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Scott Pigeon
Hoffman LLC | Director of Marketing
Phone: 920-380-2175 | Email: spigeon@hoffman.net
Hoffman LLC says business owners should be aware of each step
(Appleton, WI) 2011 is in full swing and some business owners are starting to think about expanding their facilities over the course of the year. But before the first plans are designed and a shovel goes into the ground, owners need to have a solid understanding of what the building process is all about.
“There’s always a lot of excitement surrounding the idea of a new building,” stated Terry Ellenbecker, senior project manager at Hoffman LLC, a planning, design, and construction firm in Appleton. “But it’s important to have a basic understanding of the building process in order to ensure it’s a successful project for a company.”
There are three areas that business owners should be familiar with:
Planning
Having a solid plan for a new facility is essential to the success of the entire project. A company’s challenges and opportunities should be understood so issues such as space planning, operations, sustainability goals, and budget constraints can be considered. “This is the time to bring the company’s stakeholders together to determine the goals of the new building,” Ellenbecker stated. “Identifying the building’s objectives will help put you on the right track for the rest of the project.”
Design
Throughout the entire design process, a business owner should anticipate working with the project team to confirm that the goals and programs developed during planning are being met with the building’s layout and design. “An important element of this phase is the inclusion of construction professionals,” Ellenbecker stated. “They can provide valuable input on the building’s design in regards to constructability, material selection, industry trends, schedule impact, sustainability, and making sure the design fits the project budget.”
Construction
As the design is completed and construction starts, the building will begin to take shape and the construction manager will play a prominent role. Obtaining multiple bids from subcontractors, qualifying those bids, and making subcontractor selections are critical to the success of the project. Having a dedicated project superintendent on site daily allows them to coordinate and monitor all construction activity on behalf of the company. They will ensure that standards for schedule, safety, quality, and sustainability are being met.
Ellenbecker says that the planning, design, and construction of a building project is most successful when approached as a seamless process that, from the building’s conception, uses a consistent project team comprised of planners, designers, engineers, construction managers, and expert consultants. “Each phase of the process has important elements that influence others, and having a single source of responsibility will help ensure that success,” said Ellenbecker.
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Hoffman LLC, based in Appleton, Wisconsin, is a firm of planning, design, and construction professionals whose mission is to make a positive impact on people’s lives and their environment by providing creative ideas and responsible solutions. Total Project Management: Vision Taken to the Power of Green® (TPMg), is Hoffman’s exclusive process that integrates efficient, healthy, and cost-effective building solutions that respect the environment while enhancing a building’s quality and value and reducing initial and long-term facility costs. Learn more at http://www.hoffman.net.
Hoffman was the first commercial planning, architectural, and construction management firm in Wisconsin to be awarded membership in Green America’s Green Business Network, the oldest association of socially and environmentally responsible businesses in the country.
