Whether you plan to develop a new commercial property or expand an existing one, you need to follow a particular flow to make sure the construction completes in time. Developing commercial buildings consists of many processes that need to be efficiently managed so you can have a completed commercial project in hand.
It also needs to fulfill all the construction quality, aesthetics, and design thinking requirements. Thankfully, there are specific ways you can ensure the successful completion of your project. Here are six helpful tips that you need to follow while developing a new commercial property.
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1Find the Right Contractor
Unless you have extensive experience developing commercial properties, it’s best to hire a professional contractor with a successful portfolio of previous projects. An ideal contractor has the necessary connections with numerous vendors and authorities to ensure that your project follows your decided timeline.
The contractor will be responsible for hiring and managing subcontractors, vendors, laborers, and other necessary staff to finish the construction on time and within the planned budget. Hiring and managing different professionals like electricians, brick masons, HVAC specialists, plumbers can be cumbersome if you decide to do it yourself.
Make sure you discuss the terms of the contract with the contractor. The project contract should include different essential details as follows.
- Name and contact information of the owner and the contractor
- Description of the property
- Cost of the project
- Duration of the project
- Right to stop the project
- Actions to be taken if the contractor fails to finish the project on time or the owner fails to provide financing.
These details are crucial in times of conflict.
2Project Your Expenses Carefully
The contractor will help you gauge the cost of construction of the project. It will help you with a clear understanding of how much your project will cost. It would be best if you planned your expense projection accordingly. The expense projection will also help you figure out how much money you can manage and how much external financing you’ll need. It will also be more helpful to project your loan terms and duration accordingly.
3Invest in an Experienced Architect
Drawing the floor plans may not be enough if you are planning a bigger property. You need a professional architect to guide you through the intricate floor planning, interiors, energy network, plumbing, HVAC system, and many other details that are usually ignored if you don’t have the right expertise. The architect will plan the project by making the best use of the space and incorporating standard and latest design and architectural trends.
It’s also essential to hire an architect who has sufficient experience in commercial property development. It won’t make sense to hire an architect who has more experience in planning residential properties. And it goes without saying that you must sign a legal contract with the architect, and the contract should mention all the necessary details about the project.
4Ensure High-Quality Material is Used
It’s essential to ensure only the best quality construction material is used in your project. The contractor might be tempted to scoop some money using substandard materials. The best commercial buildings are made with high-quality materials like heavy-duty steel, best quality concrete, wood, bricks, metal, glass, paint, and other material. The sturdy steel will ensure that your property withstands damages and natural calamities like hurricanes, floods, and earthquakes.
5Make a Wiggle Room in Your Plans
Although it’s essential to create an accurate plan for your project, it’s necessary to leave some room for changes. No matter how precise a plan you make, the market fluctuations, weather conditions, and other factors beyond your control can change the duration and budget of your project.
Plan for some extra budget and time while planning and estimating your project. That way, you won’t face any conflict or difficulty if something unexpected comes up and your project gets delayed.
6Make Financing Your Top Priority
No matter how promising your project is, it requires finance to build. Whether you have created a good connection with a bank or any other financial institution or not, you need to plan for the worst. Always plan for alternative ways of financing your project. Apart from the typical financing ways as banks or private lenders, you can try securing funds from venture capitalists and crowdsourcing. If you have a good business plan in place and have figured out a strong revenue model, you are more likely to get funded than a new startup.
Whatever way of finance you choose, you need to make the funds available before your project starts. Remember to negotiate and finalize the loan repayment terms and check whether they will provide the funds in a lump sum or in chunks as your construction proceeds.
Developing commercial buildings requires a lot of planning, resources, and time. Make sure that you build a robust project plan that includes all the essential information about your project and all the stakeholders follow the contracts.
