If you want to know what your home will cost before you commit to building it, and you want one team responsible for both the design and the price, design-build is usually the better fit. If you already have an architect you love, or you're after something so unusual it needs a specialist, hiring an architect and then bidding the plans to builders can work well. Just know that with that route, the real price comes last. A third option, where a builder brings in one of its partner architects, sits somewhere in between.
Updated November 2026
We're Elk Ridge Custom Homes, a design-build firm in Colorado Springs, so we have an obvious side in this. But we also build from outside architects' plans, and we've seen both routes go well and go badly. Here's an honest look at each.
How the architect route works
This is the traditional way, sometimes called design-bid-build.
- You hire an architect, who designs the home with you over several months.
- The architect produces construction drawings.
- Those drawings go out to builders for bids.
- You pick a builder, sign a contract, and construction starts.
The strength of this route is that your architect works for you and only you. The weakness is timing. You don't get a real construction price until the design is finished and paid for. If the bids come in over budget, which happens often with custom homes, you're back at the drawing board, paying for a redesign and waiting through another round of bids.
How the builder-and-partner-architect route works
Some builders start the conversation themselves, then hand the design to an architect they work with often. You come to the builder first, the builder brings in the architect, and the two work together from the start.
It's a real middle ground. The builder is involved early, and an architect and builder who know each other's habits usually produce fewer budget surprises than plans bid out to strangers.
The questions to ask are about contracts and timing. Does the architect work for you or for the builder? Are the architect's fees separate from the builder's? And do you get a fixed price before the design is finished, or only after? Many of these builders charge a preconstruction fee, sometimes 1% to 2% of the construction budget, on top of the architect's design fee. The price is usually estimated in stages and firms up once the final drawings are done. That can work well. It just means two sets of fees and a firm number that comes near the end of design.
How design-build works
With design-build, one firm designs and builds the home. The people drawing the plans work alongside the people who price and build them, so cost is part of every design decision instead of a surprise at the end.
At Elk Ridge, that's a two-contract process. The first contract covers design and estimation: we design your home, engineer it, help you make every selection, and get real bids from our subcontractors. At the end, you have finished plans and a fixed price. Only then do you decide whether to sign the second contract and build.
Side by side
| Architect first, then builder | Builder with a partner architect | Design-build with Elk Ridge | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Who you hire | An architect, then a builder separately | A builder, who brings in an architect it works with | One firm for both |
| When you learn the real cost | After the plans are finished and bid | Estimated in stages, usually firm once final drawings are done | During design, with a fixed price at the end of it |
| Design cost | Often 5% to 15% of construction cost, or $75,000 to $225,000 on a $1.5 million build | The architect's fee, plus a builder preconstruction fee that can run 1% to 2% of the construction budget | $30,000 to $40,000 for design and estimation, including engineering, selections and subcontractor bids |
| If the price comes in over budget | Redesign and rebid, often at your cost | Redesign, usually with fewer surprises since the builder was involved early | Adjust the design together before you sign anything |
| Who's responsible when plans and budget don't match | Split between architect and builder | Usually split, though the two are used to working together | One team |
| Typical timeline | Longest, since design, bidding and construction happen one after another | Often shorter, since the builder is involved from the start | 2 to 3 months for design and estimation, then 8 to 12 months of construction |
One fair note on that design cost row: an architect's fee often includes visiting the job site during construction to check the builder's work, which our design phase doesn't need, because we're the builder. It's still a big difference, but it isn't a perfect apples-to-apples comparison.
When hiring an architect makes sense
The architect route is a good choice if:
- You already have an architect you trust, or one whose work you've loved for years.
- Your design is unusual enough to need a specialist, like a home built into a cliffside or a style few designers in Colorado work in.
- You want someone on your side of the table checking the builder's work during construction.
If that's you, we're still happy to talk. We prefer to design in-house, but we do build from outside architects' plans, and we work with architects and interior designers regularly. Bring us your drawings and we'll price them.
When design-build makes sense
Design-build tends to fit better if:
- You have a budget you need to hit, and you want to know the number before you're committed.
- You'd rather have one team responsible for the design, the price and the build.
- You want the people designing your home to know what every decision costs while it's still on paper.
Most of our clients land here. Not because an architect couldn't design them a beautiful house, but because they wanted to know it would come in at a number they were comfortable with.
How we do it at Elk Ridge
Every Elk Ridge home is designed from scratch by our in-house team, led by co-founder Phil Jung. Here's how the first phase works:
- Design and estimation takes about two to three months and typically costs $30,000 to $40,000, depending on the size of the home.
- We design the house, engineer it, and help you make every selection, down to the faucets.
- Our subcontractors bid the real plans, so the price is built from real numbers, not a per-square-foot guess.
- You get finished plans, a permit-ready package and a fixed price.
Then you decide. If the number works, we sign a build contract. If it doesn't, we adjust the design together, or you walk away with your plans. A few items that can't be priced exactly until we dig, mainly excavation and foundation, are set as allowances. Our cost guide explains how those work, our process page walks through every step, and our build standards show what's included in every home.
Comparing builders? Our guide to how to choose a custom home builder in Colorado Springs lists the questions to ask and the red flags to watch for.
Frequently asked questions
Is design-build cheaper than hiring an architect?
Usually, for a custom home. Architect fees often run 5% to 15% of construction cost, while our design and estimation phase typically costs $30,000 to $40,000. The bigger savings tend to come from avoiding a redesign when bids come in over budget.
What's the difference between design-build and a builder that brings in its own architect?
With design-build, one firm designs and builds under one team, and the price is part of the design work from the start. When a builder brings in a partner architect, you're usually working with two firms, often under two contracts. That can work well, but ask who the architect works for and when you'll get a fixed price.
Can I use my own architect with Elk Ridge?
Yes. We prefer to design in-house, but we're happy to build from your architect's plans or work alongside them.
What if I don't build with Elk Ridge after the design phase?
You keep the plans and everything we created together.
Who designs Elk Ridge homes?
Our in-house team, led by co-founder and architectural designer Phil Jung. Phil started out as a fine-finish craftsman, and he's been building custom homes in Colorado since 2003.
How long does design-build take?
About 12 to 14 months from the first design meeting to move-in: two to three months for design and estimation, then 8 to 12 months of construction.
Not sure which route is right for you?
A short call with Phil or Jason is the easiest place to start. Tell us what you're planning, and if you already have an architect, bring them along. We'll give you a straight answer on which route fits, even if it isn't ours. Reach out here or call us at 719-428-5140.
