Design-Build

Design & Construction Under One Contract

When the designer and the builder are the same company, the drawings get priced while they are still on the table. That eliminates the single most expensive moment in construction: discovering the bid does not match the design.

Get a Free Quote (816) 555-0142
  • 180+Design-build projects delivered
  • 6–12 wkTypical schedule saved vs. design-bid-build
  • 1Contract, one accountable team
Overview

One contract from first sketch to final walkthrough

Traditional design-bid-build separates the people who draw the project from the people who have to build it. That gap is where budgets break. An architect produces a beautiful set of drawings, three contractors bid it, and the lowest number comes back 30 percent over what the owner expected. Everyone then spends two months value engineering features the owner already fell in love with.

Design-build collapses that gap. At Mavrix Build Co., our designers sit ten feet from our estimators, and our superintendents review drawings before they are issued. Cost feedback happens during design, not after. When you want a cantilevered roof or a 14-foot island, you learn what it costs while it is still a sketch and you can decide with real information.

Our design team produces architectural plans, structural coordination, MEP layouts and permit-ready documentation for residential and light commercial projects. We provide 3D exterior and interior visualization so you can see the finished space before construction, which is far cheaper than changing your mind at framing.

You get one contract, one fee structure and one point of accountability. If the drawings and the construction do not match, there is nobody else to blame and no change order to argue about. That is the entire value proposition, and it is why design-build now accounts for a large share of our annual volume.

What this service covers

In-house architecture and space planning

3D exterior and interior visualization

Structural and MEP engineering coordination

Permit-ready documentation and entitlements

Live cost feedback during design

Single contract, single point of accountability

What’s Included

Everything This Service Delivers

Architecture & Planning

Schematic design, design development, construction documents and permit sets produced in house.

3D Visualization

Exterior renderings and interior walkthroughs so you can approve what you are actually getting.

Engineering Coordination

Structural, civil and MEP engineers engaged early so the design is buildable, not just beautiful.

Permitting & Entitlements

Zoning review, variance support, historic district coordination and permit management.

Cost Modeling

Real-time budget feedback as the design evolves, with alternates priced before you commit.

Construction Delivery

The same team that designed it builds it, with the designer available on site through completion.

Recent Work

Design-Build Projects

A sample of recent design-build & architecture work across the Kansas City metro.

Browse Full Portfolio
Our Design-Build Process

How Your Project Runs

01

Discovery

Program requirements, site constraints, budget band and a written statement of what success looks like.

02

Schematic Design

Two or three concept options with massing, floor plans and preliminary cost ranges.

03

Design Development

Refined plans, elevations, 3D views, material palette and a firmer cost model.

04

Construction Documents

Permit-ready drawings, engineering, specifications and a fixed-price construction agreement.

05

Build & Handover

Construction by the same team, with the designer retained through punch list and closeout.

Investment

Design-Build Pricing

Published ranges for the Kansas City market this year. Every project is quoted individually with a line-item scope and named allowances.

Residential Design-Build

Full architectural design and construction for custom homes and major additions.

$5 – $12 / sq ft design Typical project range
  • Schematic through permit sets
  • 3D exterior visualization
  • Structural engineering
  • Construction by the same team
Request a Quote
Most Common

Commercial Design-Build

Design and delivery for tenant improvements and ground-up commercial projects.

4% – 8% of construction Typical project range
  • Architectural and MEP design
  • Permit and entitlement management
  • Guaranteed maximum price option
  • Commissioning and closeout
Request a Quote

Design Only

Architectural drawings and permit sets for owners who want to bid the work themselves.

$2,800 – $18,000 Typical project range
  • Measured existing drawings
  • Permit-ready plan set
  • Structural coordination
  • Bidding support on request
Request a Quote

Financing available through our lending partners with terms from 12 to 144 months on approved credit. Ask your project manager for a pre-qualification link.

Case Studies

Recent Design-Build Projects

All Projects
Contemporary kitchen with open shelving and statement accents
Residential

Waldo Kitchen & Sunroom Addition

Waldo, Kansas City, MO
  • 620 sq ft addedScope
  • 22 weeksDuration
  • $298,000Contract
 White modern architecture with dramatic angled forms
Commercial

River Market Adaptive Reuse

River Market, Kansas City, MO
  • 22,600 sq ftScope
  • 34 weeksDuration
  • $4.7MContract
Common Questions

Design-Build FAQ

In design-bid-build you hire an architect, then bid the drawings to several contractors, then hire one. In design-build you hire one company that handles both. Design-build typically saves 6 to 12 weeks of schedule and produces fewer change orders because the builder priced the design as it was being drawn.

The design fee is comparable to a standalone architect. The savings come from fewer change orders, faster schedule and the elimination of redesign cycles caused by over-budget bids. On average our design-build clients see lower total project cost than comparable design-bid-build projects, mostly because surprises happen on paper instead of on site.

Absolutely. Many clients bring drawings from an architect they have a relationship with. We will do a constructability and cost review at no charge and coordinate directly with them through the project.

Yes, for both residential and commercial projects. Exterior renderings are included in our design scope and interior visualization is available as an option. Clients consistently tell us the renderings prevented at least one expensive change during construction.

We coordinate licensed structural, civil and MEP engineers as part of our design scope. For projects with unusual loading, soils or seismic considerations we bring in specialists, and you receive stamped drawings for permitting.

Yes. Once construction documents are complete we can convert to a guaranteed maximum price contract, where we absorb cost overruns within the agreed scope and share savings above an agreed threshold. That is a much stronger position than a traditional cost-plus arrangement.

Let’s Build Something

Get a written Design-Build proposal

Free site visit, honest budget conversation and a line-item written proposal within 7 to 10 business days. No obligation and no pressure.

Get a Free Quote Call (816) 555-0142
  • Free on-site consultation across the KC metro
  • Fixed-price contract with named allowances
  • 5-year workmanship warranty on every project
  • Licensed in Missouri and Kansas, fully insured