As a designer and maker, this type of practice keeps you honest...

However, having once been a partner in a D-B practice, it is very difficult to multi-task and have several jobs going without a large team for support. Your overhead is also very high, ie: insurance, shop etc...

I do miss practicing this way, but my back does feel better and my clothes don't have holes in them.

I know of a small local firm in my area that has been very good with design build, all be it only in high end residential, but the business model seems to work very well for these guys and they are growing fast.

Personally I think it will be the natural evolution of the profession. My only fear is that it will be giant contractors devouring the architecture firms and will end up giving the architects very little control.

I'd like to know if there is a decent sized design build firm out there that has its history in architecture, not construction, and has size to complete projects with budgets in the tens of millions of dollars.

I am currently working for a design/build architect. He is a University professor, so therefore has a readily available supply of student labor.

The way that we are working at the current time is that architecture students are doing all of the construction work themselves (minus electric, plumbing, and hvac which are being done by professionals). Because we are students and are learning, we are not as efficient as professional crews.

IMO, it would be adventageous of someone in our position to contract out the framing, drywall, roofing, and any other 'rough' construction. We students would then be responsible for the 'custom' pieces (ie. stairs, fireplaces, bookshelves, and other)

At the current time, howecer, much time is lost due to the fact that we are not knowlegable in typical construction

In California, it is becoming increasly more popular for public work, such as schools, required to be built design build. Not for design sake, but due to liability reasons. At that point there's just one entity to blame, in theory anyway.

mdler. i am project manager for a design build firm here in austin and we operate similar to what you proposed. we basically serve as contractors for our construction projects and have a group of subs that we have a long experience working with that we use regularly. we usually sub out all of the shell and basic interior, and then we self-perform the architectural specialties (ie. handrails, stairs, custom cabinetry, and any other special details.)

i mostly manage the architectural side and am responsible for layout and controls on the construction side. we also staff two full time carpenters/welders/do-it-alls that perform the architectural specialties. we moved our office last year so we now have under one roof our office, woodshop, and metal shop.