Understanding Pre-Construction and Why It Matters
Let’s say that you plan on building your own home instead of buying an existing one. Some people like to go that route if they can afford to buy a piece of land with residential zoning. You might hold onto that land and hope it appreciates, but you can also build a house there. If you go through with this plan, you’ll need to understand pre-construction. If you’re not in the architectural field, you may not know much about this.
That’s nice because you can create a space that looks and feels just like you want. In addition, you won’t need to worry about altering anything when you buy the property because you’re building it from the ground up. We’ll cover some of the basics right now.
Understanding Pre-Construction?
When you build your own home, you’ll need to find a construction team that you feel can do the job correctly. They will want to sit down with you so you can prepare for the project. During that meeting, you’ll talk about material costs, how long the project will take, what tools and equipment you’ll require, and so forth.
Pre-construction is when you make a series of decisions about the property. All the main players involved will be there because they need to hear what you want and need specifically. You’re hiring them, and they want to make you happy. Your satisfaction will allow you to recommend them to future potential employers.
What Else Happens During Pre-Construction?
Pre-construction happens with both commercial and residential properties. In the scenario we’ve described, where you have some land and plan to build a house on it, you will talk to your construction team about success measurements. In other words, you’ll speak about the approximate dates when you want them to finish certain project steps.
You’ll talk about any possible impediments as well. You know how you want the project to go, but your team will weigh in on any foresee problems. For example, they might have to deal with weather, equipment availability, and other considerations.
Finding the Right Construction Company
If you’re getting ready to get a project of this nature, you’ll want to locate a construction company that understands how much the pre-construction phase matters. You’ll want to think about how much they cost and whether they come highly recommended. However, you’ll also need to look at how their representatives handle themselves during the pre-construction phase.
If they understand the project and they’re good at their jobs, the construction crew will ask vital questions and reassure you that they can do what you want them to in the timeframe you’ve specified. They will offer design guidance. They will try and help you stay within your budget before anyone ever shows up at the actual job site.
The Normal Pre-Construction Steps
Most construction companies have a certain decorum when their representatives meet with you to discuss the project. They’ll start by talking about the project’s scope. Then, they’ll talk to you about your objectives, though those are fairly obvious if you’re building a house to live in.
They will then move on to the budget. You will go over design information and costs. They will also probably suggest some alternative solutions if any problems arise.
Project details will come next. The team will speak about building materials and systems. They will talk about design plans that include the style and character you want the house to have, the size, layout, etc.
As you move into the design’s latter stages, they should explicitly identify who on their team will handle each project detail. In addition, they will identify any subcontractors who they use, if applicable. You will need to have a whole team at your disposal, probably including a design-build contractor, a construction manager, a general contractor, and so forth.
Permits and inspections should be a discussion topic as well. You will probably have a separate pre-construction meeting at the site itself. You will talk about any special circumstances that you must address before you break ground.
Without a thorough and deliberate pre-construction process, you can’t jump into a project like building your own home. Once you identify the company and subcontractors you’d like to use, you should feel comfortable with them and their expertise during the pre-construction phase. It’s too late to back out once you’ve signed contracts and started the project.
