Wolgast Blog - Construction Trends, Tips and Information

1. Fast track construction
2. Less risk for the owner
3. Single point of responsibility
4. Guaranteed schedule & budget
5. Team collaboration
6. Quality construction for better value
7. More bids collected by one entity to narrow down the lowest price

As business owners become more aware of the benefits of Design-Build Construction, the delivery method continues to chisel a bigger piece of market share throughout the U.S. and is expected to reach 47% usage rate by 2025, according to FMI¹, a 5% increase from just 2 years ago.  In their DBIA Design-Build Utilization Update - September 2021, they evaluated the United States Census Bureau, stakeholder surveys, industry reports, associations, and government agency databases, and determined the usage of delivery methods within the construction industry and found that the East North Central Midwest region will experience a 6.0% growth in Progressive Design-Build projects by 2025.  Also, highway/street, educational, and manufacturing will have the highest compound annual growth rate (CAGR) adopting Design-Build project delivery. 

Less Risk for the Owner + the Right People Collaborating + Competitive Bids + Adequate Time

Business leaders have to make so many diverse decisions every day.  Some decisions are within their area of expertise, others are an educated guess, while even more require an outside source to help direct them. 

Whether a business is a restaurant, office, manufacturing plant, or school, having a building exterior remodel strategy can make a project very efficient and beneficial for a building owner. A plan should include incorporating low maintenance materials, safety elements, easy accessibility, and curb appeal to serve a business well into the future, as well as cut costs, and attract new customers.

Through the pandemic, business leaders have learned that the importance of making work spaces safer within a commercial, industrial or institutional building and still be functional for workers, students, patients, patrons, clients, or whoever else may cross the threshold. Now, winter is predicted to elevate the Covid-19 spread as people are spending more time indoors sharing air. Even though many Michigan businesses are still closed from the shutdown or limited because they have made it possible for their work force to force work from home, some industries can’t have their staff working from home, schools have been going between open and closed as they navigate the infection levels, and healthcare offices are still restricting their service and who can come in the building. As these entities plan for the long haul of whatever amount of time the virus is going to be inflicting us, the keys of working at the “office” are separation, clean air, and making more things “touchless” in the business space – AKA All Things Touchless.

Light-Emitting Diode (LED) bulbs are the most efficient light option on the market, and energy companies are making them more affordable for residential and commercial clients. The market cost can seem prohibitive for business owners with hundreds of bulbs to convert, despite the fact that LED lights last much longer and use significantly less energy. In 2019, 10.4% of electricity costs in the U.S. came from lighting our businesses.¹   This figure has been trending downward from 38% in 2003 for commercial buildings².

Most of us want to retire as soon as we’re ready and able, but business owners have a unique situation of preparing for a successor to take over their operation.  Ideally, they’d have started planning for successorship early so the transition can happen during high times when business and the economy are strong.  This way the owner was able to choose the best candidate and get the anticipated value of the company.  The best successor is one that will take care of employees and clients as well or better than the predecessor did. And the best way to find them is to remove all obstacles to entice a successor who’ll continue the business legacy.

The Jack Miller Group was a former industry network for General Contractors across the United States.  In 1988, Mr. Miller had published a paper called, “Rules You Should Know before You Build Your Important Project”.   He started by stating that there are a few basic questions that business owners should ask themselves as they start to plan a construction project¹: