feet setback and construction […]

Source: https://neworleanscitybusiness.com/, October 19, 2021 As projects become more and more complicated, owners often look to simplify the building process by hiring a single firm to handle both design and construction. This is perfectly legal and commonly known as the “design-build” delivery method. A design-build project has many advantages. There is only one point of […]