What is a key disadvantage of Design-Build?

• A. Once the contract is signed, the owner has more control over design and construction.
• B. The owner is not responsible for developing a program or performance requirements.
• C. Once the contract is signed, the owner has less control over design and construction, and must develop performance requirements.
• D. There is no single source of responsibility.

Answer: (C)

Design-Build consolidates design and construction under one contract, so the owner cedes a portion of day-to-day control over how the project is designed and built. The owner still defines the project’s goals, performance criteria, and requirements, but once the contract is in place, the design-builder leads the design and execution within that framework. This arrangement can speed delivery and foster collaboration, but it means the owner has less direct control over design decisions and construction methods than in traditional methods.

That’s why the best answer highlights both pieces: the owner ends up with reduced control over design and construction after signing, and the owner remains responsible for developing performance requirements to guide the design-build team. The other statements don’t fit: design-build does not give the owner more control after contract; the owner typically remains responsible for programmatic requirements, though the design-builder may assist; and there is a single source of responsibility in design-build, not multiple, which is the opposite of what that choice suggests.