The Commercial Construction Process

commercial construction process

commercial construction processWhen you are thinking of constructing your first commercial building, it is easy to get overwhelmed. In order to give you a big-picture view of this entire process, Headwaters Construction, Inc., the best commercial builder in Northern California, has compiled the following overview of the commercial construction process. Read on and learn what, when, and who is responsible for the different stages of the process.

Project Planning and Development

The first phase of any commercial construction project, or any construction project for that matter, is planning and development. This phase mainly involves finding the location where you intend to construct the commercial building as well as predesigning the facility. Headwaters Construction, Inc. also recommends that you introduce your chosen architect to the general contractor at this time. If you need consulting or planning services, contact us today.

Project Design/Build

In our experience at Headwaters Construction, Inc., it is good for a contractor to work closely with the architect as the building is being designed. This collaborative exercise makes it easier for accurate cost predictions and materials choices to be made as each party benefits from the insights of the other. The design team is charged with making sure that all the designs conform to the existing building codes of the area. Some of the specific things that are done during the design/build phase include the following:

  • Construction Bidding. The design stage involves drafting bid documents and selecting a contractor who will take charge of the entire project once construction begins. Without the bid document, it is hard to ascertain project costs.
  • Project Programing. Programing makes it possible for you to get a good picture of the space available, the functional needs as well as the flexibility of the building you wish to construct. Commercial builders use the building program to give project owners an idea of the number of rooms, facility purpose, size of the building, and other such matters.
  • Project Feasibility. A feasibility study is also done to find out whether the project site is ideal for the planned project. Here, you’ll examine what amenities, such as road access, utility connections, and building orientation, will be required to make the project a success.
  • Schematic Designs. These give Headwaters Construction, Inc. a detailed breakdown of the shapes, sizes, colors, patterns, textures, and materials that will be used to bring to life the commercial construction idea that you have.
  • Design Development. Commercial construction companies undertake research or an investigation of the various materials and equipment, as well as their cost, needed during the execution of the construction project.
  • Working Drawings or Contract Documents. These contain the final specifications (specs) and the drawings that different contractors and subcontractors will rely upon when preparing their bid documents. The builder you select, such as Headwaters Construction, Inc., will also depend on these contract documents to undertake the commercial construction project. The working drawings and contract documents serve the role of keeping all contractors or subcontractors aware of the acceptable costs associated with each aspect of the project.

Pre-Construction

In order to get a good picture of what the project will cost, Headwaters Construction, Inc. recommends that you narrow down the bids to just three and analyze them in detail before selecting one.

The pre-construction stage also marks the time when you (or your representative, such as the construction consultant) obtain the required permits.

The start of the pre-construction phase is marked by the project owner notifying the contractor that the project can begin. Upon getting the green light, the contractor appoints key members of the project team. These include the project manager, the project superintendent, the contract administrator, and the field engineer.

Procurement

As the name suggests, this stage is about procuring the different materials, equipment, and the labor that is needed for the execution of the commercial construction project. A purchase order, which is an agreement between the seller or vendor and the project owner, stipulates that what has been procured meets the specs provided at a given price point.

If you opted for a Northern California commercial contractor who takes care of everything from designing to building the structure, then that commercial builder will be in charge of the procurement process. If not, the contractor may procure the needed materials and equipment through the subcontractors (specialists in aspects of the construction project, such as electrical works and plumbing) selected during the bidding phase of the project.

The Construction Phase

This step of the commercial construction starts with the superintendent holding a meeting with the different professionals earmarked to be involved in the actual construction. The meeting resolves on many issues, such as work hours, quality control, and site access and materials storage.

Thereafter, groundbreaking is done at the site. This is then followed by site excavation, concrete pouring, installation of utilities, etc. The project manager and inspectors check each phase to ascertain that it was done correctly. The commercial construction stage is deemed to have been completed once no more construction work is necessary.

The Post-Construction Phase

The experts at Headwaters Construction, Inc., explain that the post-construction phase of a commercial construction project (tilt-up construction, for example) has several things that are done before building occupants can move in. For instance, replacing a damaged lock on one of the doors, touching up the paint in one room, or even installing an appliance.

Once all the appliances, fittings and other items needed by the occupants have been put in place, the architect responsible for the construction project will proceed to issue a document called a “certificate of substantial completion.” When this certificate is issued, the commercial building will undergo a final inspection by the city’s building official.

Now that you have a general idea about the different stages of a commercial construction project, it is time for you to contact Headwaters Construction, Inc. so that we can discuss your commercial construction project. Visit our projects to learn more about our recent work. 

