The 4 Design-Build assessments you need before you build

Design-Build assessments

Building smart means having a plan that works. Time and time again, we look around and see builders whose projects grind to a halt or shoot up in cost. But since 1958, we’ve delivered every single build we’ve ever undertaken — on time and on budget. How? By taking the time to perform thorough assessments before we kick off our builds. Our pre-construction assessments are one of the build-smart ingredients in our secret sauce. They’ll come in handy to keep in your back pocket as you work with your builder.

1. Design-Build Business Assessment

This is the first assessment any builder should perform when starting a build, and it’s a non-negotiable. It’s the only way for your builder to really understand your needs, and it’s the foundation that will help you accommodate future growth. A strong business assessment will give your builders an in-depth understanding of your goals and allow them to identify the key capabilities they need to build into your facility.

For us, a business assessment typically includes interviews with your staff, hours spent “walking the halls,” and a thorough review of historical data on how you use your facility — if you’re not building an entirely new structure.

2. Design-Build Field Assessment

In the Field Assessment, your builder’s full design team travels to the construction site to obtain on-site information. Trained surveyors will gather surveys of the topography, utilities, property lines and other key elements of your landscape. Builders should take a thorough look into hazardous materials that might cause regulatory paperwork or health concerns. Finally, your builder should conduct a thorough audit of the surrounding area to fully take advantage of the natural resources at your disposal.

3. Architectural, Mechanical and Electrical System Assessments

Before builders can make any upgrades to an existing facility, they should request to thoroughly investigate the architectural, mechanical and electrical systems you already have in place. Your builders need to understand your facility’s current conditions, limitations, codes and regulatory compliance issues so they can make an informed decision on if and how to reuse your structure and systems. These assessments can save you significant money and time by project’s end, and they play an important part in developing your facility master plan.

4. Design-Build Financial Assessment

A Financial Assessment allows your construction company to understand your debt capacity, a point of crucial importance. Having everyone on the same page regarding project financing strengthens your chances for long-term success and smart planning. You want a plan in place that allows for future expansion as your facility needs and business goals evolve over time. A smart builder will realistically align your future expansion plan with your financial capacity.

Evaluating your prospective bidders

Managing a Design-Build job requires the most trustworthy builder and a fully united project team. Make sure you know your builder in and out. To learn how to tell the best builders apart from the rest, fill out the form below and download our guide to company culture in construction.

 

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