Commercial Builders Offering Commercial Construction in Houston
The most important person for a commercial construction project hands down is the commercial builder. Commercial builders provide leadership and organization to the execution of the project. They are both head coach and quarterback of all construction activity.
Any commercial construction project is always an elaborate affair with many stakeholders in the fray. And managing the entire exercise seamlessly and in a time-bound manner requires the participation of experienced professionals offering commercial construction services.
This is due to the fact that these individuals are well versed in the construction process and have an elaborate network of subcontractors and other stakeholders.
He or she is the pivot around which supportive professionals belonging to multiple trade disciplines operate in a coordinated way.
It is a no-brainer that the scale at which typical commercial construction projects are planned and executed can go kaput from the word go unless they are helmed by experts who have earned their spurs in commercial general contracting.
This blog delves into the functioning of commercial builders and how they can add value to the whole construction process. Additionally, you may read our builders resources on various aspects of commercial construction.
What is the role of a commercial builder?
The role and responsivities of commercial builders in Houston discussed
Houston commercial builders manage the entire construction project, right from the preconstruction stage to installing the foundation through the final finishes of the project, within the constraints of time, budget and specifications.
Commercial construction companies come in many sizes, number of employees and preferred type of projects. Regardless of the size of the commercial construction company, there are many common characteristic, responsibilities and cultural traits that need to be evaluated. The following are the relevant various responsibilities performed by the commercial builder;
- Advisory & Consultation Services
- Design & Construction Document Services
- Project Management & Construction Management Services
Advisory and consultation services:
The commercial builder can offer suitable advisory and consultation on the feasibility of the project and the various aspects to consider during the planning stage.
The commercial builders can give recommendations on whether the construction site needs drainage retention, environmental studies or what type of building structure shell the project should be constructed of to meet a specific budget.
In the design-build construction model, the commercial general contractor will contract directly with the project owner to facilitate the building design and engineering to develop the construction documents.
The commercial builder will attend briefings with the designer and project owner and give suggestions on the type of features to install, materials to be used, quality specifications to uphold, and generally guide the constructability of the project, among others.
The commercial builders Houston provides project leadership and guidance to the owner, design team and stakeholders about the project document development, including plan review, submission for permits to the local building authority.
Since he or she is likely to speak from experience and domain knowledge, the advisory should be heeded provided it is in consonance with your construction objectives.
Design and construction document services:
Design work does not specifically fall within the domain of the commercial contracting process, especially in the traditional design to bid delivery model.
However, in the design to build model, the commercial general contractors work with professional designers or architects and help in assuring the constructability of the structure.
They offer value engineering solutions to optimize costs, especially when it comes to complex structural designs. Designing also involves setting up specifications for products and materials wherein the general contractor can suggest the location and vendor to procure from. To dive deep into the commercial construction architectural design process, visit here.
Post completion of the design phase, the contractor prepares a proposal from estimating from material take-offs and subcontractors’ bids. The design plan and material requirements are in the construction design and engineering documents to be used for construction purposes.
The construction documents will contain pre-construction soil reports, drainage plans, structural engineering, engineering for MEP disciplines, fire suppression system if required and schedule of values for the labor, equipment, and material cost.
You may view our video on the questions that a project owner should ask a commercial builder before hiring him or her for the construction project.
Project management tasks and construction management services:
Commercial builders Houston is primarily engaged in ensuring the project is organized and executed smoothly as per the timelines, budget, and quality specifications.
They oversee the entire construction activity, including procuring necessary materials from vendors or suppliers, obtaining permits, and arranging the supply of labor and equipment in time.
They determine if the job site overhead is within thresholds and do not lead to cost escalation. Often the project would require selecting, scheduling, and managing multiple subcontractors from various trades.
In most cases, experienced Houston commercial builders have a good network of subcontractors with different specializations. They know whom to hire for a particular job and whether that person can complete the job to the exact quality specifications.
Their ability to manage different subcontractors till the completion of work takes away a huge load off the shoulders of a project owner. Besides, they ensure the project gets the best quality materials and workmanship at the best price.
