Commercial construction differs significantly from residential building due to differences in code enforcement, building materials used, costs and equipment needed. A successful project relies on taking all these aspects into consideration.
Medium-scale commercial projects consist of building restructures, expansions and remodels. These endeavors tend to take more time and require a larger team.
Small
Commercial construction encompasses building projects that can be rented or sold for profit, from office structures to shopping malls and hospitals. Commercial properties generally need to be constructed from scratch using heavy equipment that's unsuited to residential properties and much larger footprints than apartments.
Commercial construction entails three levels: small, medium and large-scale. Small projects like structure updates or office redesigns tend to be less costly and require fewer personnel from general contractors; in this category are also "facelifts" which rebranding, opening up spaces or extensions add.
Medium-scale projects tend to be slightly more costly than small jobs but still less than major renovations or the building of a new structure. They usually involve interior design work like fresh paint, flooring and updating technology or graphics systems.
Medium
Commercial construction projects of an advanced scale often involve clients looking to remodel or expand their business with an addition. Businesses often grow, adding employees that require extra facilities. As such, ceiling heights may need to be raised or lower levels added for accommodating equipment.
Hospitals, office buildings and other institutional construction projects fall within the medium-tier commercial construction projects, with increased governmental regulations and often demanding more specialized engineering requirements than others.
Shopping centers and retail stores also fall within the medium sized category of commercial construction projects, involving designing and creating spaces that attract customers while encouraging them to enter through their doors. Design is of utmost importance in these projects - floor plan designs should consider how people will move around within the space comfortably and how they may find it easier than others to navigate it.
Large
Commercial construction projects span from offices to skyscrapers that house various businesses, warehouses and industrial facilities used for manufacturing or processing as well as large retail buildings such as malls or shopping centers that serve various client needs - like ease of access and ample parking spaces.
Large commercial projects can also help improve existing buildings. While these projects tend to be more complex in that they involve adding to or altering structures, they typically require more resources and longer timelines to complete successfully.
Under this type of project, companies will engage multiple contractors to submit proposals for construction works. The contractor with the most cost-effective bid will win and begin construction works. While large commercial projects take longer to complete than expected, they can still prove very worthwhile for the companies involved.
Custom
Customizing commercial construction projects to the needs of the organization or business that will use the structure can make its finished structure far more valuable, increasing a company's profit margins in turn.
As they will likely be used by multiple users over an extended period, commercial projects require greater stress-resistance than residential construction. Therefore, construction teams must pay special attention to safety considerations such as protecting employees from falling off open floors or roofs as well as installing guardrails around any elevated platforms, runways or floors.
One way to avoid costly errors in commercial construction projects is to leverage custom commercial services that offer design-build capabilities. This approach eliminates the need for separate teams that could lead to miscommunication between designers and builders and could cause cost overruns. Furthermore, an effective organizational system will help ensure all records are complete as well as that everyone follows protocols and plans correctly.
