Design-Build vs. Hiring an Architect and Builder Separately

There are two common ways to create a custom home. You can hire an architect to design it and then bid the drawings to builders, or you can hire one design-build firm to do both. Each can produce a beautiful home. They differ in who is accountable, when you learn the cost, and how long it takes.

The traditional path

An architect designs the home, completes the drawings, and then builders bid on them. Its strength is independence: the architect works only for you and can review the builder’s work.

The risk is timing. The true construction cost often isn’t known until the design is finished, and if bids come in high, the design goes back for revisions. When problems appear on site, the architect and builder can each point to the other.

The design-build path

One firm designs and builds under a single contract. Because the people pricing the home sit in the same room as the people designing it, cost feedback comes during design, not after. Schedules are often shorter because permitting and planning overlap with design.

Most importantly, there’s one point of responsibility. If something in the drawings doesn’t work in the field, it’s the same team’s job to solve it.

What to ask either way

• Is the builder a licensed Florida Certified General Contractor or Certified Residential Contractor? You can verify any license on the state’s DBPR website.
• When will I see a real budget, not just a price per square foot?
• How are changes priced and approved?
• Who is my single point of contact, and how often will I hear from them?
• Can I see a sample of the plan or specification I’ll approve before construction?

If you want independent oversight

Choosing design-build doesn’t mean giving up a second set of eyes. Some owners hire an independent inspector or owner’s representative for peace of mind, and a good design-build firm will welcome it.

Our approach

Amphion is design-develop-build: one team from the first sketch to the keys. Every room, finish, cost, and date is written in Your Home Book and approved by you before construction begins.