Commercial construction projects typically progress very differently than residential projects. There are more people involved, the scale is usually larger and the design may be more unique. Another key difference is that the business still has to carry on with its regular duties while also overseeing the building of the new structure. For this reason there can be many stumbling blocks that may not be anticipated by a company that hasn’t been through the process before. This article will go over some top tips for building wisely on commercial construction projects.
Involve Your Bank Early
The earlier you get your bank involved, the better. They will typically have more experience with commercial construction than most and will be able to help you when it comes to sourcing contractors, paying the right prices and providing smart advice. You’ll likely need to involve them at some point, so you might as well do it right from the beginning.
Get Your Permits
You won’t be able to build until all your permits are acquired, so this should be one of your first steps. Going through the permitting process will also give you an overview of the entire project which will be helpful when it comes time to start executing the plans. You may learn about laws or regulations that you hadn’t thought of before. It’s good to receive this knowledge at the beginning rather than mid-project.
Hire A Trustworthy Architect
Unless you’re actually an architecture company, you’ll want to hire someone with knowledge and experience in the field. Even if you think you might save money by skipping this step and doing it yourself, you’ll probably end up paying more because of your inexperience. A good architectural team could even end up helping with your operational efficiency once everything is up and running.
Hire A Good Contractor
Finding a contractor that’s experienced, financially secure and easy to work with will make the process run that much more smoothly. The last thing you need is for the primary operator to make costly mistakes, go out of business or drive you crazy during what can already be a stressful process. Get references, guaranteed quotes and see some of their previous work. Consider asking your bank or your architect for opinions as they’ve probably already dealt with many contractors, both good and bad.
