A lot goes into starting and completing a commercial building renovation project. But you’ll increase your chances of success if you hire the right commercial construction company.

Commercial building renovations often require demolition and rebuilding. While there are similarities between commercial and residential renovations, the former has many more steps due to applicable industrial property codes and public-accessibility rules.

In addition to adding more complexity to the process, these extra layers of codes and rules also add further costs that must be factored into budgets. And the costs can skyrocket even more if there are delays. You can reduce your odds of complications if you hire the right company to spearhead the commercial renovation process from start to finish.

Some companies are more experienced than others, which makes it easier to research them and check out their track records of success while working on commercial projects.

There are different reasons businesses pursue commercial renovations. However, the primary objective is to enhance the value of your current space. Depending on the scope of the project, a renovation plan can involve working on an entire building or on specific floors.

Depending on whom you ask, commercial building renovations can cost anywhere from $30 to $450 per square foot. The actual amount will depend on factors that include, but are not limited to, the type of building and the location of the building.

While the cost of materials vary, the first stage in every renovation project stays the same. To complete a successful rebuild, you’ll need to start with thorough planning and pre-construction services.

The planning stage is the most critical part of the commercial building renovation process. You’ll lay the foundation for a successful project. Take your time. In addition to setting a budget, you’ll want to plan out the project in great detail. It’ll be hard to know how much it’ll cost and how long it’ll take if you don’t have a solid plan from the start.

Planning means combing over the building and the neighborhood it’s located in to get cues as to what direction to take. You’ll also want to set a budget and retain the services of a licensed contractor. Find a contractor specializing in commercial renovation projects rather than a jack-of-all-trades contractor. Specialization and demonstrable experience are critical.

As soon as you know how much the project will cost and retain the services of a commercial construction contractor, you’ll want to go to the pre-construction phase. This stage involves getting things ready so that the construction can get started.

During the early stages of a renovation project, it’s important to get your building permits squared away. Essentially, commercial building permits are your local government’s way of ensuring customers and employees are safe in your facility. Make sure to comply with all local legislation, as ignoring permit requirements can be a safety hazard and could impose fines on your business

You’ll also want to ensure contracts are in place and that you have access to the materials and machinery needed to complete the commercial building renovation project.

After you complete the previous steps, you’ll want to move on to the other two phases, namely construction and post-construction. Ensure that you were thorough with the previous two steps so that the construction and post-construction phases flow smoothly.

Now it’s time to move to the construction phase of the commercial building renovation project. There are some important things you can’t overlook if you want things to flow as smoothly as possible. Ensure you know about permits and inspections that you need to pass. You’ll find that the building code requirements are far more stringent with commercial renovations than with residential renovations. It’s also a good idea to keep current tenants in the loop.

While you don’t have to legally, it’s courteous and professional to let them know how long the project will take. Despite your efforts, a commercial building renovation will inconvenience current tenants somewhat, so showing regard by keeping them in the loop will pay dividends later. The contractor should give the project a once-over when the renovation phase is close to completion. This will give the contractor the opportunity to highlight any tasks that still need to be completed.

Congrats! You can breathe a sigh of relief when you get to the post-construction phase. But your work isn’t over just yet. Once the commercial building renovation is done and everything complies with applicable code, you need to obtain what is called a certificate of substantial completion. This document proves that the tenant can use the space as necessary and permits the contractor to receive any outstanding payments.

Remember what was said about the complexity of a commercial renovation over a residential renovation? It’s not an overstatement, and it’s not hyperbole. That’s one reason it makes sense to retain the services of a construction firm offering a full suite of commercial construction management services. Don’t hire a residential construction company hoping its skills and experience will transfer seamlessly to the more complicated commercial construction sector. Commercial construction and residential construction are two different things. Sure, they’re related in some respects. But specialization is essential when you want the job done right.

Carslon Kennedy is your commercial renovation service provider of choice when the time comes for a project. We’re an experienced commercial construction management provider equipped to handle your project from start to finish. We have the services you need to make things easier on you. Also, feel free to take a look at some of our past projects and get in touch to learn how we can be of service to you.