Commercial Building Renovation Process

There’s an important, intricate process involved when doing commercial building rebranding and renovation. But first of all, what exactly is building rebranding and what does it have to do with renovation?

In commercial construction, rebranding, or reimaging, has to do with redoing a commercial space for branding purposes. It makes sense to think of signage getting rebranded, however the entire space (for example an office space) can get rebranded via renovation. That applies to everything from the wall colors and textures to custom floors to specialized industrial equipment.

There is a lot of process work here for an experienced building contractor. Often this means getting a commercial space gutted and to the point of a “white box” (floors and ceilings to bare minimum with walls stripped and painted white and all furnishings removed). So what is the overall commercial building rebranding and renovation process?

• Nail down goals and budget. It is helpful to get input from those to be affected from the project – such as occupants (including staff). It’s also valuable to note the purposes of the renovation, list the budget and requirements.

• Choose the contractor. You want to pick the right match for your commercial building rebranding and renovation. This means a construction company to focus more on quality than cost – and a contractor who is easy to communicate with. A way to accomplish this is to get multiple contractors’ proposals and ask questions, get the contractors’ references, and payment and warranty options. Find out how change orders work with the contractor. Look at their previous work examples and ensure they are licensed in the location you want your work executed. Finally, ensure the contractor can get building permits in the area of your construction project.

• Nail down roles and responsibilities for the project. There are multiple roles in a rebranding or renovation project and you may not need all of them. There is the landlord, tenant, architect, construction project manager, inspectors and more. You want to be confident that all parties are clear on what they’re focused on at what stages – such as approving design, reviewing and approving changes, applying for permits, etc.

• Understand the location. There can crop up issues you would otherwise be unaware of regarding the location and property – whether there are building code violations, structural issues, zoning issues or others that can affect the construction. A good contractor can help identify these. Insurance will be another aspect to understand – making sure the building is insured during construction. It is also important to realize that older buildings are going to need upgrades for accessibility codes.

• Understand the contract. The construction contract should be understandable regarding payment terms, aforementioned roles, potential change orders, payment terms and scheduled project dates.

The commercial building rebranding and renovation process can be complex, so it’s important to understand and follow the complete process as much as possible. It can include aspects such as nailing down goals and budgets, choosing a contractor, identifying roles and responsibilities, understanding the location and clarifying the contract.

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