Design/Assist is a service in which the general contractor collaborates with the owner and the design team before the design documents are completed. The contractor is able to address any constructability issues up front and mitigate potential redesign fees due to value engineering or other changes in the design. Conceptual estimating is another part of Design/Assist services. This involves budgeting a concept to determine the financial feasibility of incorporating it into the design. This often starts as a rough sketch in a meeting. In order to estimate the cost, the general contractor has to think through the process of what all will be involved to make the change. This is instrumental in determining whether or not to make a shift to the original design concept.
