Pre-Construction

Pre-construction planning is an incredibly complex part of construction as a whole. It’s easy to get overwhelmed when you look at the task in its entirety. But if you break pre-construction down into manageable steps, it’s easy enough to handle.

There’s only one part in construction process that is more important than the actual construction. It’s called pre-construction, and it’s an essential phase of any construction project that lays the groundwork for a project’s success.

Pre-construction is what comes before construction. It’s the planning phase.It’s all about making sure everyone is on the same page with the vision for the completed project.

Outcomes of Pre-Construction Planning

Engaging in all of the necessary pre-construction activities, should expect the following outcomes:
  • Scope All involved parties will understand the project in its entirety, including who is responsible for which tasks, the overall goals, and the plans to achieve them.

  • Budget. No one should have any questions about the estimated project budget after pre-construction is over. This is the time to discuss the costs of materials and labor, how to stay within the budget and what to do when the project may exceed the budget

  • Team. Which of your employees will build this project?  Who will oversee them? And who will the subcontractors be? All of these questions must be answered in the pre-construction process.

  • TimelineEstablish more than just a completion date during the pre-construction phase. Set specific deadlines for each phase of the home building project so no one is left in the dark and everyone is accountable.

  • DetailsThere are a million little details involved in every construction project. During pre-construction, you should attempt to sort out as many of these as possible so you can focus on the actual construction later. Look at details like layout, building materials, the overall style of the home, and more.

1. Construction scope

Before you do anything else, you need to establish the scope of the project you are planning for. Scope can mean a lot of different things, but in pre-construction, scope refers specifically to defining the following:

  • Exactly what the project is 
  • The size of the lot and the structure
  • The limitations of the project
  • The objectives that, if met, will make the project a success

Many of these points may seem obvious right from the beginning, but it’s still important to write them down and discuss them in detail with all project stakeholders.

2. Construction team

Some of the team members are best suited for specific types of projects. Some work well together, while others need to remain on separate projects. As the leader of the construction business, it’s up to us to assemble the team that will be best equipped to complete the project on time, within budget, and with the high degree of quality the customers expect.

It’s important to select the team members early on in pre-construction because they will then become involved in many of the remaining steps in the pre-construction process. 

While we won’t hand-select subcontractors at this point in the process, identifying several subcontractors who have what it takes to complete the various parts of the project we will need them for is essential at this stage. With a strong list of subcontractors who have expressed interest in the project at hand, we prepare bid packages and rest assured that the jobs will get done.

3. Construction budget

Budget is key throughout any construction project, but it’s particularly important in the pre-construction stage. Why? Because this is the first time the project owner will get a confirmed expectation of what they’re going to have to spend, and it sets the tone for the rest of the project.

Establishing the budget is tricky. We have to consider a wide variety of factors, including the costs of labor, various materials, transportation, equipment purchases, rentals, and more. Give an estimated budget range instead of an exact figure. That way, we have some wiggle room without immediately disappointing the owner.

4. Construction development plan

Nothing gets done without a plan — and that includes construction. Pre-construction is the perfect time to start planning out the various phases of the actual construction of the building. We need to lay out what has to be done to turn the construction materials into the actual construction, dividing it all into defined stages with hard deadlines.

Consider the following phases in the construction development plan:

  • Site preparation and foundation
  • Rough framing
  • Electrical, plumbing, and HVAC
  • Insulation
  • Interior fixtures and drywall
  • Outdoor walkways and the driveway
  • Flooring and countertops
  • Exterior fixtures
  • Roofing
5. Construction design

5. Construction design

Depending on exactly what type of construction the client may or may not come to you with a rough design. We have a design-build operation, and will be completely responsible for the design, but some businesses may work with designs by third parties.

In either case, we need to be involved in the design process as much as possible. Perhaps most importantly, we need to assess the design for constructability — meaning whether it’s possible to build it at all and, if it is possible, to stay within budget while doing so.

Should we need to make changes to an existing design or design it completely from scratch.

6. Construction materials

Where are the actual building materials going to come from? What are they going to be? How much will they cost? If we don’t answer questions like these during the pre-construction process, we are almost certainly going to run into problems later on. Answer to these questions and order the materials during this step.

7. Construction permits

Assessing which permits the project will require and acquiring them is essential during pre-construction. That’s because a permitting issue can bring construction to a grinding halt and, in the worst cases, make the project impossible to complete. Find out which permits do we need and how long it will take to get them. Then, start the process of acquiring the permits.

8. Construction scheduling

We have already defined the phases of the construction process. Now, it’s time to schedule everything. This pre-construction step will require working with your team to schedule the phases of the project and reaching out to subcontractors to make sure they will be able to complete their work at times that work for the project. We will also need to consider permitting, inspection, and review as we make the project schedule.

9. Construction essential tasks

With the major points covered in the previous steps of the pre-construction process, We do feel a lot of relief, but we won’t be done yet. Dozens of smaller — but still essential tasks — remain. This is the time to get them done. Here are some examples:

  • Soil testing
  • Rounding up outstanding permits
  • Submitting the construction plan to the city or county
10. Construction inspections

While the bulk of inspections on any construction project will occur during or even after construction, we still need to address a handful of inspections during the pre-construction phase. Each municipality has its requirements for pre-construction inspections, but common types include surveying of the condition of the property, environmental impact analyses, and building plan inspections for safety and adherence to local ordinances.

11. Project communication

Communication is the final step of the pre-construction process, but it really should be a part of every one of the previous steps — and continue into the actual construction phase. In pre-construction, communication is essential. Clients, subcontractors, designers, city officials, and various other parties need to know what’s going on and how it impacts them.

One particularly important part of pre-construction communication has to do with the design itself. We need to be able to communicate how the completed project will look, including any changes to the original design or possible additions. Because many people struggle to visualize completed projects when looking at flat building plans, it’s important to  provide a visual aid.

Pre-Construction Plan Leads to Post-Construction Success
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