There are many parties associated with any construction project. Major parties include the contractor, the owner, the architect/engineer, the insurance carrier, and the surety. For a truly successful project, each of these parties must be successful.
SJ Construction Consulting, LLC (SJCC) provides assistance to each of these parties from conceptual design through to bid day.
Design Assistance/Constructability
SJCC can assist in the conceptual phase of the design by recommending certain types of construction depending on material availability, site conditions, weather, and the time of year. As the design continues to evolve, we can provide further assessment as to the adequacy of the drawings in providing the contractor with a clear picture of what is being built.
We can also assess the constructability of the project:
- Is your underground project in rock or in a very porous aquifer?
- Does your concrete require air entrainment admixture in a tropical climate?
- Are you planning on paving in the dead of winter?
- Are you replacing a major drainage ditch in the wet season?
- Has your project considered cultural and community impacts?
- Does your project require installation of a long lead item on day one?
The contract specifications are also a key factor in project success. We often see that projects’ specifications merely reference a Standard Specification with too little specificity provided through a Special Provisions section. We can assist by reviewing the specifications in their entirely to verify that aspects of the project, great and small, are unequivocally addressed in the document.
A well designed project is built within schedule and budget. It can also be measured by the number of RFIs and change orders – our goal is zero!
Estimate Preparation
SJCC provides estimates for owners, designers, and contractors.
For owners and designers, these estimates range in level of detail from “green sheet” estimates (projects are quantified and then priced out using historical unit prices) to fully detailed estimates (projects are crewed out, utilize true material and subcontractor quotes, are assessed for equipment ownership costs, and are assigned overhead, markup, and fee).
For contractors, we can join your estimating team at your office or we can work remotely. We can also take on a portion of your project, or we can estimate your entire job from initial takeoff to closing of the estimate on bid day.
SJCC uses On Screen Takeoff by On Center Software for takeoff and HCSS’s Heavy Bid for estimating. This information becomes the property of the client upon completion of our assignment.
Risk Assessment
The construction industry is fraught with risk. Below is a partial list of risks your project may face:
- Material shortage
- Labor disputes
- Performance requirements of installed material/equipment
- Safety issues
- Schedule
- Weather
- Transportation of goods to site
We regularly evaluate these risks in our services to clients; it is inherent in the background when providing design assistance, value engineering, and estimating services.
However, we do provide this as a standalone service to insurance carriers, sureties, and owners. A list, and subsequent evaluation, of potential risks on a job can be the difference between whether or not a project is pursued.