Your office or business location says a lot about who you are through how you present yourself to the public, including potential clients. There are many reasons to consider a commercial remodeling project, and in most cases there are multiple benefits to taking on this type of project as well. Some benefits include energy savings, higher employee morale and retention, and supporting other local businesses by contracting their services. Additionally, updating the look of your business can even generate good press or serve to re-brand your business. If your office or business needs to be spruced up a bit, or needs an entire facelift, there are plenty of options to consider when it comes to planning and executing a commercial remodeling project.
For any type of commercial renovations, Cheever Construction is a full-service general contractor who will coordinate all build-out or renovation operations. In addition to completing raw ‘shell’ spaces, their superintendents and crews excel at renovation of existing spaces; many times while the office or business remains open and functioning. Cheever’s staff of experienced finish carpenters can professionally install custom casework, countertops, doors and trim. They offer a service-oriented approach that includes flexibility to work around an owner/tenant schedule, direct communication with owner needs and the ability to phase the work scope. Whether you are remodeling for general office use, or for banking, retail or medical capabilities, Cheever has a documented history of successful performance for their clients. The planning stage of a commercial remodel is crucial, and they highly recommend meeting first to outline the desired objectives for the project, such as amount of increased footage, what level of durability is necessary for materials, task lighting or ergonomic requirements you wish to achieve, and any issues with sound transfer. Wes Oestreich, President of Cheever Construction, explains that the extent of a remodel or build-out will also determine the need for professional design assistance or guidance in obtaining the necessary building permits that will be required. Among the most popular upgrade features in today’s market that a designer can help with are porcelain tiles, granite or solid surfaces and countertops, vinyl wall coverings, and LED lighting. These all serve to extend the durability of finishes and can reduce maintenance expenses. There are also some major factors to consider as you make an investment in improving your surroundings for work purposes, and questions you should answer before you proceed. How long do you intend to stay at this location? Are clean-up and durability a concern for your use of the space? Does your exterior façade need an upgrade to enhance your public image? In addition to your public image, investing in upgrades to your existing space will improve attitudes and pride for your employees. Additionally, improvements in ergonomics, lighting and furnishings generally translate into more productivity and positive impressions of your office or business.
Updating windows can drastically change the outside appearance of your business, as well as changing the appearance, lighting and temperature inside. Walt Grantski, owner of Lifestyle Drapery Services, advises to consider where your employees’ work area will be located in relation to the window walls. Many commercial spaces have large aluminum storefront window areas, allowing vast amounts of heat and glare to penetrate the workspace. Owners need to be conscious of how close to the windows that employees or clients will be situated for work or meetings. Generally speaking, the closer to the window, the more opaque you will want the shade to be. Many modern shading fabrics also allow the view to be maintained while reflecting the heat and dispersing the glare. Other things to consider are whether you will want any areas of your new space to be private and what you are using each space for (if you are integrating technology for visual aids, presentations or lighting). These areas will also require different types of fabrics incorporated into the shades. Lifestyle Drapery Services offers their standard array of energy saving shading products, as well as the traditional metal blinds. If you are installing new windows that are a different size than the old ones, they can re-size your existing blinds to accommodate the change. This normally yields a significant savings over purchasing new shades, and is a great way to be green by re-using shades that may not need to be replaced. Lifestyle Drapery’s expertise ranges from a small lease space to large multi-story commercial building structures, and they have collaborated with private owners as well as developers in the downtown Lincoln area.
Do you have clients that visit your place of business? Quite often, the item most overlooked or prioritized last when planning and budgeting for a commercial remodeling project is the wall décor. The art on your walls says a lot about your company. It can also help create a positive work environment for your employees. To ensure the appearance of your office is helping you make a lasting impression, Hangups Gallery can assist by putting the finishing touch on your business décor. Steve Petersen, owner of Hangups Gallery, recommends getting your art/framing provider involved early on in the design phase of your remodel. The best time to select art and framing is when you are making decisions on furniture and colors. Framed fine art prints, limited editions, and canvas reproductions are available featuring today’s trends and themes. In addition to fine art and prints, there may be other elements that may add a personal touch to your business. These might include:
• Company certificates, awards, magazine or newspaper articles, and success stories
• Corporate history, building blueprints, founders’ photographs, the company’s first dollar earned
• Shadowbox framing for important memorabilia, corporate logos, or insignias
• Mounting and/or framing of presentation materials or signage
There is an unlimited selection of frame choices, and a wide variety of colors and textures in matting. If you have an interior designer involved, they can assist in coordinating all the elements of the design and work side by side with your framer. Petersen also employs designers at Hangups Gallery who can help you select the right art and framing. When selecting a custom framer, other things to consider are:
• Do they use preservation materials such as acid-free matting, backing, and conservation glass? (If your materials are important enough to frame, they are likely important enough to preserve!)
