Design Brief Template

Aman Rai

Sep 29

6 min read

Everything your contractor needs before preparing a quotation - with a practical, fillable-by-hand framework for scope, quality, approvals, programme and commercial assumptions.

READING TIME	BEST FOR
8-10 minutes + template	Owners, tenants, project managers and designers preparing to request quotations

Practical guidance for better-planned projects in Dubai.

Published by GNC Design & Build

Structured design-build execution for residential and commercial projects.

At a glance

A contractor can only price the information issued - silence becomes an assumption. • Define outcomes, room-by-room scope, quality benchmarks and interfaces.
State who owns design, approvals, supply, access and close-out.
Issue one controlled brief and record answers to bidder questions for everyone.

EDITORIAL NOTE This guide is educational, not a permit decision, legal opinion or fixed-price quotation. Requirements, fees and review times can change. Confirm the current pathway with the relevant authority, master developer and community manager before mobilising.

Contents

01 Why the brief matters

02 The information pack

03 How to write performance requirements

04 The quotation brief template

05 Bid-return schedule

06 Common briefing mistakes

07 Final issue checklist

1. Why a design brief changes the quality of a quotation

A contractor's quotation is not a discovery tool. It is a response to the information provided. If the brief says 'renovate villa to high standard', bidders must invent what high standard means. One may allow for full MEP replacement; another may retain everything. One may include approvals; another may exclude them. The totals look comparable but are not.

A useful brief does not need to solve every detail. It must identify the decisions already made, the decisions still open and the method for pricing uncertainty.

GNC INSIGHT The brief is successful when two independent bidders interpret the project in broadly the same way. Consistency is what makes comparison possible.

2. The minimum information pack

Property identity: address, community, plot/unit, building type, occupancy and jurisdiction if known. • Ownership/tenancy documents and developer or landlord requirements relevant to access and NOCs. • Measured survey and a clear record of the existing condition.
Existing approved drawings, completion records and previous modification approvals where available. • Proposed plans, elevations, sections, schedules and design narrative at the intended pricing stage. • Room-by-room scope and explicit exclusions.
Finish, fixture, equipment and appliance information with responsibility for supply.
Target programme, access constraints and whether the property remains occupied.
Required testing, warranties, as-builts, manuals, training and completion deliverables.

3. Write requirements that can be priced

Replace adjectives with evidence

TOO VAGUE	MORE PRICEABLE
Premium paint	Specified manufacturer/system, preparation level, colour count and sheen; approved equal identified.
New kitchen	Plans, elevations, carcass/door material, hardware level, worktop, appliance list and service interfaces.
Upgrade AC	Required room conditions, retained/replaced equipment, controls, testing and balancing scope.
Renovate bathroom	Waterproofing system, tile extent, sanitary schedule, drainage changes, accessories and test requirements.
Complete approvals	Named application pathway, design responsibility, statutory fees, deposits, inspections and close-out allocation.

Where the product is not selected, define a performance level and allowance. State whether the allowance covers supply only or supply, delivery, installation, accessories, waste and tax. This prevents a realistic product cost from becoming an unrealistic installed allowance.

4. Contractor quotation brief - copy and complete

A. Project identity

FIELD	CLIENT INPUT
Project / property	________________________________________________
Location / community	________________________________________________
Owner or tenant	________________________________________________
Property type / approximate area	________________________________________________
Occupied during works?	Yes / No / Partly - details: _______________________
Target completion / hard dates	________________________________________________

B. Project outcomes

In three to five sentences, describe what success means. Include functional priorities, rooms affected, quality level, items to retain and constraints that must not be compromised.

OUTCOME	NOTES
Functional	________________________________________________
Aesthetic	________________________________________________
Budget / value priorities	________________________________________________
Programme priorities	________________________________________________
Sustainability / efficiency	________________________________________________

C. Room-by-room scope

SPACE	DEMOLISH / RETAIN	NEW WORK / FINISH	MEP / EQUIPMENT
Kitchen	________________	________________	________________
Living / dining	________________	________________	________________
Bedrooms	________________	________________	________________
Bathrooms	________________	________________	________________
External / landscape	________________	________________	________________

