Thursday 27 October 2011

ROLE OF A CONSTRUCTION MANAGEMENT FIRM

Construction management is the general coordination and planning of a project from the beginning to the end. This method is aimed at meeting a project owner’s construction requirements while keeping the project functionally and monetarily viable so that it completes on time and within authorized budget and to the set quality guidelines. Basically, project management is the procedure by which a construction project is brought to a successful close.

There are several firms that offer these services. The expert teams work together from the beginning of the project to project’s completion with the sole objective to best serve the client’s interests. The functions of construction management firm typically include the following:

• Identifying project plans and objectives including description of scope, scheduling, budgeting, setting  performance requirements, and choosing project participants.

• Raising resource efficiency by procurement of materials, labor, and equipment.

• Implementing different operations through accurate coordination and control of design planning, estimation, contracting and construction in the whole process.

• Creating effective mechanisms and communications for solving conflicts


Platinum Builders Inc. is a California based construction management company that is known for its insight and sensitivity towards the project owner’s goals. The company can take care of any facet of construction management in the most ingenious way. It has a squad of experts who work together with the clients and take out time to understand their requirements in detail. Before beginning the construction, budgets, time, and other constraints are properly studied. Since the company takes care of all the sectors, project owners can devote their time on other significant areas such as setting up a plan for the use of the new building.

Wednesday 26 October 2011

Responsibilities Of a General Contractor

A general contractor is responsible for managing a construction project plan from the start to finish. The job includes day-to-day oversight of the site, managing trades and vendors, and keeping communication between the owner and other parties transparent throughout the duration of a project. Hiring a general contractor is a great advantage to the project owner as he does not have to worry about labor, equipment, engineering
vehicles, material, and other services required for the construction of the project. The contractor gets all these tasks done by hiring specialized subcontractors to carry out segments or all of the construction work required to execute the building construction plan .

Depending upon how big the project is, the responsibilities may also include:

• Filing building permits and securing a property,
• Managing workers on site
• Recycling or disposing of construction waste
• Monitoring cash flows and schedules
• Maintaining precise records.

Before starting construction, the contractor first assesses the project through tender documents. Sometimes a site visit is also required to get a better perceptive of the project. As a result of this, the service provider generates a price estimate. This estimate is drawn after considering the cost of equipment, materials, and labor to provide the project owner with a rough price for the project. One of the most prominent names
in the general contracting industry is Platinum Builders Inc. Based in California, the company is known for its foresight, and efficiency. It offers estimates early in the construction planning phase to save time and money. Moreover, the teams of experienced professionals make it possible to attain- date-certain delivery, cost
certainty, and realistic expectations. Platinum is valued for using state of the art technological tools to enhance project partnerships and communications.

Tuesday 25 October 2011

PRE-CONSTRUCTION SERVICES HELP PROJECT OWNERS STAY WITHIN

Pre-construction services are critical to the ultimate performance of the work. These services are offered by several commercial builders to help optimize the value of the project via coordination and early planning. Experts believe that time delays are the main contributor to amplified cost on construction projects. Successful projects start controlling time from the onset, long before the scope is fully defined. Hence, one of the first efforts of a pre construction service provider is to develop a theoretical master plan with a conceptual budget estimate.

Scheduling:

A project time schedule is developed that incorporates and coordinates the architect’s design efforts with the construction schedules. This schedule is updated regularly with a detailed time schedule for the construction operations of the project, such as duration of activities, realistic activity sequences, allocation of materials and labor, and delivery of products.

Estimation:

Throughout the design planning, development, and construction document phases, the construction managers work directly with the project owner's team to refine the schedule and budget in detail as the scope of the construction project is further refined. The team provides the most cost-effective and efficient input to the design team.

Value Engineering:

Value engineering involves providing recommendations on availability of materials, construction feasibility, time requirements for construction and installation, labor, availability, and elements related to cost including preliminary budgets, costs of alternative materials or designs, and detailed estimates with all value engineering. Proper planning is the most important part of any project. Platinum Builders Inc. is a prominent pre-construction services provider that offers facilities such as- time scheduling, cost estimation, value engineering and the like. These services can be availed singly or as a package. When pre-construction services are utilized proficiently, they can lead to decrease in alterations in the design build process, and reduction in the likelihood of the project going out of budget or schedule.

Monday 24 October 2011

DESIGN BUILD: A BLESSING FOR CONSTRUCTION PROJECT OWNERS

Design-build is a modern project delivery system used by the construction industry. It is a process in which the construction and design services are handled by a single entity known as the design–build contractor. Basically, design–build offers single point of responsibility and is employed to minimize risks for the stake holders and project owner and to trim down the delivery schedule by coinciding the design phase and construction phase of a construction project.

The "design–builder" is normally a general contractor, who further employs sub contractors from both the construction and design sector. Some contractors may even have their own teams of designers and construction workers exclusively working for them. Proponents of this approach believe that it saves time and money for the project owner, while offering the chance to achieve the targeted goal with success. They also note that the method allows stake owners and project owners to avoid being positioned directly between the contractor and the design build architects /engineers. Moreover, the owner is not responsible for any errors as design build places the faults on the design–builder, freeing the owner of big legal and managerial responsibilities.

