Oltmans Ranked in Design-Build Firms
Increasing owner concerns with budget restrictions, timely project delivery and variable materials prices are sparking greater demand for the utilization of the time-tested design-build process in today’s construction industry, according to officials of Oltmans Construction Co.
The company’s stature in this sector was underlined with the announcement that Oltmans Construction Co. was ranked among the nation’s top 100 design-build firms in the June issue of the prestigious ENGINEERING NEWS-RECORD Magazine. Oltmans checked in at number 79, up six spots from the previous year. Earlier, the company was ranked among the nation’s top 203 general contractors overall by ENR.
According to the ENR cover story, Oltmans completed a total of $156 million worth of design-build projects during 2007. Among current design-build projects being overseen by Oltmans is the 150,000 square foot headquarters and warehouse for G.A. Gertmenian & Sons in the Lincoln Heights area of Los Angeles.
ENR reported that the pressure from owners to build more quickly and efficiently is leading to an increased reliance on design-build earlier in the process in many sectors.
“The design-build process of project delivery is significant because it represents a single source of responsibility and project control through the general contractor. It allows us to be closer to the project and monitor the design. The benefit to the client is substantial in terms of on-time, on-budget delivery that results in cost savings,” said Jim Woodside, vice president of production for Oltmans Construction Co.
Woodside added that design-build “is gaining even more interest in today’s economic climate from clients often being challenged by delivery and cost issues.”
According to the Design-Build Institute of America, the design-build technique is an integrated delivery process that has been embraced by the world’s great civilizations, originating with fixed absolute accountability upon master builders for both design and construction. DBIA says that today, there is a resurgence of the master builders approach as owners become more informed and ask practitioners to take on more project responsibility.
“Today’s design-build process offers reassurance that the design and construction industry can deliver comprehensive services. The valued assurance can only be provided by a singular source,” DBIA’s website states.