You may have heard the adage that a construction project will always take longer than you expect, but that doesn’t have to be the case. There are many ways for you, the client, to save time and money on your commercial construction project.
- Have a good idea of what you want.
It’s smart to have a pretty good idea about what you want your building to look like, what it’ll be used for, and any special features you need. You don’t need to know everything — leave that up to the architect — but having some vision of a plan will help you better articulate what you’re looking for in the building. This will help limit how often you change your mind during the many phases of the process.
- Try to limit how often you change your mind.
As you move through the design and construction phases of commercial construction, you may want to make some changes. This is not uncommon, but remember it is less expensive to change your mind when you’re still in the design phase than it is during the construction phase. If some things have already been completed and they need to be changed, you’ll have to pay for additional labor and materials. Plus, change orders can delay the project, so you won’t be able to use the beautiful new building as soon as you initially planned.
- Consider using design-build services
A construction management company that offers design-build services like Miller Architects and Builders will likely help you save money and get the project done faster. This is because the company provides all architectural design services and construction services, so design and construction can happen simultaneously, which helps speed up the timeline. These shorter project schedules and the ability to identify costs earlier in the process will help save you money.
- Build during the right time of year
Minnesota’s weather isn’t very friendly, especially in the winter. Weather can cause delays in the construction of your building, which can add costs and stall the project. But you should also consider that construction prices typically rise during the summer. So to avoid risky winter weather and the rise of costs in the summer, it’s usually smart to begin construction in the late winter or in the fall.
Miller Architects and Builders in St. Cloud offers numerous services that will help you get the completed commercial construction project you want, on time and on budget. For more information on how we can help you, contact us at 320-251-4109.