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Project Management

Design Phase

In Plain English

The period when architects and engineers develop all the drawings and specifications before construction starts.

Definition

The design phase encompasses all stages of project design before construction begins, including programming, schematic design, design development, and construction documents. During the design phase, the owner, architects, and engineers develop the project scope, systems, and specifications that will guide construction. Owner decisions made during design phase have the greatest impact on project cost and schedule.

Why It Matters in Bidding

The design phase is when the decisions that lock in the majority of project cost are made, so a contractor's involvement here, when the delivery method allows it, shapes how biddable and buildable the documents become. For estimators, the maturity of design at each milestone dictates which estimating method is appropriate and how much contingency to carry. Gaps or coordination errors left in design phase resurface as RFIs, change orders, and disputes during construction.

Example

During the design phase, the CM-at-risk contractor reviews the 60 percent documents, flags a mechanical-structural clash, and updates the GMP estimate before the owner authorizes construction documents.

Related Terms

Design DevelopmentPreconstructionConstruction AdministrationValue Engineering

Frequently Asked Questions

The design phase generally moves through programming, schematic design, design development, and construction documents. Each stage adds detail and definition, allowing the owner and design team to refine scope, systems, and specifications. The progression also lets estimators sharpen cost projections as the documents become more complete and biddable.
Choices about size, structural system, materials, and building systems made early in design determine the bulk of project cost, while the ability to influence that cost without expensive rework shrinks rapidly as design advances. This is why value engineering and budget alignment are most effective during design, not construction.
In design-bid-build, design is largely complete before contractors bid. In CM-at-risk and design-build, the contractor participates during design, providing budgeting, constructability, and procurement input. Earlier contractor involvement generally reduces change orders and aligns the documents with both cost and schedule before construction starts.

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