Design-Build: Design and Construction Aligned—From Day One

Modern building with the address 18355 on the right side, surrounded by tall, thin trees and ornamental grasses, under a partly cloudy sky.
Modern building with dark facade, pink numbers 1835 on the right side, and five tall trees with purple and green foliage in front.

One team. One contract. One point of accountability.

Design-build is a construction delivery method where one team handles everything—from early design and budgeting through to permits and construction. Instead of managing separate contracts with architects, engineers, and a general contractor, you work with a single accountable partner.

Close-up of modern white concrete building with geometric lines and shapes, against a background of a partly cloudy sky.

What Is Design-Build?

A Better Way to Build

This isn’t just a logistical change. It’s a strategic one. When design and construction happen in isolation, critical decisions get made without the full picture. Designers move ahead without pricing insight. Contractors inherit drawings they didn’t help shape. And clients are left bridging the gap—absorbing the delays, change orders, and cost overruns that follow.

Design-build solves this by integrating the process from day one. At LCM, we don’t just streamline communication—we align every detail of the project around your business case. That means faster decisions, fewer surprises, and a building that does what you need it to do.

Yellow and black modern building exterior with parking lot and parked cars.

Is Design-Build Right for You?

When the Stakes Are High, Clarity Isn’t Optional

Not every project needs a fully integrated design-build team. But if your timeline is tight, your budget is fixed, or your goals extend beyond the drawings—you need more than just a builder.

Design-build is especially effective when:

  • You're repositioning a commercial asset and need early insight into feasibility

  • Your internal team doesn’t have the capacity to coordinate multiple consultants

  • You want to understand the true cost of a project before committing to construction

  • You're balancing operational demands and can’t afford extended downtime

  • You value accountability—and want one partner responsible for outcomes, not excuses

If you’re unsure whether design-build is the right fit, we’re happy to talk through your options. No pressure, no assumptions—just straight answers to help you move forward with clarity.

Medical treatment or therapy room with examination tables, chairs, large windows with curtains, and medical equipment, in a modern medical facility.

How LCM Does It Differently

Not Just Integrated—Aligned

Many firms offer design-build as a way to speed up delivery. We take it further. Our approach isn’t just about compression—it’s about alignment.

We begin every project by understanding your priorities. Are you leasing the space? Growing your operations? Positioning the asset for sale? These aren’t side conversations—they’re the foundation of every design and cost decision we make.

Throughout pre-construction, we engage designers, consultants, and trades early to eliminate blind spots and validate feasibility before anything is finalized. The result is a process that builds clarity at every step—no disconnects, no handoffs, no excuses.

You don’t just get faster delivery. You get a space that performs the way it was intended to—because every choice was made with the outcome in mind.

Still Have Questions About Design-Build?

Here are a few more FAQs

  • Will I still have input in the design? (Yes—and earlier, where it matters most.)

  • How is the cost managed if the scope changes?

  • Can you work with my existing consultants?

  • What if I already have drawings?

  • Is Design-Build more expensive? (No—often the opposite, due to reduced rework and faster delivery.)

True design-build turns good ideas into great outcomes.

A Selection of Design Build Projects

Modern two-story commercial or office building with large windows, illuminated exterior wall lights, and a dark brick lower level, set against a cloudy evening sky.

1700 Ellice

Image of a modern building with yellow and black exterior panels, parked cars, and a cloudy sky.

1565 King Edward

Modern multi-story building with black and white exterior, glass windows, and a sidewalk with bike racks outside.

15 Wanda Way

A square sign with a white background and black border that reads 'bar accanto.' in black cursive font, mounted on a textured gray wall of a building.

Bar Accanto

Close-up of a modern building's corner with metal panels and large glass windows reflecting the sunset.

Ready to move your project forward?

Starting is exciting. Staying aligned is where most projects go sideways. At LCM, we’ve shaped a process that protects the strategy—not just the schedule.

Because it’s not just about what gets built—it’s about whether it performs the way you need it to.