Construction Consultant: What Do They Do?

construction consultant - Headwaters Construction Inc

construction consultant - Headwaters Construction IncAre you new to the world of commercial construction or retail renovation? You’re probably wondering why you should hire a construction consultant for your upcoming commercial construction project. In this article, you’ll discover how a construction consultant can be an invaluable member of your team.  

Preparing Contracts and Selecting Competent Contractors

One of the important roles that a project consultant, such as Headwaters Construction Inc., performs is taking the responsibility of contracts off your hands.

When you receive bids from different contractors, the construction consultant steps in to evaluate the bids submitted. To identify the best contractors, they will review all the contractors and finally selects the most competitive one.

The construction consultant can also negotiate with other contractors in your favor. This is an invaluable role that you may not be able to perform as a project owner.

Administering the Construction Project

When construction finally begins on your commercial project, the construction consultant acts on your behalf to make sure that the contractors are fulfilling their duties. 

The commercial construction company or individual that you have hired will also inspect the project to ascertain that the contractor is working efficiently.

If for whatever reason, the contractor deems it necessary to alter the project design, he or she must ask your construction consultant for approval of such changes. Hiring a construction consultant is the way to go if you don’t want to be involved in the nitty-gritty details.

Optimizing the Construction Project

Construction consultants like Headwaters Construction, Inc. have worked on dozens or even hundreds of tilt-up construction or other commercial construction projects similar to yours. Take a look at our projects to get a general idea of some of the projects we’ve worked on. Our construction experts will tell you everything you need to know about your construction project so that you save time and money. You can trust Headwaters Construction to get the best results possible.

Conflict Resolution

Sometimes, conflicts or disagreements may arise between any of the parties involved in the commercial construction project. For example, you (the project owner) may disagree with the contractor on issues of order changes. A disagreement has the potential to derail the entire project if it isn’t resolved quickly. 

The construction consultant will step in to protect your interests and resolve the misunderstanding. Headwaters Construction, Inc. is experienced and highly competent in all aspects related to commercial construction. 

Keeping the Project on Schedule

The construction consultant will let you know if your commercial project will be finished on time. Construction consultants have no problem nudging the contractors to meet deadlines. We understand that time is money, and if a project falls behind, it can be costly. Most importantly, projects that stay on schedule make it possible for you to see an ROI sooner than later.

As you can see, the construction consultant puts your needs first. This is a valuable member of your team because some of the things that you are expected to take care of are way beyond your technical competence. So, having the right construction team goes a long way in ensuring that everything progresses smoothly. If you would like a construction consultant who gives you the peace of mind that you need for your commercial, contact us at Headwaters Construction to learn more about our consulting and planning services. 

4 Tips to Help You Design Your Commercial Office Space

commercial office space - headwaters construction

commercial office space - headwaters constructionCommercial Office Space

Whether you plan to rent your commercial office building or use it for your own company, you’ll want to create the perfect design for your space. It’s important to put in a lot of thought about what you want your commercial renovation to look like. Here are some tried and true tips recommended by Headwaters Construction, Inc., a commercial builder, to help you design your commercial office space properly.

Analyze Your Needs

Under normal circumstances, the architect or designer shouldn’t be the determinant of the appropriate design of the commercial offices. Instead, experienced commercial construction companies like Headwaters Construction, Inc. suggest that you think carefully about your actual needs and let those needs drive the design process.

For example, open floor plans are all the rage these days, but that doesn’t mean you have to use the same design principle if such a layout isn’t functional. Some types of work require privacy and concentration, so secluded offices are ideal rather than open spaces.

In short, analyze your needs and use the insights that you get to select an office space design approach that will address those needs. Our friends at Specialized Audio and Video, a Sacramento audio and video company says should consider a security system and professional audio and video installation for the conference room.

Prioritize Variety

It is hard to find a company for which an open floor design will be 100% suitable for all their employees or a company in which only closed-off spaces are ideal.

For this reason, the best California commercial builder recommends that as you design the commercial office space, keep variety in mind and get the best of both worlds (open spaces and spaces that allow privacy).

How much space should be devoted to an open-space design, and how much should be allocated to the provision of privacy? This question can best be answered by looking at the results you obtained when you analyzed the specific needs of your company.

For instance, a larger portion of the office space can be allocated to open spaces if most of your employees travel for business. This is because creating private offices for each of the road warriors wouldn’t be an economical use of your premises since these individuals will be away most of the time.

See Your Tomorrow

It would be a big mistake if you designed the commercial office space based on your current needs alone. This is because the needs of your company are constantly in flux, so an office that was designed to meet the current needs will quickly outlive its usefulness since tomorrow’s needs are likely to differ starkly from the needs of today.

For example, many of your current employees may be older individuals who prefer a private office. A few years down the road, you may have new employees who prefer an open and collaborative space.