• Do they offer free on-site consultation?
• Do they deliver and offer professional installation? Do they provide secure hanging systems?
• Do they offer re-framing and/or repair of framed art? (There may be some pieces that just need some TLC and that can be reused.)
Security is another important area that many businesses could benefit from improving or updating at any time, but there is no better time to do so than during a remodel in order to remain cohesive with the other changes in your facility. AlarmLink provides a variety of security systems that incorporate cutting-edge technology and numerous customizable features. Cloud-based camera systems and wireless IP cameras reduce the amount of hardware and cost of this equipment while providing reliable surveillance and can be easily accessed by the business owner or other authorized personnel. By controlling your facility, you are also protecting the assets inside such as products, equipment and databases that include private company, account or client information. You can monitor this information remotely, whether you are at home or across the country, through your smartphone, PC, laptop or tablet. R.J. Lipert, owner of AlarmLink, adds that several popular features among businesses are cameras that have a spotlight or play a recorded alert message once activated, which not only captures an image but makes the intruder aware of this as well, deterring them from any further criminal activities during the time it takes for response. Additionally, cameras can be placed in many elusive spots, such as inside light fixtures or can be wired into hidden areas that may be blocked or need special attention. AlarmLink is locally owned and operated, providing technical support by phone or in person 24 hours a day year round.
ABC Electric Company plays many roles in the construction or renovation process. For commercial remodeling projects, their primary roles include producing cost estimates, procurement of building materials in a timely fashion, providing the labor workforce and project management teams, as well as scheduling and cost accounting their portion of the work. ABC Electric is a family owned local business with more than 80 years of continuous service to the community, spanning four generations. They are qualified to perform any electrical service you may require and are responsive and conscientious. John Whitmer of ABC Electric says that they prefer to be involved as early as possible to help in the building design and accurate cost estimates for the electrical portion of the project. This also helps to ensure the specific electrical requirements of the owner are being filled with the most economical options available. Whitmer adds that there are numerous energy saving lighting options to consider when remodeling your office or business, and among the best are LED lighting and occupancy sensors. ABC Electric can perform all facets of the electrical construction process including low voltage and data wiring, fiber optic cabling, control wiring, power and lighting requirements, underground and overhead high voltage installations and termination, parking lot and site lighting, traffic signal wiring and street lighting. ABC Electric Company feels strongly that their success has always been measured by that of their customers’, and as the first ever winner of the Better Business Bureau Integrity Award they pride themselves on customer service, workmanship and attention to all details of any project from start to finish.
Presentation and first impressions are key in business, as it’s important to stay current and relevant to attract new customers and maintain your current ones. Often your customers will be energized and excited about the project and will look forward to the end result as much as you will. Remodels can be a great way to promote your business, but it is important be sure that they are completed in a timely manner and just as your home should be a reflection of you, your business interior should reflect your company’s mission statement. The GV Kustom Kitchens staff are interior designers, and as such they often work with the tenant or building owner to come up with an overall plan for the space and specify the interior finishes. They have cabinetry to fit most budgets and that are suitable for office spaces, multi-family dwelling units, or a custom built-in for an executive. They also carry a number of different flooring materials that are rated for commercial use such as carpet, tile and laminate wood flooring, as well as wall coverings and window treatments. There are so many great commercial products available to finish your interior that offer superior performance features. Some important considerations include how you plan to use your space and how long you need things to last. Lisa Giesbrecht of GV Kustom Kitchens says they are seeing a lot of luxury vinyl tile being introduced into multi-dwelling housing units because of the great look, but more importantly because of the long-lasting wear, easy maintenance, and the overall health impacts (doesn’t harbor dust-mites, bed-bugs, bacteria, etc.). Hotels, dorms and apartments are all making use of this relatively new product as well. Carpet tiles are another great product to use in commercial spaces because of the ease of replacement if you have any sort of damage to the flooring in the future. They also make access to in-floor technology much easier. Commercial remodels can be tricky, as you are often still conducting business out of the space during the process. Giesbrecht advises that scheduling the work in stages can often ease the headache and minimize the inconvenience. During the remodel, you should also work to keep the mess to a minimum and try to schedule noisy work after hours so that your staff can continue their work and customers won’t feel like they are intruding.
Scott O’Neill of The Restoration Pros, Inc. agrees that remodeling of commercial areas can often be stressful on the business owner, so the more organized and detailed the plans are right from the beginning the smoother the remodel is likely to go. The Restorations Pros will run the whole project for you, and work with great sub-contractors who handle plumbing, electrical and HVAC projects on a daily basis. All other work is handled in-house by their experienced staff, and they also have a design team that can assist with planning and designs along with a showroom that is an excellent source for generating ideas. O’Neill says they can handle just about anything regarding commercial remodeling projects, starting with demo of the existing structure all the way through to the finished project. He recommends setting a budget and sticking to it as much as possible, to consider and take a look at all options available, get more than one estimate and ALWAYS hire a contractor you can trust.
