Industrial construction in Poland has been experiencing a real boom recently, breaking new records in terms of both, demand and supply of built space. Businesses that urgently need the space can consider rental options offered by developers. However, when they need fully customised space, many choose to build a hall from scratch. These face a complicated preparatory process and a decision to choose the contractor that will carry out the work. Why choose a general contractor and what should be taken into account when choosing one?
What are the characteristics of general contractor supported model?
General contracting is, as the name suggests, a comprehensive service consisting of building a facility from scratch and obtaining, at the final stage of work, the permission to use it. However, the general contracting increasingly also includes the entire preparatory process before the construction work begins. What is it? It is all about all the formal and legal issues, i.e. land purchase, issuance of all guidelines and permits necessary for the architectural and construction design, completion of the project itself and obtaining a building permit. The role of the general contractor is to save the investors’ time and optimise the project cost which can be achieved through appropriate selection of technologies and construction materials.
Is general contracting the solution I am looking for?
The decision to choose a construction company or companies to order a building from is a huge responsibility. It is often crucial for the overall project success; this applies also to the quality, timing and cost of construction. This choice also affects the investor’s future involvement, i.e. the time they will have to spend supervising the project during both, the construction itself, and the preparatory process that precedes it. And this, as the experience of Commercecon, the general contractor for warehouse and industrial facilities, shows can often be quite a lengthy and complicated process, which every busy investor should be aware of. Therefore, if you want a building company that will settle all the formal and legal issues and manage the entire construction themselves, you need a general contractor. And how to choose it?
Choosing a general contractor
The industrial construction market shows that investors are increasingly willing to entrust supervision of all stages of construction to an experienced general contractor. This, by managing the project independently and comprehensively, saves the investor time and money giving them peace of mind. What to keep in mind?
Expertise in projects of this format. Large turnkey construction projects require a variety of competences and a great deal of experience, and the investor should make sure this can be offered beforehand. Have a look at the contractor’s website or social media profiles to learn about projects delivered in this formula so far, or to see if it is possible to view them. Some companies, such as Commercecon, are keen to show the potential customers the facilities they have built, with their representatives talking about the construction process.
Skilled workforce available. Why is it so important? The team of engineers helps to quickly settle all formal issues and design the facility, while the in-house construction and assembly staff makes the construction work much faster. Compared to hiring subcontractors, and thus having to coordinate the work of many entities, having the in-house professionals makes it much easier to plan and manage the individual stages of the construction process.
Industry experience. This is an aspect that should be taken into account by investors operating in industries requiring a specialised approach to the construction or equipping of a facility. This is for example true for cold stores and refrigeration plants, where temperature must be observed which requires the application of special building materials. Another good example is an industrial hall which requires installation of a several-tonne overhead crane. This involves the unique skills of the workers and a suitable supply of construction machinery.
Market feedback. Although the industrial construction sector is huge, the number of general contractors available in the market is not unlimited. Finding feedback from the existing customers is advised, the first-hand information will certainly make the decision easier.
What are the benefits of working with a general contractor?
According to Commercecon experts, the list of benefits of choosing this form of collaboration is long. Firstly, the investor contacts a representative of only one company that coordinates all construction works (sometimes also preparatory works) at each stage of the project. Secondly, having one contractor to deal with the entire scope of work, you no longer worry about coordinating the various stages of work or collaborating with subcontractors, all this is handled by the general contractor. The construction process is therefore smooth and efficient for much easier meeting of all project milestones. Hiring a general contractor also pays off from a purely financial perspective – by coordinating all the works, the contractor is able to propose the most cost-effective solutions both in terms of technology and work organisation. Finally, and perhaps most importantly, having a single contractor responsible for the entire project, the investor can significantly reduce the time spent on site, but also minimise the stress that results from the enormous responsibility and constant supervision.
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