Preconstruction

When beginning a multifamily building project, it is essential that submittals are in early and the materials are procured right away. With an increase in supply chain delays, this has become even more critical to keeping a project running on time. For example, electrical switchgear and some roofing products have longer lead times and this must be accounted for.

In pricing a job, Summit Design + Build Project Executive Ari Killian stresses the importance of understanding how the materials and labor break down in each subcontractor’s bid. That way if there is an escalation in materials, for example, the impact on budget will be clear.

In addition, Senior Project Manager Kevin Criner explains that the budget must be realistic with contingencies built in to account for unforeseen circumstances as a project proceeds. If the job is priced too low, the team will constantly struggle with value engineering, scope removal, and alternate products. Furthermore, the contractor will be tempted to bring in unqualified subcontractors.

Bottom line, says Criner, “the budget needs to be realistic with scoped, vetted, and capable subcontractors.”

Artificial Intelligence

This advanced technology studies design details and applies this intelligence to project designs. For example, AI is used for task automation, recognition of design intent and auto-completion of repetitive tasks.

Provided with a dataset of “rules,” an AI engine within BIM can create accurate models and floor plans. If a design parameter changes, AI will adjust all other variables within the full design and workflow.

The technology assists with automatically classifying BIM elements, auto-completion of connection details and model and drawing clean-up. 

As articulated by BIM Today Digital Content Editor Lydia Bamford, “AI is a particularly useful tool because it allows construction processes to become more streamlined by reducing the cost, time and risk of the project lifecycle by exploring all available avenues and processes of a construction project.”

The technology’s level of accuracy and ability to anticipate outcomes also mitigates construction risks and enhances safety.

Building Information Modeling

Building Information Modeling (BIM) is a 3D shared design platform where architects, engineers, and contractors can collaborate on developing building designs. Constantly updated in real-time, building teams can easily visualize how the building looks from all angles and easily detect and correct any clashes between different building elements.

Particularly beneficial for industrial facilities where buildings are larger and more complex, BIM supports enhanced building owner input as these folks can more easily visualize how their evolving building with look and function. Buildings designed and built with BIM significantly reduce Requests for Information (RFIs) and change orders. With the collaborative BIM models revealing any problems or issues, these can be resolved on the front end and ultimately support a more streamlined, cost, and time-effective building process.

Health and Wellness

As the world continues to grapple with the ever-evolving COVID-19, the need for healthy environments, both physically and mentally, is at an all-time high. Today’s multifamily residents are not only interested in swimming pools, fitness facilities, childcare services, and dog parks, but meditation rooms and yoga classes as well.

Units and communal spaces are incorporating proper air filtration, touchless fixtures, easy-to-clean surfaces, paints and materials with no/low Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs), and circadian lighting fixtures in tune with the body’s natural cycles.  And biophilic design strategies connecting people with the natural environment are a priority. This includes large windows and open floor plans bringing in lots of daylighting, balconies, plants, and natural materials like wood and stone.

For example, the 7-story boutique condominiums for Chicago’s new 1400 Monroe property features 9-foot ceilings, oversized loft-style windows, recessed balconies, and large terraces.

Glass Partitions

Open floor plans with clear lines and unobstructed views have been a hallmark of interior design over the past several years. Not only do such layouts create a more pleasant and inviting ambiance, but the increased natural light flow is a major benefit to buildings looking to cut down on energy consumption and become more environmentally friendly.

However, with the lingering pandemic, commercial facilities have been given a painful lesson on the importance of having private, socially-distanced spaces in their building, as well. Rather than construct a series of cold, gray walls to form offices and private meeting areas, commercial buildings will continue to leverage the benefits of glass curtain walls in 2022. These innovative partitions help maintain the advantages of an open floor plan while also creating the separation necessary to keep all customers, clients, and employees socially distanced. In addition, glass partitions are highly customizable, giving designers the ability to add, remove, or modify interior spaces, as necessary.

What is Design-Assist Construction?

Design-assist (DA) is a relatively new construction delivery method. It stands out because its focus is on bringing subcontractors into a project earlier than usual during the design phase. The goal of design-assist is to create a more solid design plan to reduce the time and money spent on a project. By leveraging the specific expertise of subcontractors during the design process, the project is also likely to result in a higher-quality end product.

The design-assist method allows the General Contractor to bring in critical trades such as mechanical, electrical and plumbing sub-contractors to weigh in on construction plans, in an effort to establish a credible budget from the beginning. The input from these specialists can better inform the choices of architects, engineers and construction managers to, in turn, make design decisions that will help construction to run more smoothly. This approach also helps keep the project on budget and on schedule and resolves design disputes while ideas are still “on paper” before ground is broken.