D. Design and approvals responsibility

ITEM	CLIENT	CONSULTANT	CONTRACTOR	ALLOWANCE / NOTE
Measured survey	[ ]	[ ]	[ ]	____________
Detailed design	[ ]	[ ]	[ ]	____________
Structural design	[ ]	[ ]	[ ]	____________
MEP / fire design	[ ]	[ ]	[ ]	____________
Developer / landlord NOC	[ ]	[ ]	[ ]	____________
Authority submissions	[ ]	[ ]	[ ]	____________
Fees and deposits	[ ]	[ ]	[ ]	____________
Completion close-out	[ ]	[ ]	[ ]	____________

E. Products and procurement

Client-supplied items, required on-site dates, and who checks dimensions.
Named products and acceptable-equal procedure.
Sample and mock-up requirements before bulk purchase.
Long-lead items and the date selections must be frozen.
Storage, insurance, delivery access and responsibility for damage.

F. Site and logistics

QUESTION	ANSWER
Permitted working hours / noisy periods	________________________________________
Worker and delivery access route	________________________________________
Parking / loading / lift booking	________________________________________
Protection requirements	________________________________________
Waste route and disposal rules	________________________________________
Temporary water, power and sanitation	________________________________________
Neighbour / community notifications	________________________________________

G. Commercial requirements

• Quotation validity and proposed start date.

• Detailed inclusions, exclusions and assumptions.

• Provisional sums and prime-cost items separately identified.

• Payment milestones tied to measurable progress.

• Variation pricing method and approval workflow.

• Insurance, warranty and defects-correction terms.

• Tax treatment and any bonds, retentions or deposits.

5. Bid-return schedule

Require every bidder to return the same headings. This turns four different sales documents into a usable comparison.

RETURN ITEM	REQUIRED RESPONSE
Executive summary	Delivery approach and key qualifications
Scope price	Trade-by-trade or work-package breakdown
Allowances	Every provisional sum and prime-cost item
Exclusions	Specific, complete and cross-referenced
Programme	Design, approvals, procurement, construction and close-out
Team	Named project lead and proposed supervision
Technical queries	Numbered request for information, not silent assumptions
Alternatives	Separately priced value-engineering options
Compliance	Signed acknowledgement of issued documents and addenda

TENDER DISCIPLINE

Answer material bidder questions through one shared clarification notice. Otherwise, each bidder prices a different explanation and comparability is lost.

6. Common briefing mistakes

Issuing inspiration images without dimensions, materials or performance criteria. • Leaving demolition boundaries and retained items undefined.
Assuming 'turnkey' automatically includes design, approvals, loose furniture and every fee.
Naming a budget but not saying whether it includes tax, professional fees, appliances and contingency.
Requesting a fixed completion date before the approval and long-lead path is tested.
Changing the brief during tender without issuing the change to every bidder.

7. Final issue checklist

Every file has a title, revision and issue date.
The drawing list matches the actual attachments.
Room names are consistent across plans, schedules and scope.
Client-supplied and contractor-supplied items are explicit.
Known authority and community constraints are stated without pretending the route is confirmed when it is not.
Bidders have a deadline for questions and a separate return deadline.
The evaluation will compare scope, programme, team and risk - not price alone.

Tender notes

DATE / REF	DECISION, CLARIFICATION OR FOLLOW-UP
____________	____________________________________________________________
____________	____________________________________________________________
____________	____________________________________________________________
____________	____________________________________________________________
____________	____________________________________________________________

Frequently asked questions

Can a contractor quote from concept drawings?

Yes, but the result should normally be treated as an early estimate with stated assumptions and allowances. A dependable fixed price requires enough coordinated detail to define quantities, quality and interfaces.

Should I tell contractors my budget?

A realistic budget can prevent wasted design effort, but explain what it includes. State whether it covers tax, approvals, professional fees, appliances, loose furniture, contingency and temporary accommodation.

What is the difference between a provisional sum and a prime-cost item? Terminology can vary by contract. In practice, a prime-cost allowance often relates to a not-yet-selected item, while a provisional sum covers work not fully defined. Define each term and adjustment method in your contract.

How many contractors should I invite?

Enough to create a meaningful comparison, but not so many that the process becomes superficial. The quality and alignment of the information matter more than collecting a large number of unqualified totals.

Can I use this template for commercial fit-out?

Yes. Add lease obligations, landlord design criteria, fire and life-safety requirements, trade-license/use constraints, opening date, IT/security, signage, commissioning and operational approvals.