Pre-Construction Planning: What to Expect

You put your steaming coffee cup down on your new cocobolo desk and turn to look through the large glass window to the right: it has a great view of the production floor. Then you blink — realizing that you haven’t even picked a building site for your dream office. You haven’t even contacted a builder!

Construction takes time, just like building a business. Just like building your career. A well-planned project also proceeds in phases, and, like any other journey, begins with a first step.

Construction can be overwhelming and confusing, and we’re here to help. We’re Commerce Construction, and we’re bringing you a bi-monthly look into the construction industry.

We hope to clear up the confusing world of construction and help you navigate your next project with ease.

This time, we’re going to start at the beginning as we discuss what you can expect during the first phase of a construction project: pre-construction planning.

You cannot contact a builder “too soon” in the building process. In fact, working with a competent builder before you even select a site creates a highly optimized project with few surprises.

We work with two types of projects before construction, also known as pre-construction or “pre-con.” Negotiated projects and bid projects both use extensive pre-construction phases, but bid projects bring in a general contractor after the plans are complete.

We find that bid projects constrain the client more, limiting their input and creating a less efficient and cost-effective construction process. They face unforeseen issues that always seem to slow bid projects down.

Today we’ll focus on pre-construction planning for negotiated contracts. Our clients find satisfying success with this method — about 70% of all our projects are negotiated!

What is Pre-Construction Planning and How Long Does it Take?

Think about the saying “if you fail to plan, you plan to fail.” A negotiated contract puts you in contact with a builder early, often before you’ve even chosen a site. During this planning phase, you join us in developing the full scope of your project.

This won’t just be a quick set of blueprints!?This is when you find out if your project can meet the necessary regulations and building codes and if your project will work within your schedule and budget.

Anticipation is high at this point. Clients are ready to get shovels in the dirt and they want to know, “How long will it take? Can’t we get started now?” Pre-construction can take as little as two weeks but generally takes about 12 weeks.

Don’t throw your hands in the air! We’re going to tell you why it takes so long and show you the value of patience at this critical stage. Follow us on this journey down the Steps of Pre-Construction Planning.

The Pre-Construction Process: What to Expect

Our team starts with a site review. If you haven’t chosen a construction site, we can help you find an ideal location. Reviewing the site also helps establish any early building challenges, and this is when a negotiated contract already makes itself useful!

?A bid/build project may miss these issues because two different teams work on two different phases: there will always be some differences.

With Commerce Construction, the same team of professionals that will build your final project will also assist in the site review. This will help us establish an early, reliable budget and timeline for your project.

Next, we’ll use our expert opinions and historical data from past, similar projects in conjunction with any subcontractor’s data we gather to develop an accurate project budget. As they’ll be assisting in the construction phase, your team conducts real-time cost reviews to lessen any surprise costs later.

This is when it gets juicy and we dig deep into your entire project plans. From the electrical outlets in the bathroom on the third floor to the water drainage pipe in the parking lot: we leave no stone unturned and review everything for accuracy and to predict future issues or risks.

This is called a Constructability Study, and you’re hopefully starting to see exactly why involving your builder early is not only easier on you, but can save you money!

From here, your team will thoroughly "value engineer" your project. We’ll use our extensive knowledge of available materials and building systems to combine products into the most energy-efficient, durable, weathertight, and cleanly-designed building you can find in today’s industry — ultimate building optimization.

Finally, we can bid out all phases of the project. For true value, we even provide competitive bids for services we self-perform to assure the best value for the project. We’ll allow all qualified subcontractors to bid including the ones you specifically request.

All the bids will be organized and made available for you to view. Then the project will be finalized. Remember, all of this happened in about 12 weeks — just 3 months!

Enjoy Fewer Surprises During Construction

Pre-construction planning limits headaches during construction. It also saves you time and money when change orders inevitably arise, especially because we’ve designed your building from the first beam and know your project innately.

Many clients initially hesitate when they are told how long it can take to get started, and after they receive their keys they admit to being entirely supportive of the system! The undeniably efficient flow of a negotiated construction project makes a lasting impression.

By taking the time to carefully plan and prepare, construction teams can ensure that the project stays on track, stays within budget, and is completed on time.

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