Construction Management
The construction management approach utilized by Complex Builders oversees the entire building process on behalf of the client and becomes a partner in the process. In our experience, an effective CM works with the architect and the engineers during the design and construction phases, offering value-engineering ideas on an ongoing basis. All decisions relative to the building program are made with the benefit of input from a construction manager, engineers and the architect, providing a system of checks and balances that would otherwise not be present.
As a construction manager, Complex Builders brings a commercial property owner / developer's knowledge and a general contractor's knowledge to the architect and engineers early in the design phase. This allows us to implement a system that controls labor, equipment, costs and materials to work directly for the client's interests. The construction management process also allows design and construction to proceed concurrently, saving time and therefore, money, while maintaining high standards of quality.
Advantages:
- Project Alternatives are reviewed and evaluated
- Have better cost control
- Shortens the design and construction schedules
- Construction processes are simplified
- Provide more value for the dollar
- Provide constant feedback
- End with high quality results
Project Management
The primary challenge of project management is to achieve all of the engineering project goals and objectives while honoring the preconceived project constraints. Typical constraints are scope, time, and budget. The secondary-and more ambitious-challenge is to optimize the allocation and integration of inputs necessary to meet pre-defined objectives.
Like any human undertaking, projects need to be performed and delivered under certain constraints. Traditionally these constraints are "scope," "time," and "cost". These constraints Complex Builders refers to as the Project Management Triangle, where each side represents a constraint. A side of the triangle cannot be changed without affecting and influencing the others sides. Further refinement of the constraints separates product "quality" from scope, and turns quality into a fourth constraint.
The time constraint refers to the amount of time available to complete the project. The cost constraint refers to the budgeted amount available for the project. The scope constraint refers to what must be done to produce a project's end result. These three constraints are often competing constraints; increased scope typically means increased time and increased cost, a tight time constraint could mean increased costs and reduced scope, and a tight budget could mean increased time and reduced scope.
Complex Builders integrated approach to Project Management is about effective implementation of tools and techniques that enable the project team to organize and collaborate their work to meet the projects constraints. By balancing the projects constraints is what optimizes the clients investment.
Advantages:
- Project Alternatives are reviewed and evaluated
- Have better cost control
- Shortens the design and construction schedules
- Construction processes are simplified
- Provide more value for the dollar
- Provide constant feedback
- Reduces and Eliminates the Client's need to hire or allocate new personnel to administer the project by Complex Builders performing:
- Design development continuity from start to finish
- All phases estimating support
- Bidding documents and bid administration
- Client's direct representation for all contracts administration
- Integrated collaboration with the Architect and Engineering, optimization of project constraints
- Client's direct representation oversight, quality control and coordination of all construction activities
- Construction documents administration and accounting
- Change order administration
- FF & E coordination, procurement and coordination
- Technical facilities coordination and integration
- Facilities / commisioning - start-up and training coordination
- Direct collaboration with client for all phases
- End with High Quality results
Design Services/Design Build
Preparation for the project can be led by many players but generally, such initiatives usually are the responsibility of the user/client. Complex Builders assists with this initiative by identifying the need for building and site on the basis of quantifiable requirements for space and budgetary capacity to meet them. A needs assessment accompanies this planning activity that describes existing space use, an estimate of realistic spatial and technical requirements, and arrives at a space program around which design activity can develop. Complex Builders is unique in this capacity as we have our own design capacity utilizing AutoCad, and we have an Interior Designer under employ as well. This capacity enhances Complex Builders ability to effectively engage and participate with design activities with other Architectural firms and sub-consultants, as well as function as Project Manager, Construction Manager or General Contractor in compliment to design services.
The criteria for selecting an Architect can be daunting and includes the client's affinity for a specific architectural language, the provider's experience with the building type, or the provider's responsiveness to a site location or to the client itself. With the advent of the sustainability movement, in particular, some clients assess potential architects for their ability to marry historic or newly conceived building forms to performance, or to achieve innovation more generally. Complex Builders assists with this process.
Complex Builders in consultation with a team of sub-consultants, the architect or prime consultant, then establishes core design principles as well as alternative conceptual approaches to the client's needs. Complex Builders design team also may produce initial graphic suggestions for the project or portions of it. Such suggestions are meant to stimulate thought and discussion, not necessarily to describe the final outcome. Note the importance of Complex Builders team format at this stage: Involvement of sub-consultants is critical, as their individual insights can prevent costly changes further along in the process. The same idea also justifies early and frequent collaboration between Complex Builders design team and the client, users, or other stakeholders.