One of the prominent names in the construction industry that offer design-build services is Platinum Builders Inc. The company is known for its expertise and efficiency. In fact, these design build contractors make sure each phase of the project, from design to scheduling and from cost estimation to construction, are flawless and everything is taken care of in the most professional manner. Moreover, the company can also handle any type of industrial project, irrespective of how complicated it may be.

Thursday 20 October 2011

Pre-construction Services keep Projects on Schedule


Pre-construction services are additional services provided by some construction management companies or builders at the front-end of a project. These services help the project owner achieve the desired building design and budget goals.

The facilities offered during the pre-construction phase will differ depending on the type of project in hand, contractors hired and the point at which they are hired. Below are a few of the services the contractor will provide during the pre-construction process.
EstimatesAt different periods of the pre-construction process, the contractor will provide the owner with preliminary cost estimates. As the project starts, estimates will be updated and the information will become more accurate.
Value Engineering
If there is any discrepancy between client budgets and initial designs, the contractor can advise on alternate construction and material methods to bring them in sync.
Scheduling
Construction scheduling works the same way as estimates. The commercial builders will develop a schedule that shows timelines of various activities that will occur during the process of construction. This schedule will be updated as the project design evolves.

Proper design and planning is an important part of any project. Platinum Builders Inc.
, a leading pre-construction services provider, offers facilities that are designed to provide the essential pre-project planning, scheduling and cost development, and value engineering prior to the beginning of a construction process. When these services are utilized efficiently, they can lead to a reduction in changes to the design build process, as well as keeping the project staying on budget and schedule.

Hiring a General Contractor for Executing a Construction Plan

A general contractor is a dedicated project manager who can take a construction plan and oversee all aspects of a construction project. from preparation to the finishing touches. This can also include obtaining the required permits, hiring subcontractors, maintaining records and scheduling on-budget and on-time delivery of materials.

Most project owners have a hard time finding a general contractor that can be trusted with the construction project plan. The best way to make sure a service provider is reliable is to contact the Better Business Bureau (BBB) to see if it has had any complaints filed against it. Try to get into specifics. Often grievances are caused due to small problems or by lack of communication. It’s essential to remember that even a reputable general contractor can get occasional complaints but what’s more important is how it handled them. However, a long list of complaints against a company is not acceptable because that means there’s a serious problem of competency. It’s also important that the general contractor has proper insurance and licenses. The project owner can go online to verify with the state licensing board to find out if the particular contractor is listed.

 Platinum Builders Inc. is a California based general contractor that can save you money on your next construction project. The company is valued for its foresight, vision, and sensitivity towards client goals. It can estimate comprehensive costs early in the construction planning stage to save time. The problem solving ability and experience of Platinum's experts make the following benefits attainable- cost certainty, delivery certainty and realistic expectations. Platinum Builders also uses state of the art technological tools to boost project partnerships and communications.

Wednesday 19 October 2011

Design Build: New age project delivery method

 Design Build is a new project delivery system that combines engineering, architecture, and construction, into a single focus of responsibility that helps decrease overall costs and risks. There are several advantages to using this method such as, superior design, timely identification of costs, and faster project completion. This revolutionary procedure has altered the traditional construction cycle and has come as a blessing for project owners who no longer have to manage several different entities to get a construction project completed.

 Few Design Build contractors in the United States offer services as good as Platinum Builders Inc. The company combines several technologies related to the field of Design Build to remove inherent problems involved in concluding a successful project. At Platinum, teams of professionals specialize in design-oriented, comprehensive, and organizationally intensive construction projects that feature intelligent integration of material choices and sustainable building practices. The dedicated design build architects combine understanding of the building codes with realistic knowledge of construction costs during the design phase. Working together, the teams flawlessly handle details of the project from the first day to the last day of construction.

Whether your style is contemporary or craftsman, Platinum Builders Inc. can meet your office space planning requirements. The use of Design Build provides the advantage of a faultless transition from design and scheduling to cost estimation and construction. The company also welcomes clients who may already be past the design phase and can handle any kind of industrial project, no matter how complicated it may be.

Tuesday 18 October 2011

Benefits Of Construction Management

Construction of a commercial building involves several different aspects such as project planning, design planning and construction. However, to make sure all these aspects are completed on time and within budget, a highly qualified staff that can control the project effectively is required. Such expertise can only be provided by a management company with years of experience under its belt. Construction Management involves the overall coordination and planning of a development project. It is aimed at meeting precise customer requirements in order to build a functional and financially feasible project that will adhere to the appropriate quality standards.
Hiring a construction management company has several advantages. For instance, these consultants watch over every single facet of the project, whether it's planning, budgeting, or scheduling so that the project owner does not have to devote his own resources to manage the development. In addition, these consultants have several agents working with them such as engineers, attorneys, architect, and bankers who perform cost estimates to ensure that the project remains financially sound.

