Design-Build Contractor in Pittsburgh & Butler County
Building Contractors United is a design-build contractor in Pittsburgh and Butler County that handles design, budgeting and construction under one contract so there is one price and one team responsible for the result.
Building Contractors United is a design build contractor in the Pittsburgh area that puts design and construction under one contract, one team and one point of accountability. Instead of hiring an architect, waiting for drawings, bidding the job and then hoping the numbers work, you start with a builder who prices as the design develops. We use the design-build approach for commercial buildings, custom homes, additions and renovations across Butler County, Cranberry Township and the North Hills. JT Minarik, our Construction Manager, has been in the field since 2009 and brings that experience into the design phase, where it saves the most money.
What our design-build service includes
Our design-build service covers preconstruction and budgeting, design coordination, value engineering, permitting, construction and closeout under a single agreement. Here is how each piece works.
Preconstruction and budgeting
Preconstruction turns your idea into a realistic scope and budget before anyone draws a line. We meet with you to understand the use, the size, the site and the number you need to hit. Then we produce a preliminary budget based on real local costs for site work, structure and finishes. You find out early whether the project fits, instead of after paying for a full set of plans.
Design coordination
We coordinate the architect, structural engineer and civil engineer as a team working toward one budget and one schedule. BCU brings the design professionals or works with yours. Because the builder is in the room during design, constructability questions get answered on paper, not on the job site. That is the single biggest difference between design-build and the traditional approach.
Value engineering
Value engineering means finding ways to deliver the same function and quality for less money, or more quality for the same money. On projects north of Pittsburgh that might mean balancing cut and fill on a sloped lot to avoid hauling, choosing a pre-engineered steel frame for a long clear span, or simplifying a roofline to reduce framing labor. We present options with costs attached so you make informed trade-offs.
Permitting and approvals
We manage permit submissions and approvals with township building departments, county agencies and, when required, the PA DEP. Having design and construction under one team means plan revisions requested by a reviewer get resolved quickly, without a round of emails between an architect and a builder who have never met. We track every approval on the project schedule.
Construction
Once design and permits are complete, the same team that developed the budget builds the project. Our crews self-perform excavation and site work and nearly every trade outside of plumbing, HVAC and electrical, so there are fewer subcontractor handoffs. JT runs the field and you keep the same contact from the first meeting through completion.
Closeout and warranty
Closeout includes final inspections, certificate of occupancy, as-built documentation, manuals and warranty paperwork. Our 2-year workmanship warranty applies to design-build projects just as it does to every other BCU project, and because we designed and built it, there is no debate about who is responsible if something needs attention.
How BCU runs a design-build project
Design-build still follows our four-step process: Consult, Estimate, Build and Walkthrough. The difference is that the Estimate step runs alongside design instead of after it.
- Consult. We meet to define goals, site, program and budget range. We walk the property, review zoning and utilities, and identify the design team.
- Estimate. We produce a preliminary budget, then refine it at each design milestone. By the time drawings are complete, the estimate is a firm, itemized proposal you have watched develop. The initial consultation and estimate are free.
- Build. We pull permits and build to the plans we helped shape. Design questions that come up in the field are resolved by the same team, usually the same day.
- Walkthrough. We walk the finished project with you, close out the punch list and hand over documentation and the warranty.
Design-build vs design-bid-build
In design-bid-build, you hire an architect, complete the plans, then collect bids from contractors who had no input on the design. The lowest bidder often wins, and the gaps between drawings and reality become change orders. In design-build, the contractor is involved from the start, pricing continuously, so the plans match the budget and the budget matches the finished building. Design-build is usually faster because design and preconstruction overlap, and disputes between designer and builder disappear because they are one team. Design-bid-build still makes sense when you already have complete drawings or when a public bidding process is required.
Why BCU for design-build
- A builder's eye during design. JT Minarik's field experience since 2009 catches cost and constructability problems while they are still cheap to fix.
- Single source responsibility. One contract, one schedule, one warranty. No finger pointing between architect and contractor.
- Self-performed site work. We handle excavation and foundations ourselves, which is where design-build savings are often largest on sloped Pittsburgh-area lots.
- Fully insured and PA registered. General liability, workers' compensation and PA HIC #PA193140.
- Honest pricing and a two-year workmanship warranty. You see every number as it develops, and we stand behind the result.
Design-build in Butler County, Cranberry Township and the North Hills
A design build contractor in the Pittsburgh area earns its keep on sites that are complicated, and most sites north of the city are. Hillside lots with clay and shale soils, stormwater rules that vary by township, and permit requirements like Butler County Conservation District E&S review and PA DEP NPDES permits for disturbances of an acre or more all affect design decisions. When the builder is at the table, those factors shape the plan from day one.
In Cranberry Township, commercial design-build along Route 19 and Route 228 benefits from early coordination with the township's land development and architectural review process. In Zelienople, Harmony and the rest of Butler County, design-build custom homes on acreage along Route 68 and Route 8 depend on smart siting, driveway grades and septic and well placement. In the North Hills, tight lots and steep grades reward designs that work with the terrain instead of against it. We use design-build for commercial construction and for custom homes alike, including a modern steel-and-stone custom home with an indoor sports court north of Pittsburgh.
If you want one team responsible for design, budget and construction, talk to a design build contractor in the Pittsburgh area that builds what it draws. Request a free consultation and estimate or call (724) 900-4123. We show up when we say we will, and we price it honestly, up front.
Frequently asked questions
Every project is different. The fastest way to a real answer is a site walk with our team.
(724) 900-4123Get a Free EstimateDesign-build is a project delivery method where one firm is responsible for both design and construction under a single contract. Design-bid-build is the traditional method where the owner hires an architect first, then puts the finished drawings out to bid to contractors.
With design-build, the builder is involved from the first sketch, so pricing, constructability and schedule are worked out as the design develops. With design-bid-build, the owner gets competitive bids on a finished design but often discovers the cost after the drawings are done. Design-build usually means fewer change orders and a shorter overall timeline.
Design-build is often less expensive overall, though not always on the design fee alone. The savings come from fewer change orders, less redesign, a shorter schedule and a budget that is set before the drawings are finished.
In a traditional design-bid-build project, the owner pays for a full design before knowing what it will cost to build, and redesign after bids come in high is common. In design-build, the builder prices the project as the design develops and steers it toward the budget. Owners who value a predictable number and a single point of accountability tend to come out ahead.
The design-build process moves through five steps: discovery, concept design and budget, detailed design and firm pricing, permitting, and construction. One team carries the project through all five under a single contract.
Discovery defines your goals, site and budget. Concept design produces a layout and a preliminary cost range so you can make decisions early. Detailed design develops permit drawings and engineering while the builder firms up the price. The design-builder then submits for permits and starts construction, with the same team accountable from the first meeting through the final walkthrough and warranty.
Service areas
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Tell us about the project in four quick steps, or call us directly. We price it honestly, up front.