Design Build
For 100 years, McCree continues to refine what we believe is the most efficient and transparent way to build: Design-Build
With this method, you hire one team to handle both construction and architectural design. One contract. One point of responsibility. One aligned team guiding your project from initial concept through completion — Concept to Keys™. Design-build eliminates the traditional friction between architect and contractor because they are on the same team from day one. At McCree, our architects sit alongside our estimators and construction professionals. That daily collaboration creates real-time cost feedback during design, ensuring your project is on-time, on-budget, and within your schedule — not after the fact.
McCree’s 10 Step Design-Build Process
Preliminary
Budget Alignment
With the early design and budget in place, McCree works with you through ⁴ value engineering to align your goals, priorities, and investment. This phase may involve revisiting drawings, pricing, and options until the right solution comes into focus. Before the project advances, ⁵ confirmation of design and cost creates a clear checkpoint, ensuring you are completely satisfied with the preliminary budget and design.
Design & Construction
Once the direction is confirmed, McCree develops ⁶ construction and engineering drawings for permitting, competitive bidding, and construction. The project is then shared with qualified trades through the ⁷ competitive subcontractor bid process, with McCree reviewing bids, showing you the results, and making recommendations. From there, ⁸ permitting is managed by McCree’s full-time permitting coordinator, keeping city and county approvals moving. During ⁹ project construction, McCree works with subcontractors and with you to make sure the building is built right, on time, and on budget. The process ends with ¹⁰ close-out, when McCree walks the building with you to make sure the finished space is exactly how you envisioned it.
The result? Projects built efficiently, with higher quality, and less risk.
Nationally, design-build consistently outperforms traditional delivery methods in both schedule and cost. At McCree, our in-house architecture department allows us to streamline the process even further. Instead of designing in isolation and pricing later, we design with clarity and constructability from the start.
One of the biggest advantages of our proprietary ten-step design-build process is early budget certainty. At the end of preliminary design, you receive a detailed budget estimate typically within 5% of final construction cost. That level of accuracy provides meaningful financial confidence long before full construction drawings are complete. Even better, preliminary design is completed in just 4–8 weeks and costs a fraction of what traditional architectural drawings require.
It’s Your Story. We Just Want To Build Your Dream.
You’ve likely heard the stories: change orders, finger-pointing, costly delays. Those issues often stem from fragmented project teams with competing priorities. Our approach is different.
With McCree, you engage one integrated team accountable for the entire process. We handle the coordination, the communication, and the complexities so you don’t have to. When questions arise, solutions are developed internally — quickly and collaboratively. Our goal is simple: remove stress, reduce risk, and make the experience as smooth as possible.
Design-build is often the easiest path for private owners who have not yet selected an architect or contractor. If commercial construction isn’t your everyday business, this approach allows you to delegate with confidence. And if you are an experienced developer, you’ll appreciate how an integrated team can compress schedules and deliver cleaner execution.
Why design-build at McCree is different
Experience
Our design-build roots trace back more than a century. Since the 1950s, licensed architects and licensed contractors have served as principals within our firm. That legacy of integration continues today, refined through decades of real-world execution.
In-House Expertise
We maintain licensed professionals in architecture, engineering, and general construction under one roof. Our architects design for construction — not just for permitting — reducing field conflicts and requests for information. The ability to collaborate instantly, without waiting on outside consultants, keeps momentum strong.
Quality Control
We leverage advanced technology, including 3D modeling, to identify and resolve issues before they reach the field. Every project undergoes a comprehensive quality review by a fresh set of eyes. That diligence is a major reason our design-build projects avoid the typical contractor-issued change orders seen in traditional delivery models.
Simplicity
You have one point of contact. No competing interests. No confusion about responsibility. Just a team committed to delivering your project efficiently and professionally.
From your first idea to the moment you walk through the door, McCree is built to guide you every step of the way. That’s the power of an integrated team — and the confidence that comes with 100 years of doing it right.