Platinum Builders Inc. is a leading construction management company located in San Jose, California. The company is fully equipped to take care of any aspect of construction management including planning and budgeting. Platinum's experts interact with the client and take the time to understand all the objectives and requirements behind the construction. Since Platinum takes care of all the construction management, project owners can focus on more important things such as planning the use of the new building and growing the business.

Sunday 16 October 2011

Using General Contractors for Office Space Planning


Any job that involves building or remodeling requires employing electricians, plumbers, framers, painting contractors, design build architects and several other agents. Somebody has to manage these contractors to make sure they finish on scheduled time. The whole chain is delicate and if anything goes off, the whole construction business plan has to be attuned accordingly. In addition, raw materials and other supplies must also be ordered and paid for on time, and licenses must be attained to ensure there are no glitches later on.

So unless a project owner is okay with coordinating the process, paying sub-contractors, ordering supplies and managing a construction planit’s best to hire a general contractor. General contractors have their own team and own set of subcontractors whom they have used previously. They put together a specialized team and synchronize all the activities while paying the employed sub-contractors from the one check project owner writes to the contractor. Apart from this, hiring general contractors saves a lot of unwanted results. They are professionals who can perform every task smoothly and perfectly. Before they begin the job, they conduct an on-site inspection, and ensure they know exactly what the project owner is looking for before offering an estimated cost.

Platinum Builders is a San Jose based general contractor and construction management company that offers various construction services for commercial projects. The company has years of experience and strong vendor/ sub-contractor relationships which ensure high quality construction at competitive pricing.

Friday 14 October 2011

The Various Stages of Design Build


The job of every great design build contractor is to coordinate the intricacies of a project with architects, engineers, designers and other concerned departments to help project owners with the whole construction process. The first step of design build is the meeting between contractor and the owner where they discuss what it is that the owner would like to achieve. This allows contractors to inspect the land and take some general notes. During the following meeting, the design build company discusses the most essential part of the process - design. To determine what the client is looking for, a team of designers are sent to figure out answers to questions such as- how would the project owner like the building to be built, and the products that he wants to see being used.
After the design phase comes the drawing phase where the design build architects get busy. They draw several sets of architectural drawings for the project owner to review. Once a drawing has been selected, permits are attained from governing bodies. After the formalities have been taken care of, specifications and plans are completed and the design build company generates a proposal or estimate to perform the work. Following the approval of the estimates, the company starts construction on a specific schedule. This schedule has a start and completion date, total duration of each phase and which person will perform what task.

The biggest advantage of this entire process is that everything is transparent from start to finish. There are no short-cuts and money is not wasted unnecessarily. One of the most prominent names in California that offers design build solutions is Platinum Builders. This company offers an integrated approach to design build which assists in creating a team of professionals who are capable of constructing buildings tailored to the project owner’s needs.

Thursday 13 October 2011

Building Green with an Environmentally Friendly Construction Management Company

Green building is an approach to construction with the goal of not only making a building look better, but work better—for both the owner and the environment. This method assists in realizing a range of benefits from a singular smart design. With proper planning, commercial builders can create a space that combines efficiency, beauty, comfort and ease with health and preservation.

Green building, or sustainable building, is a chance to create an office that improves the environment, instead of exhausting it. With a project such as this, the stake holders are reassured that the construction management company will be more resource efficient, reduce waste, and recycle everything that is left over to decrease the amount of raw materials dumped in landfills. Apart from this, green construction is also good for the project owner and the staff since health-focused designs enhance natural light and fresh air, while reducing the danger of injury or asthma. Moreover, these designs are also energy efficient and reduce monthly bills.

Green building is about making sure our future generations enjoy natural resources just as we do today. However, it is not a new concept. Several companies around the world have been using such green building techniques for more than a decade to construct office spaces. One of these green contractor’s is Platinum Builders. This San Jose based design build company has been dedicated to creating efficiency, comfort, beauty, and a more healthful environment in work places by making use of environmentally friendly products that also save money. The team of experts here provides project owners with construction plans that enhance the environmental impact of the project.

Wednesday 12 October 2011

Advantages of Construction Management


Construction management is a newer model used by companies to handle renovation and building processes. According to this system, a construction manager acts as an agent for the project owner –wherein he is responsible for hiring subcontractors and authorizing payments from the project owner directly. A construction management company is normally paid a fraction of the project cost. The benefit of using this delivery system is that the project owner, as the client, has complete control over the whole procedure. Essentially, the construction manager acts as an assistant to the project owner, and since the project owner has complete control over the construction process he or she can intrude during negotiations with subcontractors and suppliers.
Another great benefit of utilizing construction management services is that if in case there are any potential savings to be realized during construction (possibly a discount from a subcontractor or special buy), the savings are for the project owner.
Platinum Builders is a San Jose based construction Management Company comprising of a specialist team of engineers and managers. The company makes use of state of the art technological tools to enhance project communications and partnerships and can work on any kind of construction plan from scratch. The professional team makes sure all quality expectations are met and that the whole project is finished on time and within budget.