Planning a new facility is a major investment — one that involves multiple moving parts, timelines, and decisions. Traditionally, construction projects have followed a design–bid–build model, where the owner hires an architect first and then bids out the construction work to a separate contractor. But that approach often leads to delays, communication breakdowns, and budget surprises.
More and more, organizations are choosing the Design-Build method instead — and for good reason. Design-Build simplifies the entire process by placing responsibility for both design and construction under one roof. It reduces risk, improves communication, and helps projects move faster from idea to completion.
At Prost Builders, we’ve been using this approach for over 30 years — delivering high-quality, client-focused results across Missouri. In this article, we’ll explain why Design-Build works, when it makes sense, and how it’s helped our clients succeed.
What Is the Design-Build Method?
The design-build method is a streamlined approach to commercial construction that brings both design and construction services under one contract—and one roof. Instead of hiring separate firms for architecture and general contracting, clients work with a single entity that handles everything from concept to completion.
This integrated model fosters collaboration between designers and builders from day one. It reduces miscommunication, accelerates timelines, and often lowers costs by identifying and solving potential issues early in the planning phase.
With traditional design-bid-build, the owner first hires a designer, then puts the plans out for bid, and finally selects a contractor. But that can lead to delays and budget surprises. Design-build flips that script: it creates a unified team with shared accountability for delivering a successful project on time and on budget.
For clients who value efficiency, clarity, and control, design-build is often the preferred choice—especially for complex commercial or industrial facilities where seamless coordination is essential.
Key Benefits of the Design-Build Approach
Design-Build isn’t just a construction method — it’s a better way to build. By unifying design and construction under one contract, it removes many of the challenges that lead to cost overruns, delays, and frustration. Here are some of the top reasons more organizations are choosing this approach:
Faster Project Timelines
Because design and construction phases overlap, work can begin sooner. While final details are being refined, site preparation and early construction tasks can already be underway — reducing total project duration significantly.
Clearer Communication
With a single team managing the entire process, everyone stays on the same page. You won’t get caught in the middle of disputes between architect and builder, or lose time waiting for approvals to pass between parties.
Fewer Change Orders
In traditional builds, surprises during construction often lead to expensive revisions. In a Design-Build model, team members collaborate early to identify risks and adjust designs in real-time, before the shovel hits the ground.
Better Budget Control
Cost is considered from the start. Your Design-Build team helps you align scope, priorities, and budget — offering value engineering recommendations along the way.
Accountability
There’s no finger-pointing. One team owns the results, and that means clearer expectations, faster decisions, and stronger alignment throughout your project.
When Design-Build Makes the Most Sense
The design-build method is a streamlined approach to commercial construction that brings both design and construction services under one contract—and one roof. Instead of hiring separate firms for architecture and general contracting, clients work with a single entity that handles everything from concept to completion.
This integrated model fosters collaboration between designers and builders from day one. It reduces miscommunication, accelerates timelines, and often lowers costs by identifying and solving potential issues early in the planning phase.
With traditional design-bid-build, the owner first hires a designer, then puts the plans out for bid, and finally selects a contractor. But that can lead to delays and budget surprises. Design-build flips that script: it creates a unified team with shared accountability for delivering a successful project on time and on budget.
For clients who value efficiency, clarity, and control, design-build is often the preferred choice—especially for complex commercial or industrial facilities where seamless coordination is essential.
Case Snapshot – Food Bank
When the Central Missouri Food Bank needed a new facility, their timeline and mission couldn’t wait. They chose Prost Builders’ design-build approach to streamline the process and ensure every square foot was optimized for efficiency.
From the start, our team worked hand-in-hand with stakeholders to understand the operational flow—how food donations arrived, how they were sorted, and how they moved through storage and distribution. By integrating design with construction, we were able to:
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Eliminate costly rework by resolving layout challenges early
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Coordinate utility infrastructure to meet the building’s refrigeration and sanitation needs
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Create a structure that reflects the Food Bank’s values and long-term growth goals
The result? A purpose-built space delivered on schedule, with minimal disruption and maximum community impact. It’s a strong example of how design-build can align vision and execution in one seamless process.
What About Design-Build-LEASE?
Some clients need more than a building—they need a solution that fits their financial strategy. That’s where design-build-lease comes in. It combines the streamlined process of design-build with the flexibility of leasing, allowing organizations to occupy a tailored facility without the upfront cost of ownership.
Prost Builders partners with developers and investors to offer lease arrangements that meet long-term operational needs. This option is ideal for:
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Nonprofits or agencies with limited capital budgets
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Companies looking to expand without acquiring real estate
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Organizations that want to preserve credit or reinvest capital elsewhere
The design-build-lease model still delivers the same attention to detail and client-focused collaboration that Prost is known for—just with a different financing path. It’s another way we help clients bring their vision to life, on terms that work for them.
Why Prost Builders
At Prost Builders, Design-Build isn’t just a construction method — it’s how we approach every client relationship. For more than 30 years, we’ve partnered with nonprofits, civic organizations, and commercial clients across Missouri to deliver facilities that meet real-world needs and stand the test of time.
We believe in building with purpose. That means:
- Listening carefully to what each client wants to achieve
- Aligning design, cost, and construction timelines early in the process
- Being responsive and flexible when priorities shift
- Communicating clearly every step of the way
Our team includes experienced project managers, architects, engineers, and subcontractors who know how to collaborate — and care about doing the job right. Many of our clients return to us for future projects because they know we’ll do what we say, stand behind our work, and look out for their best interests.
When you choose Prost Builders as your Design-Build partner, you get more than a contractor. You get a team committed to helping you succeed.
Ready to explore design-build for your commercial construction project in Central Missouri?
Prost Builders has delivered successful design-build projects across Missouri for over 30 years.
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