In such a case, you can design the commercial office space in a way that will allow you to combine two or more offices when the need for more open space arises years later. If you aren’t sure about the best way to mesh your current needs and future needs while designing the commercial office space, contact Headwaters Construction, Inc., and we shall put you in touch with the right team members to walk you through how this can be realized.

Design the Space for Density and Division

While designing the commercial office space with your future needs in mind, it is also helpful to choose a design that allows you to divide the existing offices easily so that they can accommodate more employees.

For example, when your workforce grows, you may need to assign one office to several people. This can be attained by adding more workstations or desks in the existing offices so that a team of people working on the same project can operate from the same office.

It is also wise to keep lighting, temperature, and other such things in mind as you design the commercial space so that the best possible work environment is created for employees. For example, adding skylights to the sections located far from windows will allow the offices to be evenly lit by natural light during the day. This will make the employees happier about the lighting situation.

How Can We Help?

We at Headwaters Construction, Inc. have extensive experience in handling all types of commercial construction or renovation projects. If you haven’t already, take a peek at our projects.  We have teams that can work with you to design or remodel your commercial offices. You and your employees deserve to have a workplace that facilitates productivity and employee satisfaction in a way that is achieved cost-effectively. Contact us today and learn how we can be of service!

2020 Architectural Trends for Your Commercial Building

2020 architectural trends

2020 architectural trends5 Architectural Trends That Will Dominate 2020 and Beyond

When you take a close look at the world of interior design and architecture, it is possible to pinpoint the specific “look” that dominates a given decade. Since 2020 marks the dawn of a new decade, Headwaters Construction, Inc., the best commercial builder in Northern California, has decided to share the following trends that are likely to gain prominence this year and the entire decade. As you plan to construct or renovate your commercial building, try to incorporate as many of these architectural trends as you can so that your building fits the times.

Old is Gold

You may have noticed that vintage clothing and other second-hand items are back in style. This return to things of old hasn’t left the world of interior design and architecture behind, and retail renovation contractors predict that upcycling old buildings for new uses will gain more prominence not only this year but the entire decade as well.

The recent economic upturn partly drives this surge of interest in repurposing old buildings after several years of recession that saw many buildings degenerate into disuse or their construction ground to a halt after the developer went belly-up.

The economic upturn of recent years has given older structures a new lease of life. For example, a structure that once housed a flour mill can be repurposed to be a new office block. The uses to which these old buildings can be put are nearly endless, according to experts at Headwaters Construction, Inc.

Art Deco is Back

For almost two decades, slick surfaces, such as slick glass facades, held sway. However, this design approach seems to have run its course, and Headwaters Construction, Inc. is seeing more clients requesting bold patterns, multi-layered features, and other elements of art deco. This design shift is partially being driven by the trend discussed earlier (repurposing old buildings) since those slick, flat surfaces tend to look out of place in an old building that is having new life injected in it.

Green Building Design

Energy costs have been rising dramatically over the years, and more people have become conscious about the impact of every human activity on the planet. These two realities have created an immense demand for sustainably built and used structures, and Headwaters Construction, Inc. sees a sweeping trend of green building for not just new commercial construction projects but also renovations.

Green building design is making itself felt not just in renewable energy but also in the inclusion of more natural lighting, water conservation, as well as the use of reclaimed or recycled materials.

If you think that green building is yet to reach near you, are the words “vertical gardens” and “living walls” familiar to you? I guess they are, so you can bet that this decade will take green building design to a whole new level.

Maximalism

For more than a decade, minimalism was the in-thing as commercial builders and homeowners did everything to minimize how much décor, materials, and other features were included in building designs.

Minimalism was justified at a time when economies were struggling, and prices of things went through the roof. However, the plain colors, minimal decoration, and glass facades appear to have fallen out of favor. This has ushered in the decade of “maximalism.” In this trend, commercial builders explain that ostentation is king.

This boldness manifests itself in terms of intricate designs, strong shapes, and other manifestations of ostentation.

The Rebirth of Patterns and Color

At the time when minimalism was the favored trend, muted or neutral colors like cream, gray, and chrome were very common and preferred. In 2020 and beyond, Headwaters Construction, Inc. reveals that magenta, Living Coral, Neo Mint, and other bold colors will push gray, black, silver, cream, and other such minimalist colors to the wayside.

Commercial builders say that one of the reasons why bold colors and patterns are taking center-stage of late is the advent of social media. Businesses want their clients to share content about their establishments, and interior design, as well as architecture, are adapting to make buildings good for Snapchat, Instagram, and other social media platforms.

If you are looking for a commercial construction company that can bring these cutting-edge architectural trends alive through consulting and planning, contact us at Headwaters Construction, Inc. We pride ourselves in our ability to translate a client’s dream into reality.