DA can improve design efficiency, cost management, speed to market, and constructability for nearly any construction project. With supply chain issues in the market, DA is one of the best delivery systems because lead times of materials are contemplated all through the design process (conventional plan and spec bidding is not as affective in this market because of the long lead times of materials and the inability to procure early). Regardless of the size or type of the structure you can reap the benefits of a design-assist project in a majority of instances.

1. Start with the design

Though DA is different from traditional construction methods, both still begin with a client, a contractor and a designer. It’s up to those leading the project to determine at what point in the design process they want to bring subcontractors onboard. Some prefer to get some ideas on paper first, but it can also be a good approach for some projects to begin initial designs with specialists in place.

2. Selecting subcontractors

A common practice for the design-assist approach is to use best-value bidding when hiring subcontractors during the planning phase. In an ideal world, the subcontractors you hire to help with the designs will also take part in the construction. However, price points and relationships can shift.

By taking care to set up clear boundaries amongst the design-assist sub-trades you’ve selected, you can still entertain competitive bidding in the various categories. Perhaps offer a “last look” to the design-assist subcontractor as you evaluate their bid against the competing trade bids, this helps to maintain competition and provides the client with the best, most cost-effective solution.

3. Finishing designs and establishing cost

Once your key subcontractors are onboard, they can begin the process of sharing their expertise with the architects, engineers, and construction managers. This is a crucial step in the design-assist method. The decisions made here are best positioned to keep construction smooth, high-quality, on-budget, and on time. Pricing is derived on an iterative basis, generally defined as schematic design, design development, and construction documents. These intervals of design and pricing allow the team to monitor scope or budget creep and make required corrections to eliminate surprises generated at the final estimate.

Once the detailed designs are complete, you’re already ahead of the game compared to traditional construction projects. The costs and schedule laid out in your plans reflect the experience of each subcontractor on prior iterations to remove the guesswork and prevent future conflicts.

4. Start building

Once plans and teams are in place, construction is set up to start off on the right foot. Your subcontractors likely made suggestions and decisions in the design phase to help things move forward with minimal disruption. Maybe they suggested areas where prefabrication can save time and money. Perhaps they ironed out some complex areas of the design to prevent surprises on site. Whatever insights they were able to share, or whatever disputes they were able to resolve, you can be sure the design-assist process is likely to reward you with a better build and a high-quality structure.

Design-Assist vs. Traditional Construction

We’ve already touched on some differences between DA and traditional methods. Here are some other points to consider when comparing these approaches:

• Better budgets and timelines: Traditional construction methods lend themselves to a bidding process where typically the lowest bidding contractor lands the project. If you’re thinking the design-assist method is more expensive since it requires hiring subcontractors earlier on to help advise, you should consider the time, resources and labor saved by having specialists weigh in on designs. Starting a project with a well-rounded design is likely to be exceptionally beneficial for everyone in the end. Don’t forget: you can still have open, competitive bidding to make sure that good pricing is still received.

• Fewer redesigns: Subcontractors and vendors don’t get to see plans until construction is about to begin if you’re using a traditional approach. This means there’s a risk of misaligned priorities, MEP coordination or collision issues, or even oversights between the designs and the site. Design-assist is extremely likely to prevent time and money wasted by going back to the drawing board.

Design-Assist vs. Design-Build Construction

The design-build delivery method is another option. While very similar there is an important difference between it and the design-assist approach to consider.

• Who’s in charge: In most design-build construction projects, the General Contractor holds most of the power to select architects, engineers and subcontractors. Design-assist keeps this power in the client’s hands. There isn’t necessarily a right or wrong approach — it all depends on the client’s preferred involvement, comfort level and project specifications.
  
  
  • Lastly, the design-build method inherently puts liability for the project on the General Contractor. So not only does the comfort level of the client come into play, the contractor’s approach to risk can influence the project delivery as well.

Proper Procedure Depending on Building Type

The construction of every building is unique. This also means that proper safety procedures will depend on the building type. For instance, when building steel buildings, safety elements like temporary bracing, preplanning, and fall protection become vital.

Temporary bracing procedures prevent heavy steel beams from falling on crews while pre-planning procedures ensure that everyone knows where the crane will be moving those heavy beams so no one is in the path. Fall protection is important on all structures, but steel buildings are often tall making it even more essential. Always double-check you are wearing the proper fall protection equipment and using it correctly depending on the building type.

Always consider the building type when reviewing safety procedures and wear the necessary personal protection equipment.