Pre-Construction in the Lexington, SC & Columbia, SC Region

Home remodeling and construction projects can be daunting, stressful, and even risky for homeowners—we understand. Much of this anxiety and risk stems from working with industry professionals who dive into projects without carefully planning the details, without aligning with your vision and expectations, without thoroughly examining project costs, and/or without clarifying the intricate aspects of your unique project before construction begins. Every project is uniquely different, and it's crucial to be as prepared as possible from the start. ENTER PRE-CONSTRUCTION!

What is Pre-Construction?

Imagine you're organizing a wedding, a major business event, or a large family reunion.  Early on, you would establish your budget and initial vision for the event (how you want it to look, the flow of activities, decorations, etc. - everything). Knowing you want an expert's guidance from start to finish, you'd explore different event planners who could jump in, using their experience and expertise to breathe life into your unique event. Together, you'll assess what's feasible, look at different venue options, and collaborate with various experts who will contribute to the day-of occasion. Keeping your budget and objectives in mind, your event planner will begin crafting the event's strategy. Through effective planning, research, exploring options, consulting with experts, and monitoring your budget, your planner will work with you to execute a fantastic event that aligns with your vision, anticipates potential unforeseen issues, and stays within your financial limits.  Construction projects are very similar, which is why we believe Pre-Construction is absolutely essential.  Think about it: you wouldn't wait until the day before the big event to try and secure a venue, plan the menu, etc., all on your own no less, so why should you tackle a construction project any differently?

Pre-Construction and what's involved can look different from company to company.  For Bald Cypress Builders here in the Lexington, SC & Columbia, SC region, Pre-Construction is the holistic process whereby we plan every aspect of a project, from the project's structural drawings, to the project's design direction and material components, to the project's detailed budget, to the execution game plan, & everything in between...all before we every actually start construction.  This is the stage where our Team + YOU become united, working together from start to finish designing your ideal project.  Pre-Construction involves multiple steps:

Project Feasibility

• Municipality/code requirements
• HOA requirements
• Property survey
• Safety testing (mold/asbestos)

Structural Design

• Existing layout ("as-built")
• Demolition plan
• New/proposed layout
• Foundation plan
• Framing plan
• Roof plan
• Exterior elevations/cross sections 

Aesthetic/Functional Design

• Detailed design direction (how you want things to work/function, colors, finish aesthetic, etc.)
• Mood boards
• Realistic renderings
• Electrical function, layout, & lighting fixtures
• Plumbing function, layout & plumbing fixtures
• Custom millwork details (ex. wainscot, wall paneling, crown molding, etc.)
• Selection of fixtures/finishes (ex. tile, mirrors, flooring, bathroom hardware, wall colors, etc.)
• Guided showroom visits to see & feel options

Project Budgeting & Value Engineering

• Detailed project costs based on project feasibility information, structural design, aesthetic/functional design, & client preferences
• Expert-recommended build strategy to "value engineer" project costs & goals (guidance on how to achieve your functional/aesthetic goals while ensuring a long-lasting quality, AND while staying within your budget)
• Trade Partner meetings & budgeting (folks who will have a hand in executing project details will put their eyes on things & provide cost & execution information)

Execution Schedule & Game Plan

• Detailed project timeline based on unique scopes of work (start to finish schedule)
• Clients' construction prep needs (what needs to be done at the property in order for construction to begin)
• Timeline for temporarily relocating during construction OR timeline for moving out of construction zone for the duration of construction (if remaining in the home during the project)
• High-level order of events so you know which scopes of work will be happening & when

What Pre-Construction Will Do for Your Project

• Helps ensure your priorities are kept front and center from the first conversation through project completion
• Helps you see your project before it's built (structural drawings, renderings, design visuals, etc.)
• Ensures the small details, that are often the most special, are accounted for from the start
• Helps you anticipate & decide what it will cost & what you're comfortable investing
• Reduces during construction decisions because most items are planned well in advance
• Helps expedite timeline/schedule because details are planned AND material can be ordered ahead of time to avoid material delays
• Helps avoid costly mistakes through intentional, proactive, problem-solving expertise from industry professionals
• Reduces decision fatigue & overwhelm due to the expert guidance from our Team, capturing your taste, design style, functional goals of the new space, quality level, & the aspects that excite you most
• Allows early material orders to ensure things are available and in place before construction starts which allows us to stay on schedule

If you invest in Pre-Construction, you will:

• have a more beautiful space that intentionally captures your vision & functional goals

• you'll be back in your new space QUICKER due to strategic, frontend planning

• you'll end up spending less money overall through careful attention to detail from start to finish

Mistakes You'll Avoid

The overarching goal of Pre-Construction is to be intentional, thoughtful, researched, & prepared for the execution of a construction project. Everyone involved should know exactly what's going to happen, have a clear understanding of what the project will cost, and have confidence in the project's vision coming to life in a quality way. Jumping into a project WITHOUT getting into the level of detail guaranteed by our design-build Pre-Construction process opens up the risk of:

• Jumping into a project vision without the budget in mind, leading to overspending, cutting corners at later stages of the project, and/or the inability to even finish
• Moving forward with a project idea without exploring & verifying the buildability/feasibility (i.e., will it even work?)
• Schedule delays - late material decisions leading to behind-schedule delivery dates or availability, and/or not having details nailed down, causing confusion for the folks bringing things to life in the field, can significantly slow down the project's progress
• Costly mistakes (ex. not exploring existing mechanical locations to learn how they'll impact the proposed new layout, then needing to backtrack during construction to work around details you could have foreseen)
• Missing opportunities to design project details in a way that are advantageous for your lifestyle, & in a way that allows you ownership over the project's costs on the frontend (ex. forgetting to incorporate under-the-cabinet lighting in your cabinetry design, or not planning to add structural blocking behind the wall where you'll eventually hang your TV)

TIME & MONEY INVESTMENT FOR PRE-CONSTRUCTION WITH BALD CYPRESS BUILDERS

Pre-Construction timelines and fees vary project to project.  Pre-Construction can take anywhere from 1 month to 6+ months depending on the scale of the project and a variety of other factors.

The financial investment for Pre-Construction also depends on the project's scale and specific needs, but can range from $3,500 - $9,000+, again depending on the scale of the project and a variety of other factors.  A percentage of that Pre-Construction Fee is applied to construction costs upon moving forward, so acts as a deposit towards your project.

WHAT IF I WANT TO INVEST IN PRE-CONSTRUCTION WITH YOUR TEAM, BUT I'M UNSURE ABOUT MOVING FORWARD WITH ACTUAL CONSTRUCTION AT THIS TIME?

We want to hear from you!  Though most of our clients move forward with construction as well, we do offer Pre-Construction as a standalone service without any obligation to move forward with construction at Pre-Construction completion.  Reach out to us to get that conversation started.

STEP BY STEP PRE-CONSTRUCTION PROCESS WITH BALD CYPRESS BUILDERS

Download an overview of the step-by-step stages of how we tackle Pre-Construction. From initial measurements of your existing space(s), to re-imagining what the new space will entail, to selecting exact materials your space will include, this step-by-step guide allows you to see how all of the Pre-Construction steps fit together.

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How do I get started with Bald Cypress Builders's Pre-Construction process?

Reach out to our Team to start the conversation on exploring YOUR unique project ideas!