Preconstruction
At Batson-Cook, every successful project begins with a thorough and comprehensive preconstruction effort. It’s the first step in the operational phase of the construction life-cycle. It’s the foundation for which all future project successes are built.
If you’re planning to build, get our preconstruction team involved early in the process. We believe doing so fosters the team approach where we can be collaborative partners. It blends design and construction expertise, promotes planning and being innovative while enabling lessons learned to be incorporated. A more comprehensive, well-coordinated, economical, successful build will be the outcome.
At Batson-Cook, we build strong, lasting relationships and preconstruction serves as the beginning of the operational relationship building process. These strong relationships start paying dividends at this stage of the project as follows…
- OWNER RELATIONS – shortly after getting involved, we listen to you paying close attention to your objectives and expectations. Equipped with a true understanding of your needs, we focus our preconstruction efforts accordingly.
- DESIGN TEAM RELATIONS – we promote an open, collaborative partnership with architects, engineers, interior designers and specialty consultants. We strive to preserve their vision and help refine their design while maintaining your budget.
- TRADE PARTNER RELATIONS – we have strong relationships with our trade partners due to treating them fairly for over a century on well managed projects. Through our thorough prequalification process, we gain a true understanding of their capabilities and strengths. We also continuously monitor their availability. Both steps, along with our minority participation outreach efforts, allow us to focus on ones that will be a good fit for your project. The end result of these relationships and approach is not only competitive pricing that meets your participation goals, but trade partners who are primed to perform when they step foot on your project.
Our preconstruction professionals are talented, detailed oriented, passionate individuals focused on turning your prospective project into reality. While a large percentage of this responsibility falls squarely on their shoulders, they lean on the following in house resources for assistance…
- OPERATIONS – our operations teams are actively involved throughout the preconstruction process. They’re primarily tasked with determining schedule, including procurement durations/long lead item strategies, staffing and general conditions/requirements. The culmination of their efforts is a project execution plan that addresses these and all other construction tasks such as safety and quality assurance.
- FIELD OPERATIONS – input is received from our field operations team, also involved throughout preconstruction, specifically in the areas of site logistics, constructability reviews, schedule/sequencing and manpower/crew size analysis.
- MEP SERVICES – at typically 40% of the overall construction budget, we lean on our in house MEP services group to help analyze and coordinate MEP systems including evaluating life cycle costs.
- VIRTUAL DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION – VDC’s role in construction continues to evolve and that includes in preconstruction. Whether extracting quantities from the BIM model, comparing those quantities from an updated BIM model to the previous BIM model, reality capture photogrammetry or laser scanning of existing conditions, these advances in technology make us more accurate and efficient.
Other key factors at this stage of the project include…
- COST BENCHMARKING – with decades of historical cost data adjusted based on current market conditions and key trade partner input, we’re able to provide accurate budget forecasts from limited information.
- PERIODIC BUDGET UPDATES – at various stages of the design progression, including at major design releases, we provide periodic budget updates. By comparing to the previous pricing round, we identify budget inconsistencies and drill down to determine the root causes.
- TARGET VALUE DESIGN – By remaining engaged between major design releases, we’ll be your trusted partner advising when the design strays from the budget to ensure that your money is spent wisely. With the design progressing in alignment with the budget, utilizing real time pricing technology, surprises and redesigns are avoided.
- VALUE OPTIONEERING™ SERVICES – if, despite our efforts, the design strays from the budget, we pride ourselves in providing budget saving alternatives that still meet your expectations. We will work tirelessly to suggest alternative materials, products, manufacturers, systems, techniques and approaches until the design and budget align. We believe there’s always a better way to build a building and we seek out those better ways for the good of your project.
- DESIGN ASSIST – when the right scenario and appropriate timing presents itself, we engage select trade partners on a design assist basis. Your project benefits from us harnessing that level of expertise while still maintaining budget expectations.
- PREFABRICATION – due to workforce shortages and an overabundance of inexperienced skilled labor, we’ll investigate prefabrication opportunities on your project. Whether panelization, pre-assembling, prefab or even modular construction, these methods can result in improved quality, schedule and jobsite organization.
