As the owner of a property, you may need commercial renovation services building for a host of reasons.
These may include optimizing the use of space, expanding your present property, launching a new business venture, making cosmetic improvements to give it a new look, enabling better efficiency and sustainability, making it compliant with building regulations, or simply going for rebranding.
Commercial renovation services are a trade term that incorporates updating, change of use, gutting and repurposing the space to joining multiple spaces.
Irrespective of the reasons to undertake the renovation services, the process can be simply overwhelming, especially if you are doing it for the first time.
However, with the help of Houston commercial contractors, you can transform your vision into reality.
By implementing commercial renovation services to your existing infrastructure, you can take a big step towards expanding your company and improving the value your offer to the employees, end customers or other stakeholders.
It may be the case that your building property needs a simple facelift or something more in-depth, say an interior refurbishment or an external makeover, or both. And to get a fresh perspective on the whole process you may get in touch with the leading Houston commercial contractors to discuss your options.
Importantly, the first thought that may cross your mind is whether the building property needs to be shut down during the process of refurbishment or not.
Well, it depends. If the changes to be made are substantially comprehensive in nature and require the complete dismantling of egress paths, then the building may have to be closed down, either for the entire period of remodeling or only for a limited period.
However, in many cases, the business does not stop as the people hired for the required commercial renovation work in shifts – before or after customers/employees enter, during weekends when the business is closed, or behind curtains while the business goes not as usual.
In some cases, the business operations can be moved elsewhere temporarily to keep it running/operational while the refurbishment process is conducted safely and without interruption.
In most cases commercial renovation services can be executed in staged phases while the business continues to operate. This means moving the people and equipment from the operational area that is impacted to other areas not impacted and then moving the operations back into the renovated area and moving the construction to the next phased area for renovation.
You may read our blog to know how to plan the commercial remodeling process.
Key steps for Commercial Renovation Services
Even though each commercial renovation project is different, there are some key steps that you need to undertake alongside the commercial builders you hire.
Project initiation:
At the outset, define the goals for the commercial renovation services. In other words, make a list of the things you want to be completed during the process of renovating.
Check the building’s occupancy certificate to understand the purpose for which the property space is allowed to use. Also, take into consideration any future requirements that may have to be incorporated and design the plan accordingly.
There is no point in spending a fortune on commercial renovations only to redo certain areas in a few months or years down the line.
So, should you want to renovate the property to run a different kind of business, say a cafe instead of a retail store, you have to change the occupancy certificate and redesign a new space that accommodates your needs.
Besides, you have to check the local deed restrictions and city regulations to ensure the property does not violate any provision.
These need to be addressed at the beginning to prevent any nasty surprises later. If you want to know more about construction, you may access our commercial construction resources.
Prepare a design:
Once you are assured of the feasibility of the renovation project, contact an architect or designer to prepare construction documents for bidding and permits.
Finalize the building plan and required construction documents and reach out to Houston commercial contractors for quotes.
The experts for commercial contracting may offer different quotes depending on the materials and products they intend to use.
Hence, it is a good idea to explore your options before settling for one.
Construction Delivery Methods:
There are two acceptable methods of design and construction delivery in commercial renovation services.
The traditional method to design and build is called “design to bid”. This method is where the property owner hires an independent design firm to prepare the construction documents.
These documents are then shared with a small vetted group of general contractors to prepare a formal proposal.
The second method of design and construction delivery is called “design to build”. This delivery method consists of the selection of commercial remodeling contractors to design and build the project.
The commercial builder facilitates the design of the required renovations to a targeted construction budget and the specifications of the owner.
Once the construction documents are complete the general contractor prepares the renovation construction cost.
The owner and the design build remodeler then sign a construction agreement and the builder pulls the permits and executes the commercial renovation specified by the documents.
Obtain permits:
The construction documents are submitted to the city for approval and issuance of the building permit.
While making improvements to your property you will be required to follow certain renovation rules applicable to your area like inspection compliance, separate permits for each trade discipline and obtaining a certificate of occupancy.
So, before any work begins, ensure the necessary permits and insurance requirements have been obtained to protect all parties and the project interest.
Usually, the commercial contractor you hire will get the permits or you may have to contact the concerned person at the local government office.
Also, based on the scale or nature of the renovation, you may have to carry out an environmental impact study or a survey on hazardous materials, such as asbestos and lead inspections.
Procurement:
One of the construction management tasks of any project is to ensure the materials, equipment, and labor needed for your commercial renovation services has been arranged and scheduled to be available at the specified time.
This also includes preparing purchase orders to confirm the materials and products meet the project specifications and are within the construction budget.
The general contractor also is required to soliciting bids from subcontractors and administrating the required insurance certificates needed to mitigate construction risk for the project.
It is also necessary to facilitate accounts payable cash flow requirements and manage lien release requirements to protect the property in the interest of the owner.
Demolition:
During commercial renovation most properties (or in its entirety) may need to be demolished to make space for expansion or add something new such as a new phalanx, hallway, room, etc.
This process is very labor-intensive and may require the commercial construction company to shut off the building’s power or water supply.
Also, during demolition, the air quality in and around the premises can be affected due to the dust particles generated from the debris.
Make sure to follow safety procedures as mentioned below to keep your employees and everyone involved in the construction process protected.
- Conduct a survey to evaluate the condition of the structure to be demolished
- Secure all utilities nearby – power, water, gas, etc.
- Prepare a prevention and evacuation plan
- Keep a first aid kit and on-hand medical emergency services
- Wear masks to prevent the inhalation of dust particles
Construction process:
Once everything is in place as mentioned above, the general contractor will commence construction.
During the preconstruction planning the general contractor will have discussed the details of whether the owner needs to keep your business closed or running during the renovation process as discussed in the above sections.
While the construction process is underway, the commercial renovator will usually have progress meetings and discuss the details on the work frequently to ensure the project is running on schedule and the outcome meets your expectations.
You may view our video on the role of a commercial contractor in construction.
Go green for sustainability:
A large property consumes a lot of resources in terms of power and water. To ensure sustainability and reduce the carbon footprint, you can use environment-friendly equipment.
These may include solar panels for generating power or central heating to reduce the building’s carbon footprint.
Make sure the design of renovation allows the maximum amount of sunlight into the building thereby reducing the consumption of electricity, especially during the day.
Going green does not just mean reducing energy consumption, but rather recycling biodegradable demo debris and building with sustainable materials that are not likely to need as frequent replacement as common building products.
Post construction inspection:
After the completion of each phase of construction there should be an inspection by state certified engineer or building code officials for verification of compliance.
The phases may include foundation, electrical wiring, plumbing, roofing, flooring, etc. If an inspector flags any issue during an inspection, make sure the contractor fixes the same promptly and has reinspected.
It is only after the finished renovation work passes inspection that you can expect a new occupancy certificate. Thereafter, you are free to operate your business in the renovated property.
In addition, you can expect the need for adjustments after the CO is issued for such items as balancing air flow of HVAC, doors and hardware and any wireless operating equipment and communications periodicals.
Conclusion
The key to any successful commercial renovation project is selecting the right contractor from a host of properly qualified and accredited Houston commercial contractors.
And an experienced professional contractor at that can relieve you of the stress of completing the project within time and budget.
Further, you may read the blog to know more about the commercial constructing process.
