Construction projects start long before the workers, machinery or materials get to the site. Early planning decisions impact the construction, safety, quality, scheduling, and performance of the building over time. During this phase, it is referred to as pre-construction. It is a meeting of property owners, architects, engineers, contractors and consultants to make a concept into a viable and structured building project plan.

What Are Pre-Construction Services?

Pre-construction Services are the planning, evaluation, and coordination that takes place prior to the physical construction of a project. Professionals check the project requirements, conditions on the site, design documents, materials, estimated costs, permit requirements, risks, and proposed schedule. This process can help to decide if the project is economically and technically feasible. It also gives the owner a better idea of what work can be expected before a major investment is made.

Why Pre-Construction Planning Is Important

There are a lot of decisions that are made in construction projects that are interconnected. Even a slight change to the layout can impact structural engineering, plumbing, electrical, materials, permits and labor. If there is no coordination early on, important aspects may get missed, resulting in delays, extra expenses or rework. The pre-construction planning process enables the project team to anticipate potential issues early on, and to make changes that can be relatively quick and inexpensive.

Assessing the Construction Site

A thorough site evaluation helps the team to grasp the property before defining the final design. Experts might review the property’s size, access, topography, drainage, soil conditions, existing buildings, underground utilities, and surrounding development. These findings are used to help decide if it is possible to build the proposed building safely and efficiently on the site chosen.

The heavy rainfall, drainage conditions, flood exposure, humidity, storms, and soil movement are important factors in the construction decisions in Houston, which is why site evaluation is so crucial. Before finalizing the construction plans, the team should take into account building elevation, foundation recommendations, storm water management, material durability and safe access to equipment.

Preparing a Realistic Construction Budget

Before starting a renovation project, it is important to thoroughly examine the current building. Experts can check the foundation, structure, roof, electrical systems, plumbing, mechanical systems, insulation, and moisture issues. Old buildings or relics can also have materials that need special assessment or disposal. Once these issues are identified after the demolition, it can cause high expenses and time delays in the construction process. The early inspections enable necessary repairs to be completed as part of the main project scope.

Evaluating Existing Building Conditions

A preliminary construction estimate is used to see if the project proposed by the owner is within budget. Costs of materials, labor, equipment, professional fees, permits, utility work, site preparation, waste removal, insurance and contingency allowances should be included in the estimate. The estimate can be revised as design work progresses and detailed drawings, specifications, material counts and subcontractor prices can be utilized.

When the cost is transparent, the owner can differentiate the needs from the wants. Before permit documents are finalised, the layout, materials, finishes, and/or construction techniques may be altered if it is determined that the anticipated expenses will exceed a budget. Making early changes is generally less disruptive and easier than making major changes during construction.

Preparing a Realistic Construction Budget

Value engineering can help the team identify practical methods for increasing efficiency that do not affect the critical performance or quality requirements. This is not just a matter of picking the lowest priced. Cost, durability, maintenance, availability, installation time, and energy performance are all factors that can be used to compare different structural systems, roofing materials, flooring products, HVAC equipment, fixtures and exterior finishes.

Cheap isn’t always the best value in the long-term. Maintenance, energy or replacement costs could be slightly lower over the building’s life cycle. Good value engineering involves weighing up construction costs at the outset with performance, appearance and life of service.

Working with the Design Team

Pre-construction allows for collaborative discussions between architects, engineers, contractors and consultants. It can help to identify conflicts between architectural, structural, electrical, plumbing and mechanical plans. For instance, an HVAC duct could clash with a structural beam or plumbing lines could overlap cabinetry and fixtures.

It is usually easier to solve these issues when planning, rather than working on installed work. Design coordination also helps ensure that all parties have a clear understanding of the approved materials, construction specifications, responsibilities and expectations for the project. Improved communication eliminates misunderstandings and prevents additional change orders.

Planning Permits and Approvals

Permits needed for a building project vary based on the work, type of property, its location and who will occupy it. Many building, fire, electrical, plumbing, mechanical and commercial permits are handled by the Houston Permitting Center. The city recommends applicants start as early as possible, gather necessary documents and have approvals in order.

A professional pre-construction team can assist in identifying potential permit requirements, reviewing drawings, reviewing documentation and answering comments from appropriate authorities. Approval periods may differ and can be incorporated into the project schedule, taking into account the time it takes to obtain a permit. Improperly beginning construction can lead to work stoppages, fines, redesign costs, and inspection issues.

Developing an Achievable Schedule

A pre-construction schedule is a list of what is expected to happen and how long it will take in the project. This can include design completion, engineering, permits, procurement, site preparation, construction, inspections and final delivery. The schedule also indicates dependencies, or which activities need to be finished before others can start.

Extended manufacturing or delivery times may be necessary for some materials and custom-built products. These products should be identified through early procurement planning and orders placed and selections made at the appropriate time. The schedule should also account for the extremely wet and rough weather conditions in Houston, which can cause the delay of excavation and foundation work, roofing and out-of-the-door construction.

Managing Construction Risks

All construction projects have their share of risks, such as unexpected site conditions, design conflicts, changing material costs, delivery delays, labor shortages, weather delays, and safety hazards. By this time the team can find out about these concerns and formulate responses in advance of work.

Some of the ideas behind risk planning could include setting up reserve funds, considering other materials, ensuring suppliers are available, checking insurance needs, or changing construction techniques. It can’t solve any problem, but it can certainly minimize uncertainty and ensure that the team is ready and capable of meeting the challenge head-on.

Planning for Construction Safety

Safety planning should start prior to workers entering the construction site. The team can determine excavation hazards, overhead power lines, underground utilities, limited access, fall hazards, hazardous materials, traffic issues and areas in need of protective equipment. Planning of site access, emergency procedures, movement of equipment, and material storage can also be done beforehand.

OSHA emphasizes the dangers of falls, electrocution, equipment hazards and excavation hazards for construction workers. Hazard identification, worker training, protective systems and suitable safety equipment help to establish a more controlled working environment.

Reducing Delays and Change Orders

Change order is usually issued when the project changes, when drawings don’t have the necessary information, when unexpected site conditions appear, or when the owner wants to certain materials. While there may be some changes that cannot be avoided, careful planning can minimize unnecessary changes.

Pre-Construction provides the owner an opportunity to approve layouts, materials, finishes, fixtures and systems prior to installation. It also allows contractors to check constructability and determine missing information. Miscommunication and lack of documentation are minimized with clear decisions, which also help to keep the budget and schedule safe.

Choosing Professional Pre-Construction Services

Pre-construction sets the course for the project of the building. It assists owners in understanding cost, assessment of risk, design coordination, scheduling and approvals planning. Spending time in preparation can save the construction team from costly mistakes and provide increased instruction.

Wallinsiders are professionals offering pre-construction services  for both residential and commercial projects. Wallinsiders assists clients with an initial idea to construction-ready plan with increased confidence through site evaluation, cost planning, design coordination, scheduling and risk assessment.