Architect or Design-Build: What’s the Best Route for Your Custom Home?

Understanding Which Approach Fits Your Vision, Budget, and Timeline

When planning a custom home, one of the first big decisions is who will lead your project’s design and construction.

Should you hire an independent architect to create the plans and then bid those drawings to multiple builders?Or should you work with a design-build company that handles everything — from concept to completion — under one roof?

Both approaches can produce beautiful homes, but they offer very different experiences. At McElhinney Construction, we’ve worked in both models across Martha’s Vineyard and Cape Cod, and this guide will help you understand which path might be the best fit for your project.

The Traditional Architect-Builder Model

This is the route many homeowners know best.You start by hiring an architect to design your home — everything from layout and elevations to finishes and site planning. Once plans are complete, you solicit bids from multiple builders and select one to construct it.

Advantages:

• You get a highly customized, architect-driven design.

• Architects can help navigate zoning, permitting, and design boards.

• Competitive bidding can give you a range of price options.

Drawbacks:

• The architect and builder are separate, which can lead to gaps in communication or design details that don’t match real-world budgets.

• Design revisions often require re-drawing and re-pricing, which adds time and cost.

• The builder joins the process late — sometimes after months of design — which means construction feedback comes too late to influence the budget efficiently.

The architect-builder route works best for clients with complex design goals, flexible timelines, or who already have a trusted architect relationship.

The Design-Build Approach

Design-build brings the designer, builder, and client together as a single, collaborative team from the start.Instead of hiring an architect and later finding a builder, you work with one company that manages both sides of the process.

At McElhinney Construction, our design-build approach pairs you with architectural designers and engineers early, ensuring every design choice aligns with construction realities.

Advantages:

• Single point of accountability: One team handles design, permitting, and construction.

• Budget transparency: Costs are discussed alongside design decisions, reducing unexpected overages.

• Speed and efficiency: Streamlined coordination often shortens total project time by several months.

• Collaborative process: You get creative input from both designer and builder simultaneously.

Potential Considerations:

• Fewer competitive bids, since design-build firms handle the entire scope.

• The design aesthetic depends on the firm’s in-house or partnered design team, so choosing a company whose style fits your taste is key.

Design-build is ideal for clients who want clarity, efficiency, and a seamless process — especially on projects where time and coordination matter as much as design.

Which Route Is Right for You?

Here’s a simple way to decide:

• Choose an Architect if your project is highly artistic, complex, or if you’ve already built a relationship with a specific designer.

• Choose Design-Build if you want a streamlined process, guaranteed communication, and early cost control.

For most Massachusetts homeowners — especially those building coastal or custom homes on Martha’s Vineyard or Cape Cod — the design-build model provides the best balance of creativity, efficiency, and budget management.

Our Approach at McElhinney Construction

We collaborate closely with architects across the region, but we also offer complete design-build services for clients who prefer a single-team experience.

Our process includes:

• Early-stage site evaluation and feasibility planning

• Concept design and budgeting

• Engineering and permitting coordination

• Full general contracting and project management

• Detailed craftsmanship and finish carpentry from our in-house team

Whether you come to us with an architect’s plans or just a vision, our goal is the same — to deliver a beautiful, well-built home with no surprises.

Start Your Custom Home Conversation

Not sure which approach is right for your project?Our team can walk you through both options, compare timelines, and help you choose what fits your goals best.

Let’s build a home that reflects your vision — the right way, from the start.

Start the Design Build now