Eight steps to survive your Office Renovation

At some point office owners may have to deal with a renovation project. They may require a better functionality of space or to have a more stimulating environment for productivity. Maybe just a new look and feel, or to make an old office more modern. Whatever the reason, office renovations may seem overwhelming on so many fronts, but with a little planning and a great office renovation team you can get through it. Here are a few steps to guide you through a stress-free office renovation.

1.     Budget carefully- Plan to spend an extra 10 percent of the construction budget on unforeseen expenditures. Consider the money a bonus if you don’t end up needing it.

2.    Be clear about your priorities- Priorities may get lost in the seemingly endless decisions you may be asked to make during a top-to-bottom office renovation. Staying focused on what is most important to you, will help to remove the stress normally associated with a renovation and to achieve your goals. Make a list of must-haves” and “nice to haves”. This will give you something to revisit if there are any difficult decisions later on or if you find the project straying from your original plans and needs.

3.    Choose an experienced commercial contractor – A proper, effective office renovation requires expertise, experience, and planning. Choose an experienced, licensed, insured commercial contractor to avoid common renovation pitfalls.

4.    Identify what is included- Once you have chosen your commercial contractor in the GTA, ensure that you are both absolutely clear about what is and isn’t included in their quotation and costings. You don’t want the job to start and then find out that things you assumed were included have not been. This would result in an additional cost and possible time delay while you try to resolve the issue. Make sure to get quotations in writing to avoid any miscommunications.

5.    Make selections early- Ask your contractor to give you a list of everything you need to select things like paint colours, tiles and lighting options, along with the date they need to receive the materials. This will ensure the process keeps moving ahead and you are not creating any bottlenecks.

6.    Expect, and plan for, some delays- Unexpected things often pop up in an office renovation, so keep track of overruns so you’ll have no major surprises at the end. Allow for a few extra days on key tasks, particularly when multiple contractors are involved.

7.    Believe in the process- Trust in your contractor’s ability and believe in the process to keep it moving. Don’t be afraid to ask questions, but allow the contractor to effectively manage their project as per their processes. 

8.    Be on-site frequently - Last but not least, visit the remodeling site at regular intervals to stay updated on project progress.

Stay calm, work your plan and keep your eye on the prize. The end result will be worth it…we promise!

Tips for Efficient Commercial Construction Bidding

Managing the bidding and vendor selection process is one of the most important roles of a construction project manager. During the bidding process, the construction project manager sends RFPs (requests for proposals) to qualified subcontractors for supporting the construction project. Upon receiving replies, the project manager vets and ultimately selects the vendors who will work on the project. Here are some tips for ensuring an efficient construction bidding process:

Get the blueprints/project plans: The first step to the construction bidding process involves reviewing (or creating) the project plan. The project plan shows the type of work the project needs (roofing, concrete, hvac, fire alarm, etc.), what the individual requirements are, and how the overall project should come together. This plan enables the project manager to gain knowledge on which types of companies to call and receive quotes from.

Reach out to qualified companies and sub-contractors: The next step for the project manager is to reach out to the qualified companies and sub-contractors for each type of work needed. The project manager should obtain numerous bids for each area of the project in order to find a suitable price for the overall project budget. Once all of the desired bids have been put together, the project manager can calculate the final estimate for the project.

Use construction estimating software to calculate the real costs of the job: These days, construction management consultants use powerful tools and construction estimating software to help reduce the guesswork that goes into creating a bid. Software makes it easy to adjust changing requirements or costs without redrafting the entire bid. This also gives subcontractors easy access to multiple large files when deciding whether they will bid or not bid on the project.

Make sure you make profit: Don't bid too low. Many commercial contractors make attempts to win the project by undervaluing their services. It’s not worth it. Overhead fees must be included in the bid.  If you just ask for the cost of the job, you will lose money. You must substantially mark up your final price to make sure it is a profitable project in which you will surpass expectations.

Explain the bid in person: Discussing in-person about costs, differing figures from another contractor, and the overall project vision. This will eliminate miscommunication about the proposal or project.

Many construction companies lose money on jobs when they try to go below margin to compete with other people’s bids. If done correctly, with the help of an expert project management service, builders can get the ideal bid for the project which works for all involved parties.

Why are Planning & Scheduling important in Construction Management?

Planning and scheduling play crucial roles in good construction project management. They help the project manager complete projects in time and within budget and ensure the client is on the same page as the contractors. A written plan with a schedule helps & motivates employees and contractors to achieve their goals. Planning & scheduling are important in construction management because:

•       Nobody wants to win a project with an impossible schedule where you may be penalized for late completion. Planning & scheduling helps to determine whether the duration the client has specified is attainable.

•       A project plan and schedule provided to subcontractors while inviting bids for a project, lessens the chances to misinterpret the construction project work. A clear plan will reduce the possibility of arguments and conflicts amongst the contractor and subcontractors.

•       A clear plan and schedule enables monitoring of the project and may enable completion ahead of schedule. A strong plan provides the sequence of tasks to guide project managers and supervisors as to which activities they need to be working on, and which are the next ones they should be planning for. It then shows the route that the team must follow. This is critical particularly when multiple vendors are supporting a project.

•       Planning & scheduling help you stick to cost estimates. It helps to calculate overhead costs and avoid any last minute surprises while preventing unnecessary costs or delays.

•       Monitoring the original project plan & schedule allows you to predict problems that may pop up during a project. It will tell you just how far off-track your project is, and allows you to create an alternate plan to get back on track.

•       Understanding when resources are required and why. By knowing the actual lead times and the sequence that materials will be placed and assembled, a project manager can assess several possible installation sequences to arrive at the most productive approach.

•       Planning and scheduling makes progress easier to track. It provides feedback on whether the construction work is proceeding according to the plan and schedule and whether the project will be completed on time and within budget.

When the team knows what is supposed to occur and when their part begins and ends, managing the project is made easier. Accurate and appropriate planning and scheduling ensures a smooth workflow, timely completion and value for money.