Choosing the Right General Contractor in a Design–Bid–Build Project

If you’re planning a remodel, addition, or a new home, you’ve probably already heard the term design–bid–build. It’s one of the most common ways to approach a project: first, you and your architect and engineers design the home and prepare detailed drawings. Then those drawings go out to several carefully vetted contractors for pricing. Finally, you choose one lucky firm to build it.

The bidding part can feel a little daunting—after all, you’re trusting someone to take the drawings you and your team have worked so hard on and bring them to life. Over the years, we’ve guided many homeowners through this process, and we’ve learned a few things that can make selecting the right general contractor a lot smoother (and less stressful).

Step 1: Know What the Contractor Will Do

In this process, your general contractor (GC) is the one who turns your plans into reality. They’ll hire and coordinate subcontractors, manage the schedule, deal with city inspections, keep the site safe, and handle hundreds of little decisions along the way.

A great GC isn’t just a builder—they’re a partner in problem-solving, sequencing, and making sure your project runs smoothly. When you choose the right one, it can make the entire experience so much more enjoyable.

Step 2: Start With a Shortlist

Once your architect has finished the construction drawings, we’ll work with you to create a shortlist of contractors to invite to bid—usually four to six. That’s enough to compare prices without overwhelming you with choice, and giving each invited GC a fair chance to win your work.

We look for contractors who have the right experience for your project. Building a modern home with a lot of custom details? You want someone who’s done that before. Restoring a historic home? That’s a whole different skill set.  Experience in the local jurisdiction is a plus, but not a requirement, as building codes are very standardized throughout the entire state of California.

Step 3: Make Sure They’re Qualified

Before inviting bids, we double-check that each contractor has the right licenses, insurance, and availability for your timeline. We also confirm they’re interested in your project—it sounds obvious, but you’d be surprised how much this matters for getting an accurate bid and a good working relationship.

Step 4: Give Them Everything They Need to Bid Accurately

Your architect’s job is to prepare detailed plans and specifications so every contractor is pricing the same scope of work.

Notes S-Squared Project Manager Gloria Nazloo, “When general contractors receive clear and detailed plans, bidding stays fair across the board and it leads to more accurate pricing.  It’s important that all of your plans be highly detailed and complete, including your interior design, landscape, and technical engineering drawings.”

Step 5: Look Beyond the Lowest Number

It’s tempting to jump straight to the cheapest bid, but a low number can sometimes mean something’s been missed—or that the allowances for finishes are unrealistically low (this risk can be eliminated by having a comprehensive interior design as part of the bid package).  Your architect can help review each bid line by line, checking for gaps or misunderstandings.

The goal is to find the best value, which often means a balance between price, quality, and trust.

Step 6: Meet the Top Candidates

Once you’ve narrowed it down to a couple of favorites, set up interviews. This is your chance to see how they communicate and whether you feel comfortable working together.

You may wish to bring your architect to some of these meetings—we’ll ask technical questions to check on their understanding of the design, while you focus on whether they feel like the right fit for your personality and priorities.

Step 7: Check Their Work in the Real World

Always call past clients, and if possible, visit a home (or multiple homes!) they’ve built. Ask how the contractor handled challenges, whether they stayed on schedule, and how they managed the budget. An active job site visit can also tell you a lot about how organized and respectful they are to neighbors by keeping a clean and orderly job site.   Also, make sure your design team offers construction administration services, to help ensure that the contract documents (plans and specifications) are being honored by your GC.

Step 8: Put It in Writing

Once you’ve chosen your GC, your architect can help review the contract. A good contract spells out the scope, schedule, payment terms, and how changes will be handled. Clarity here saves headaches later.  An additional step we recommend is to have a qualified attorney review the contract as well.  A few hundred dollars spent on a legal review is a good investment in ensuring that a contract worth many hundreds of thousands (or millions) of dollars is written fairly and to industry norms.

Final Thought

Choosing a contractor in a design–bid–build process isn’t just about finding someone who can build well—it’s about finding a teammate you trust.

“An organized bid process is a crucial part of the overall design and build process”, says Nazloo.  “It helps the entire project move forward with fewer surprises and less confusion.”  The right GC will care about your project as much as you do, communicate clearly, and work hand-in-hand with your architect to make the drawings you’ve dreamed about become a home you’ll love for years to come.

S-Squared is the exclusive provider of architecture articles in Atherton Living. For more information, please visit s-squared.com.