5 Steps to Successful Commercial Building Construction

By RYAN FLICK

The multitude of tasks that go into the commercial building process may appear overwhelming to new project managers, but they are fairly simple to accomplish when approached step-by-step.

Here’s an outline of the basic steps for every commercial building construction process.  There are five stages between planning to post-construction.

1) Planning
Of all the stages of building construction, this is the most important. Choosing a building site location can be effortless or be a royal pain.  Once a location is chosen and a budget is agreed upon, introduce your architect and your general contractor as soon as possible; better yet, hire a company that specializes in design-build commercial building construction services to streamline the process.

2) Design
Schematic designs should include information about materials, textures, sizes and colors. Once the general size and function of the rooms have been decided, your team will need to consider the building’s orientation in relation to utility connections and development covenants to ensure that the project is feasible. Finally, create contract documents to establish a project timeline and set the costs of each phase of construction.

3) Pre-construction
The owner gives the contractor a notice to proceed and the materials list is sent out to vendors and commercial subcontractors for quotes. All building permits and insurance requirements should be obtained. Undertake a site investigation to make sure there are no unexpected complications such as environmental hazards, and test the soil to make sure it is well suited for construction.

4) Procurement
All materials, equipment and labor needed for the project are purchased by the general contractor or various subcontractors. Purchase orders should be drawn up to confirm that the products meet project specifications for the determined price.

5) Commercial Building Construction and Post-construction
Each aspect of the project including the foundation, plumbing and electrical wiring must pass inspection upon completion. Conduct a project punch-out near the end of construction to identify minor issues such as cracked tiles, and make final repairs before bringing in furnishings and equipment. Once all requirements have been met, the project architect finally issues a certificate of substantial completion so that the building official can perform a final inspection.

The key to smooth construction is choosing the right general contractor from the start.

Ryan Flick is president of CBF Contracting, Inc.