What is the difference between plan and spec work and design/build?
Plan and spec means that an engineering company designs a job or a component of a project for a specific client, and then it is sent out to bid. The contractors who bid on the design do not add any value to it; they simply look for design flaws or extras that increase the base contract price. Then the bid is awarded to a contractor based on price. Under a design/build arrangement, the contracting firm works directly for the client and is responsible for the total design and installation, from engineering to implementation. The contract price is based on the total project scope, with no extra costs unless the client changes the scope of the design. This is a value-added concept because the contracting firm has its eyes wide open to the overall concept. If something doesn’t work, it is the contractor’s responsibility to fix the problem. Although we perform plan and spec work, Monsen Engineering is well known for its performance as a design/build contractor.
