Commercial Construction Walk Through
Constructing a commercial building is no easy task, the money, time and other resources you need to commit can be quite staggering. If you’ve already made your mind up, and have justified committing the required resources, the last thing you want is to have the project fail due to an oversight or lack of information. Fear not! We are here to walk you through some important steps when going through with a commercial construction project.
Permits And Building Codes
The first thing you are going to have to do is pay a visit to the authorities, and make sure you have met all the requirements needed to obtain a building permit. Florida has existing building codes that will have to be met to ensure your building meets or the necessary requirement for occupation. Books detailing these building codes are available, and it is possible to view them online at the Florida Department Of Business & Professional Regulation.
There’s No Shame In Getting Help
While you may want to be involved in every aspect of your building’s construction, it’s okay to admit that there are some things you will require help. Since construction can take months, its recommended that you look at hiring a general contractor. Contractors will know what to look out for while building, and know other professionals that can come in for each required task. While many people think hiring a contractor is an unnecessary expense, the knowledge and expertise that they offer can save you time, prevent unnecessary work and avoid common construction mistakes that may require revisits and rebuilds that will cost you more in the long run, or prolong the construction time frame.
Design
Having the correct contractor gives you the advantage of having your architect and structural engineer being in contact, allowing the vision you created in your head to become a reality. Your contractor will also ensure that all the necessary air ducts, water lines and the electrical points are properly accommodated for, and remains functional. Architects will also ensure that you get the most out of your property, and protect your property from future town planning projects.
Different Construction Stages
The construction process has multiple different stages, which you can use to create your own timeline, and allocate portions of the budget to different stages. The first stage is foundation creation which is the quickest and cheapest phase of construction. After that the construction can begin. This phase includes the building of the structure, laying floors and fitting the plumbing, HVAC and electrical system throughout the building. Once the construction phase is complete, roofing becomes the next priority. Making sure the roof is waterproof, and meets the environmental requirements set in place, we can move to the final construction phase, finishes. Finishes is the most expensive and time-consuming phase, as it covers everything from flooring and painting, to fittings windows, exterior fittings, lights, faucets, toilets and even HVAC Systems.
Assessments
Municipal authorities, will need to come monitor and assess each stage of construction, to ensure no codes are being ignored, or illegal construction is being hidden. Even though your permits and all other paperwork is in order, any mistake or violations will cause the authorities to halt your construction until all construction is back within the building code guidelines, or prevent building from to continue due to disruptions in weather or local activities. Your contractor should be aware of these interferences and accommodate these interferences when setting out a timeline.
While this may be just a brief walk through of the construction process, give us at Miller Construction & Design a call for a more in depth discussion of commercial build-out. We will be more than happy to help assist with them and fulfill any construction project you may want to start.
