In a Design-Build project, what is a common risk related to fixture selection when the architect and contractor are a team hired together?

• A. Move to more expensive fixtures with better energy efficiency
• B. Design-Build
• C. The owner may end up with inferior fixtures if the architect and contractor are a team hired together
• D. There is no risk related to fixtures

Answer: (C)

In a Design-Build setup, the architect and contractor work together as a single team, which can streamline decisions but also reduce independent checks on product selections. When the owner hires that team together, there’s a real tendency for the team to steer fixture choices toward their own preferred suppliers or toward lower-cost options to protect margins or speed procurement. That dynamic can result in the owner receiving fixtures that don’t meet their expectations for quality, aesthetics, or durability, even if the design intent remains sound.

To manage this risk, it’s important to lock in clear expectations: specify performance requirements and quality levels for fixtures in the contract, require owner approval for final selections, use a pre-qualified list or competitive bidding among approved vendors, and establish a formal substitution process with owner sign-off. This keeps the efficiency of Design-Build while safeguarding the owner’s interests in fixture quality.