Individual Consultants vs Design & Construct: Which Approach is Best?
When planning an industrial shed, commercial building, or warehouse project, there are two main approaches you can take:
- Hiring individual consultants like architects, engineers, and project managers, or
- Partnering with a design and construct (D&C) company that bundles multiple services into one package.
The choice often depends on whether you want to be hands-on or prefer a more streamlined, hands-off experience.
In this article, our Sales Lead, Aaron Barker, explores the pros and cons of these approaches to help you decide what’s best for your project.
CONTENTS
Quick Overview
Design and Construct (D&C) Companies
Choosing a D&C partner is ideal if you:
- Are time-poor.
- Have finances in order.
- Prefer handing off day-to-day project management to a trusted team.
D&C companies can wrap everything into one scope—engineering, design, project management, council approvals, fabrication, and construction—offering a turnkey solution.
Individual Consultants
Working with individual consultants is best suited for:
- Clients with prior building industry experience.
- Those who have time and energy to manage the project timeline and budget.
- Projects with flexible timelines.
Why Choose a Design and Construct Partner?
Turn key design and construct companies look after the end-to-end design, engineering, fabrication and construction of your structure. The scope of the project is laid out in detail with an all-inclusive cost.
Pros:
- One point of contact – you don’t have to manage architects, engineers, surveyors, council, and all the other consultants involved in the project.
- Having experts in-house encourages a seamless flow of information – important points don’t get missed among multiple consultants
- Easier to understand the overall cost when many aspects are presented as one turnkey package
- Plenty of opportunities for your D&C team to identify cost efficiencies throughout different stages of the project
- Council and building approvals are managed by people who are experienced with the way the approval process works
- An in-house design team means last-minute changes can be more easily accommodated
Cons:
- Less ability to hand-pick preferred suppliers or people you have worked with previously
- D&C companies usually follow a proven process so there is less opportunity for you to orchestrate the way the project is run or the order in which items are handled
- An efficient, compressed timeline may be more difficult to manage if you don’t have a healthy cash flow
Best for:
- Tme-poor clients who are comfortable handing off the day-to-day oversight of the project to a trusted team.
- Project builders looking for a design partner who can wrap multiple items together in one scope, such as engineering, design, project management, council approvals and fabrication.
“Taking on a commercial building project is a team effort. You’ll need to engage an architect or designer, structural engineer, project manager, planner, construction firm, and potentially other experts such as fire engineers, geotechnical engineers and others.”
- Aaron Barker, Steelcorp
Why Work with Individual Consultants?
For clients who prefer a bespoke approach and greater control over their industrial shed or warehouse project, working with individual consultants can be a good fit.
Pros
- Customised Team: Choose specific individuals or firms to work with.
- Flexible Timeline: Progress the project at your own pace.
- Spread Costs: Payments can be spaced out over a longer period.
- Project Management: Direct involvement ensures you stay in control.

Cons
- Coordination Challenges: Miscommunication between parties can lead to missed opportunities for efficiency.
- Time Demands: Managing multiple consultants can be overwhelming, especially if you have other commitments.
- Cost Overruns: A lack of holistic oversight can result in creeping expenses.
Best For:
- Experienced clients with prior involvement in similar projects.
- Clients with ample time to manage the process and keep the project on track.
Steelcorp: Your Trusted Design & Construct Partner
At Steelcorp, we specialise in delivering turnkey solutions for industrial steel buildings. As a leading commercial steel supplier, we provide:
- In-House Expertise: Our team handles design, structural engineering, fabrication, and approvals under one roof.
- Efficient Project Management: Strong back-office and on-site management to ensure smooth delivery.
- Cost-Effective Designs: We focus on ROI with fit-for-purpose designs that reduce material costs and environmental impact.
- Local Knowledge: While we’re not builders, we connect you with trusted local builders to bring your project to life.
We pride ourselves on being agile and adapting to suit individual client needs. Whether you’re planning a warehouse project or exploring steel construction services, we’re here to help.
Start the Conversation with Steelcorp
If you believe a design and construct partner is the way forward for your project, get in touch to start the discovery process.
Our team will spend time understanding your goals and provide advice on all aspects of your project, from helping you decide on design elements to uncovering any potential risks.
