Design-build general contractor · Osseo, MN
Your own building in the north metro, from bare lot to certificate of occupancy.
Granite Building designs and builds clinics, childcare centers, church additions, contractor shops and offices for the owners who will work in them. One contract covers design, permits, construction and closeout, and the price is capped before construction starts.
- $6,500
- Fixed fee for a feasibility study on your site
- GMP
- Guaranteed maximum price set before ground breaks
- 5%
- Design-build fee on the cost of the work
- 50/50
- Split of any savings under the GMP
How a Granite project runs
Six stages, each with a deliverable you can hand to your lender, board or partners. You can stop after any of the first three and keep everything we produced.
- 01
Site & program review
We walk the lot or building you are considering, pull zoning, utilities, easements and setbacks, and write down how many rooms, bays or seats you actually need.
Deliverable: Program sheet and a site constraints memo
Typical duration: 1–2 weeks
- 02
Concept design & budget
Our architect and engineers sketch two or three layouts. We price each one from current subcontractor numbers, not square-foot guesses.
Deliverable: Concept plans and a conceptual estimate with ranges
Typical duration: 3–5 weeks
- 03
Design development & GMP
Structure, MEP systems and finishes get chosen. Value engineering happens here, while changes still cost paper instead of concrete.
Deliverable: Guaranteed maximum price with schedule of values and contingency
Typical duration: 6–10 weeks
- 04
Permits & buyout
We submit for building permits under the 2020 Minnesota State Building Code and 2024 Commercial Energy Code, and sign subcontracts with licensed electrical, plumbing and HVAC trades.
Deliverable: Issued permits, signed subcontracts, baseline schedule
Typical duration: 4–8 weeks
- 05
Construction
A superintendent runs the site daily. You get a weekly owner-architect-contractor meeting and a monthly pay application your lender can read.
Deliverable: Weekly reports, AIA G702/G703 pay apps with lien waivers
Typical duration: 6–12 months
- 06
Closeout & warranty
Punch list, inspections and the certificate of occupancy, then commissioning of building systems and training for your staff.
Deliverable: Certificate of occupancy, O&M manuals, as-builts, warranty binder
Typical duration: 30–60 days
What sits inside one contract
Granite is the single party responsible for the building. Licensed specialty trades work under our subcontracts, so you never chase five companies for one answer.
Service detailsGranite manages directly
- Site due diligence, zoning and utility research
- Architect and engineer agreements under our contract
- Estimating, value engineering and the GMP
- Permit submittals and inspections
- Site supervision, safety and schedule
- Pre-engineered metal building shells
- Closeout documents and warranty service
Licensed trades under our subcontracts
- Electrical, by Minnesota-licensed electrical contractors
- Plumbing and medical gas, by licensed plumbing contractors
- HVAC and gas piping, by bonded mechanical contractors
- Excavation, foundations and site concrete
- Roofing, framing, drywall and finishes
- Fire sprinklers and fire alarm
Commitments you can check on paper
- Open GMP ledger. Every line of the schedule of values shows budget, committed and billed. Contingency use is reported monthly.
- Lender-ready pay applications. Monthly AIA G702/G703 with subcontractor pay apps, supplier invoices and lien waivers attached.
- Weekly OAC meeting. Owner, architect and contractor review schedule, RFIs, submittals and open decisions every week, with written minutes.
- Insurance and bonding documents. A project certificate of insurance and, when required, a bonding letter are provided with the GMP proposal.
- One-year workmanship warranty. Plus an 11-month warranty walk with your facility lead before the period ends.
- Overview
- Budget
- Schedule
- Documents
Budget vs. GMP
Pay app #4
- GMP
- $2.84M
- Billed to date
- $1.12M
- 39.4%
- Contingency left
- $61,400
- 72% unused
Schedule of values
| Division | Budget | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Concrete & foundations Div 03 | $214,000 | Bought out |
| Structural steel Div 05 | $188,500 | Over 2% |
| Plumbing & med gas Div 22 | $246,000 | Bought out |
| HVAC Div 23 | $312,000 | Bidding |
Questions owners ask first
Why design-build instead of hiring an architect and bidding it out?
With design-bid-build, you only learn the real price after the drawings are finished. In design-build, we price the design while it is still changing, so the building is shaped to your budget instead of redesigned after bids come in high. You also have one contract and one party responsible for the result.
When do I get a fixed number?
At the end of design development, usually 10 to 17 weeks in. The GMP is the most you will pay for the defined scope. If final costs come in under it, the savings are split 50/50 between you and Granite.
Material prices keep rising. How does that affect my GMP?
Construction input prices were up 8.9% year over year as of August 2026. We re-confirm any subcontractor or supplier quote older than 60 days before the GMP is signed, and we buy out long-lead items such as steel and electrical gear early.
Do I need to own land before we talk?
No. Many owners start with a feasibility study on one or two candidate sites before purchase. We check zoning, utilities, soils and setbacks so you know what fits before you commit.
What will my lender need from you?
Typically a signed contract, the GMP with schedule of values, a construction schedule, a certificate of insurance and monthly pay applications with lien waivers. We prepare all of these as standard.
Where do you build?
The north and northwest Twin Cities metro across Hennepin, Anoka, Wright and Sherburne counties, including Osseo, Maple Grove, Brooklyn Park, Champlin, Rogers, Elk River and Coon Rapids.