Saturday, 28 April 2012

Integrated Project Delivery

The last century has seen little change in construction delivery methodology except for the introduction of Construction Management. Opinions on this relatively new process, and what it has since morphed into, is a subject of much conjecture. Many believe that the incentive structure, which is linked to the project cost, benefits the Construction Management Company but defeats the interests of the owner. Under the CM system of delivery there is no real motivation for reigning in project costs.

Integrated Project Delivery (IPD) is a newer construction delivery methodology which takes a collaborative approach to delivery of a construction project. Using various innovative principles, the IPD method encourages the emphasis of projects around the final value (the finished building) created for the owner. It stresses the importance of each participant to consider the process as a whole rather than the implications of their part of construction on the overall project. IPD gathers all participants together at an early stage and applies collaborative incentives to capitalize on value for the owner. While logistics of IPD are yet to be fully tested, the fundamental philosophy of IPD offers much promise.

Platinum Builders Inc. of San Jose is a proponent of the design-build project delivery system with a firm appreciation of its complexities and pitfalls. This building company offers a full range of construction services which includes drawing up construction contracts that protect both the client and contractor. For more details of its comprehensive range of services visit http://www.platinumbuilderssanjose.com/.

Friday, 27 April 2012

It’s a Green World we live in!

The U.S. Green Building Council estimates that from 2009 to 2013, construction of green buildings will generate as much as $513 billion and create 7.9 million jobs for the domestic economy. This substantial increase in the past decade highlights the significant influence of sustainability on the Gross Domestic Product. It has also been shown that green buildings improve productivity and are healthier for occupants. A study revealed that time off for sickness was reduced by an average of 2.88 days among those who work in green buildings. Productivity has also grown exponentially by a whopping 16 percent. Additionally, the
daily operating costs of green buildings have been reduced by an incredible 13.6 percent. 77 percent of the construction industry believes that green buildings will increase industry revenue. Sustainable buildings have been proven to fetch a higher return on investment through higher demand, a market acceptance of higher rents and lower vacancy rates. Green sustainable buildings have made an indelible mark and are here to stay.

Platinum Builders of San Jose is a socially responsible construction management company which enthusiastically promotes the construction of green buildings. This design-build company aspires to promote the sustainable building philosophy with its clients in all construction projects in which it is involved. For an insight into its operation methodology please click on http://www.platinumbuildersinc.com/.

The Design-Build Advantage

Design-build is a construction industry project delivery system where design and construction services of a project are allotted to a single entity. This is also called a single point of responsibility contract which significantly benefits the project owner and the entity which accepts the responsibility. Some advantages of such a contract are:

Budget management – budgeting is better controlled and understood starting in the design stage and is better understood by the entire team. This helps to facilitate the formulation of a realistic project cost.

Better communication – It enables continuous and effective communication from inception between the design professional and the construction expert.

Quicker project completion – Design-build projects have been proven to be completed faster because much of the formalities are cut out and communication is almost immediate.

Combining design and construction under a single umbrella is a classic example of single-window execution in which the owner reaps the benefits.

Platinum Builders Inc. of San Jose, is a design-build company that believes Design-Build is the simplest and quickest way to quality construction. The company boasts over two decades of construction management. It is a firm proponent of the design-build concept to which it owes much of its success. For more details of the design-build advantage, log on to http://www.californiabuilders.us/.

Friday, 30 March 2012

The Design Build Protocol

The success of a design build protocol is the effective collaboration of three disparate advocacies toward a common goal. It involves the architect, builder and client determining aspects that are important to them and striving for mutually acceptable solutions aimed at achieving completion of a successful project.

The architect or designer is concerned with aesthetics and volumetrics and how the project’s spaces interact and work with each other. The builder is concerned with efficiency, cost containment, safety and longevity of the building. The client has his own priorities of meeting his needs for the present and the future, and what purpose the building is expected to serve. The client is also concerned with the financial realities of the project.

There is sometimes an inherent danger in this protocol where the architect’s role is sublimated behind the contractor’s priorities, which no longer makes it a collaborative effort. Platinum Builders, which follows the design build protocol, has successfully circumvented this possibility. The results are evident in the numerous construction projects the company has completed over two decades in the construction industry. If your building project demands a highly efficient construction management company then you should be
talking to Platinum Builders of San Jose. To know more of its design build philosophy visit http://www.californiabuilders.us/.

The Design Build Advantage

When a designer and builder work as a team on a construction project rather than as separate entities, the concept is known as Design-Build. The designer and builder could work together as a joint venture or one could be the sub-contractor of the other. While there are potential pitfalls to this arrangement, this is often not the case. In fact, this arrangement is advantageous and allows for single-point accountability and efficiency. An owner does not have to deal with multifarious agencies where the onus of responsibility often overlaps and becomes difficult to pinpoint. A significant design-build advantage is that building project goals are well understood and straightforward. Design-build is fast growing because of the plethora of its advantages. It is now accepted in the industry as a high performance construction project delivery system and a preferred alternative to the conventional design-bid-build philosophy. The relatively new concept of Architect-led
design-build is the popular model in today’s construction industry.

Platinum Builders, a twenty-year old San Jose construction company, has adopted the design-build model with remarkable success. If you have a construction project in the offing, regardless of size, you should consider the design-build advantage by talking to Platinum Builders. You could reach them by calling 408.456.0300 or visit http://www.sanjosecommercialcontractors.com/.

Thursday, 29 March 2012

Residential Building Procedure

If you plan to remodel your home or build a new house, you have to start with submitting a set of plans for approval to the city municipality. If these are in order, a copy of your plans will be stamped in approval. However that’s not the end of the story because the construction will have to undergo stage-wise inspections by the building inspector to see that it conforms to the approved plans and meets with all relevant building codes. Once the building is complete is undergoes the final inspection after which you will be provided with a signed certificate of occupancy with which you can have all utilities connected. The house is then considered fully ready and safe for occupancy. The inspector will examine various features, some of which which will include safety features like handrails on stairways, safety glass for hazardous locations and clear identification of electrical cut- off. In addition the bathroom fixtures will be checked as well as the water pressure.

If the project is entrusted to Platinum Builders of San Jose, all these formalities will be taken care of by them. Platinum Builders is a construction management company which is conversant with all aspects of construction beginning with building codes. To know more about how they operate and their range of construction services log on to http://http://www.californiabuilders.us/.

Avoiding Construction Site Injuries

Safety cannot be compromised at any cost at a construction site. Adopting proper construction safety procedures and using the right tools minimizes safety risks to a large extent. Inculcating safety awareness in people of all levels working at a site is imperative. Short cut methods should never be accepted or condoned. Most accidents that happen at a construction site result in hand injuries. Recognizing the hazards in advance can prevent the majority of construction site injuries. Using the right machinery and operational tools for the job goes a long way in preventing accidents and injuries. Keeping machinery and tools in good working order is equally critical. The right tool not only provides an element of safety but also gets the job done quicker and more conveniently. Protective gear like construction shoes, helmets, gloves, finger guards and arm protectors should be used whenever required, helmets and construction shoes at all times.

Safety is a critical consideration for Platinum Builders, a construction management company in San Jose. This is a full-service building company that undertakes projects from design planning and engineering design to actual building, in fact any aspect of construction. It prides itself on following the highest construction standards starting with construction site safety. For details of Platinum Builders’ expertise and services, log on to http://www.generalcontractorssanjose.net/