Imagine having to manage everything and everyone, and without having the requisite experience and expertise. It is like courting disaster from the word go.
So, if you want to know more about the commercial builder, their types, and the ways to select the best of them, read our blog.
Further, Houston commercial contractors engaged in a commercial construction project are skilled at addressing sundry issues that may arise during construction without disrupting the project timeline and budget.
As part of project management, the commercial contractors supervise the project and evaluate the work of various stakeholders to ensure they meet the highest standards of quality and project objectives.
Financial management forms an integral and critical part of the contractor’s job. It deals with managing the construction budget, accounts payable, and cash flow thereby measuring the health of the project.
Let us understand these aspects in the below-mentioned commercial builder responsibilities;
- Budgeting
- Cash Flow Management
- Accounts Payable
- Bank Draws
- Construction Management
- Scheduling
- Code Compliance
- Quality Control
- Supervision
Budgeting: Financial management involves the setting up of itemized costs for every construction activity. The budget is a bi-product of the formal cost proposal used to bid the project.
These same cost items then serve as a standard for the measurement of cost control throughout the project. Budgeting, therefore, helps measure the success of the project in financial terms.
Cash flow management: Cash flow can be considered to be the lifeblood of any construction project and managing it is a critical responsibility for any commercial builder.
The cash flow should equal or exceed the amount towards payable expenses for the project to continue unhindered. However, should there be issues with cash flow, the project can start to experience hiccups in the form of labor and material shortages.
Accounts payable: This relates to the management of procuring labor and materials and their terms and includes product deposits, progress payments, and payments for completed work. Subcontractor and vendor progress payments are paid from the progress payments made by the owner’s lender.
Bank draws: This deals with the revenue side of cash flow, and is received from the bank provided the project is financed by it or from the owner. The progress payment is developed through a percentage of completion method on larger projects or based upon progress schedule milestones.
Construction management requires the contractor to have skills such as scheduling, code compliance knowledge, and quality control. Let us understand them in some detail:
Scheduling: This relates to the logistical planning of labor, materials, and equipment. Scheduling is not limited to the pre-construction phase alone but is considered when there are changes in the construction execution phase.
For instance, if a particular subcontractor falls behind their work schedule midway or faces material availability issues, the commercial contractor needs to reschedule the tasks or arrange another one to let he project continue. Construction scheduling is a dynamic event that is always in flux.
Code Compliance: Every construction project needs to be evaluated by an external agency to ensure everything complies with the established procedures and standards. It involves a physical inspection of the property under construction and verifies if specific trade disciplines meet building codes and specifications.
It is ultimately the responsibility of the commercial builder to arrange for such inspections during various stages of the construction process and after completion as well.
Quality control: This relates to the process of ensuring whether the workmanship and products adhere to the quality specifications as mentioned in the plan. This is done either by physical inspection or testing. When it comes to material testing like ready-mix concrete, test samples are taken on site and the performance standards are evaluated in a lab for results.
Supervision: The successful completion of your commercial construction project depends on proper supervision by the commercial builder. Remember, your project may look great on paper but unless it is implemented on the ground by people who are adept at their skills, the result will not be to your satisfaction.
Timely supervision through effective commercial contracting methods is critical to ensuring that everything is progressing as scheduled, as per the quality specifications, timelines, and budget.
In this regard, the commercial contractor acts as the representative of the project owner and makes sure there are no hiccups or niggles as far as the construction flow is concerned.
Lack of good supervision will let the project fall into disarray or result in the development of an inferior quality building. Consequently, the commercial property may show signs of damage within a short time and force you to spend money on rework or renovation.
If you are interested in learning more about the role of a commercial contractor follow this link.
Conclusion
The role of commercial construction companies in the planning and development of commercial property cannot be ignored or undermined.
They have the professional know-how and experience to do all the groundwork from the word go and complete the construction of the property within specified timelines and budgets.
However, care should be taken to choose quality a Houston commercial builder who has a good portfolio of work to show and a reputation to preserve.
