DBIA Book Club: Design-Build Planning Through Development

This month the DBIA Book Club brings you Design-Build Planning through Development, the first book to cover every aspect of design-build — legal, technical, and administrative. This authoritative and up-to-date manual provides design and construction professionals and owners with real-world, across-the-board answers needed for timely, glitch-free, and cost-effective project delivery. This manual is included in the Design-Build Designation Prep Kit.

Michael C. Loulakis has represented clients on projects around the world in the power, telecommunications, healthcare, public facility, and transportation sectors of the construction industry. His role on these projects ranges from advising owners about project delivery systems to contract drafting, claims administration, and dispute resolution. Mr. Loulakis is widely known for his expertise in the drafting and negotiating of design-build contracts on numerous high visibility projects around the country, as well as for projects in Mexico, Ireland, and Pakistan.

DBIA: What led to the creation of Design-Build Planning through Development?

Loulakis: “Jeff Beard had long had the idea of writing a comprehensive book about design-build, and we talked about it for almost a year before deciding to really go for it. We saw the need for a book that brought together a number of important topics — some conceptual and lots that were practical, “how to do it” kind of topics. We knew that Ed Wundram could offer great words of wisdom, particularly on front-end procurement and design-build policy, and asked him if he was interested. Once he said yes, we were ready to go and began writing.”

DBIA: What are the components of a successful design-build project?

Loulakis: “Too many to answer, but I think it starts with a great and trusting relationship among the major participants — owner, design-builder, and critical team members. Once you have that, all the other important things to successful execution, like developing a well thought-out program and having a balanced contract, all work themselves out.”

DBIA: If you could choose a main topic or section from Design-Build Planning through Development as a must read, what would it be and why?

Loulakis: “That’s too easy a question — the legal and contract chapters that I wrote, naturally. Sorry, had another moment of self-importance. The real answer is Chapter 12, Performance Specifying for Integrated Services Projects. Jeff wrote that chapter, and it is absolutely terrific and cutting edge even today. It was the hardest chapter to write, and he spent a long, long time thinking through concepts and making it work. It has been used by other authors as a resource, and it just increased my admiration of his intellect and thinking about design-build best practices.”

DBIA: From your perspective what makes design-build as a project delivery method so unique?

Loulakis: “When done right, it combines so many critical elements of a successful capital project — innovation, teamwork, responsibility and accountability.”

DBIA: Since the creation of this book, what significant changes have you seen in the construction industry related to design-build?

Loulakis: “Jeff, Ed, and I all felt that design-build deserved to be a major asset available to owners, and at the time we wrote the book, design-build was still thought of as a new, and somewhat unproven, delivery system. That has absolutely changed, as we all know. We also have seen best practices develop at a fast rate since we wrote the book, and owners gain a better understanding how to make this work right.”

DBIA: Other than this book, which three books would you recommend to DATELINE readers?

Loulakis: “Since we wrote our book there have been some great publications that help give ”how to” advice to the industry, and picking only three is hard. Off the top of my head, I would mention Preparing for Design-Build Projects (Gransberg, Koch, and Molenaar) is really well-done, with three authors well-known and experienced in the design-build community. The Design/Build Deskbook (3rd Edition), published by the ABA, has some great information on licensing and is one of those books you need on your shelf. Design-Build Risk and Insurance, published by IRMI, is also excellent. But I’d be remiss in not mentioning books by David Hatem on subsurface projects, and Bill Quatman advising architects on design-build. These guys did a terrific job on some specific and challenging subjects.”