Gradually through this Conceptual phase and process a design emerges that embodies the interests and requirements of all participants, while also meeting overall area requirements and budgetary parameters. At this stage, schematic designs are produced. They show site location and organization, general building shape, space allocation, and an outline of components and systems to be designed and/or specified for the final result. Depending on the the project, Complex Builders produces a cost estimate at this point, and also may perform this service as part of a preliminary bidding arrangement provided other prerequisites like bonding capacity, experience with building type, and satisfactory references are first met.
The Design Development phase enlarges the scale of consideration in greater detail is then developed for all aspects of the building-and Complex Builders collaborative process continues with Complex Builders and the architect facilitating the various contributors. At the conclusion of this phase, a detailed design is produced on which all players agree, and the client may be asked to sign off on.
The Development of Contract Documents phase involves translating the Design Development information into formats suitable for pricing, permitting, and construction. No set of contract documents can ever be perfect, but Complex Builders real-world building experience achieves high quality documents by scrutiny, accountability to the initial program needs, and careful coordination among the technical consultants on the design team. Decisions continue to be made at this stage, but changes in scope will become more expensive once pricing has begun; changes to the contract documents also invite confusion, errors, and added costs. Cost estimates by Complex Builders are made at this point, prior to or simultaneous with bidding in order to assure compliance with the budget and as a check on the cost contraints. Competitive bids taken at this point may also be used as a basis for selecting subcontractors.
After the Construction Phase begins, Complex Builders integrates into the project as the the Construction or Project Manager managing the construction. The designers and other members of the team must remain fully involved. Decisions previously made may require clarification, suppliers' information must be reviewed for compliance with the Contract Documents, and substitutions must be evaluated. If changes affect the operation of the building, it is especially important to involve the user/client in their review. User requirements may change too, and enacting those alterations require broad consultation among the consultants and sub-consultants, new pricing, and incorporation into the contract documents and the building.
The design team is responsible for assuring that the building meets the requirements of the Contract Documents, but the building's success at meeting the requirements of the original program can be assessed by the Complex Builders construction management team or third parties in a process known as Commissioning. Here the full range of functions in the building are evaluated and the design and construction team can be called upon to make changes and adjustments as needed.
After the building is fully operational, it is often useful to conduct a Facility Performance Evaluation (FPE) to assess how the building meets the original and emerging requirements for its use. (This may be known as a post-occupancy study, although FPEs are considered to be more rigorous.) Such information is especially useful when further construction of the same type is contemplated by the same user. Mistakes can be prevented and successes repeated.
This summary describes the standard process of Complex Builders integrated project team approach. To assure the best results, all parties must adhere to the following principles:
- Clear and continuous communication
- Rigorous attention to detail
- Active collaboration among all team members throughout all phases of the project
General Contracting
From inception to occupancy, Complex Builders is the go-to company for full range construction services. We combine equal amounts of construction management, traditional general construction services, and creativity. Taking on projects in this manner allows us to maintain competitiveness, versatility, and control all the while keeping current with building trends. The general contracting method is a traditional method of construction. It's based on the theory that a good and economical way to construct a building is for the client to choose an architect and then selects a contractor through a competitive bid process. This method is recommended for owners with a permit set of drawings who are ready to mobilize construction. Acting as general contractor, we assume full responsibility for completing a construction project, on time and within the specified budget. Our success with clientele stems directly from a relationship with Complex Builders principals, who make each project their own. With Complex Builders as your general contractor, you will personally experience the kind of collaboration and cooperation that make each project a rewarding one.
Tenant Improvements
Complex Builders utilizes the same approach to Tenant Improvements as we do all other projects. The same constraints apply as do with all construction projects. Complex builders has full design capacity, and employ an interior designer to construct the client's space, on schedule, on budget and with quality. By choosing Complex Builders as your Tenant Improvement Contractor / Design BuildContractor, we will implement the clients vision from concept through to final completion timely and on-budget.
Advantages:
- Project Alternatives are reviewed and evaluated
- Have better cost control
- Shortens the design and construction schedules
- Construction processes are simplified
- Provide more value for the dollar
- Provide constant feedback
- End with high quality resultstimely results
