The Value of Preconstruction

In an environment with such a rapid rate of change such as construction, the pre-construction phase is a critical first step that can add significant value to your project.

So what is preconstruction?

 Preconstruction is much like a strategizing session where the planning of your project takes place before the actual construction begins. Ideally the preconstruction phase should educate you by laying out the foundation for how your project will unfold. It should also help to ensure that the contractor will meet your  requirements by delivering a viable and successful project.

What’s included in preconstruction?

The specific services included in preconstruction efforts may vary depending on the company you choose and your specific project needs, requirements and budget. They may include:

  •  Risk analysis

  • Project Timeline and Scheduling

  • Site planning and evaluations

  • Engineering services and documents

  • Materials and Supplies Lists

  • Utility mapping

 All the decisions made and the information gathered in the preconstruction phase help to ensure that you and the team have a common project vision that can actually be supported by your budget and delivered according to a realistic timeline.

Miguel Guzman

Miguel Guzman

What are the benefits of preconstruction?

Investing the time, money and effort in planning ahead, can pay off in big ways later down the line. On the flipside, if you skimp on preconstruction it could turn out to be quite costly in the end. In addition to improving overall efficiency, the benefits include:

  • Establishes a clear vision

  • Helps to determine feasibility

  • Avoids re-work

  • Establishes a more formal “hand-off” from estimator to field leader

  • Details any special project needs and requirements

  • Pre-empts problems, e.g. permits, unforeseen obstacles, etc.

  • Clients learn how they, and the team, will work together 

  • Creates an opportunity for open discussion

  •  Establishes a formal and clear starting point

  • Enables client the team to set goals and best way to achieve them

  • Presents an opportunity for value engineering that can cut costs.

If you are planning to make a significant investment in a construction project, consider spending money on preconstruction services, typically 1%-3% of the total  project costs. If you can identify and preempt problems before you start, you could save yourself huge costs later and make for a much smoother process

Visit our Preconstruction page to learn more about our services.

miguel guzman