When you choose a builder for any project, it is important to have one that has experience—your business cannot afford to settle for anything less. Lacy Construction is a design builder that can provide a complete construction package, including surveying of the existing building, work flow analysis, code and life safety analysis, structural surveying, additional planning and future casting your facility. Future casting is the practice of trying to envision your company’s future. While companies spend a lot of time predicting what sales will be like in the future, they spend surprisingly little time actually thinking about other factors that impact the future. Jerry Lacy, owner of Lacy Construction, advises to consider what the organizational look to your company would be in 5 – 10 years and then allow your builder to plan the renovations to your facility for that future need. All of the work does not have to be completed at once but in planning now for that time frame, you will reduce future building costs. Besides the importance of future casting factors such as business dynamics, trajectory and evolution; you should consider with your builder what to expect during the construction process. If you need absolute quiet and dust free conditions, you may want to move to a temporary location during the construction work. Lacy notes that they schedule owner-occupied projects with the least amount of interference and interruption possible. Nevertheless, there will be noise and dust created by the construction process and he agrees that it is wise to plan accordingly.
Nate Krieser of Krieser Drywall also emphasizes that the perfect time to upgrade insulation is during a remodel for this reason. If your utility bills have been high or it gets uncomfortable in your business location when the extreme Nebraska temperatures are in full swing, Krieser Drywall can do blower testing and inspection of your current insulation to find areas of air leakage of under-insulated areas. Another area they can help you with is sound barriers—if there are sound transmission issues between offices or meeting rooms they can provide you options to solve this type of problem. Krieser Drywall offers a comprehensive selection of insulation and drywall services, including work with grid ceilings as well. If you are considering remodeling your facility within the next few months, Krieser notes that LES currently has a rebate program that includes commercial properties for insulation upgrades this year through their Sustainable Energy Program (SEP). SEP offers a variety of energy efficiency incentives that are available for items such as air conditioners, heat pumps, insulation, building controls, compressed air, variable frequency drives, system commissioning and custom rebates. Specified requirements must be met in order to receive rebates under this program, and it will close for the year once all incentive funds have been obligated.
Commercial remodels often include a rehabilitation of the landscape. After all, the entrance to the property or “curb appeal” is your customer’s first impression of your business. If the exterior of the property is run down or the landscape is overrun with weeds and out of control growth, the potential customer will assume the commercial entity has difficulty managing projects or offering a quality product or service. If you are considering improving your landscaping as a part of a commercial remodeling project, Ray’s Lawn and Home Care can assist you in planning and executing this portion of the job. Many businesses request low maintenance landscaping with a great deal of color and texture, and this is easy to achieve with the help of their knowledgeable staff. Ken Svoboda, owner of Ray’s Lawn and Home Care, says they are also finding more commercial clients are interested in finishing touches such as pondless water features and outdoor areas for employees to sit and relax in a shaded or private area. These are features that can be added to a project without busting a remodel budget, and also offer a great deal of interest and show pride in your grounds and facilities. It is also very important when planning to remodel your place of business that you plan for the growth of plants you wish to incorporate into the landscaping. Svoboda says, “You’d be surprised how often we are asked to review a commercial property where trees were planted so close to the building that an entire half the tree had been pruned to keep from damaging the siding. Or shrubroses that were planted too close to a sidewalk that when fully grown would grab at every silk skirt that walked by. Simple is better when it comes to commercial landscape design. Too many plantings can be a hiding place for those wanting to break-in to the building or jump an employee.” He adds that the landscape should always be a reflection of the business. A financial facility should show a firm yet financially prudent landscape with mature trees and a well-managed appearance. A retail operation might consider a whimsical landscape with sculptures, a variety of bright vibrant colors and grasses that bend and flow with the wind. Svoboda advises commercial property managers and owners to include a landscape designer in the initial stages of the project review, as colors, textures and themes can be incorporated in the exterior landscape to provide a great flow from outside to inside the business. The best service Ray’s Lawn and Home Care can offer commercial clients is peace of mind that nothing will be overlooked or neglected. As a consultant, they give their clients a second set of eyes in what others may see in their property.
Jeff Nelson of Husker Organics also emphasizes that your commercial space creates the first impression for your clients, visitors and employees. Having a nice, clean presentation is crucial! Nelson advises to make sure you hire a maintenance company that will not only improve but maintain the upkeep of your grounds, including keeping weeds out of the parking lot and sidewalk cracks, regularly applying appropriate fertilizers, controlling weeds in the green space, and aerating/overseeding your grounds each fall. While improving the outside of your business can really transform your look and presentation, the appearance will quickly fade if neglected or not properly cared for on a routine basis. Nelson adds, “On a commercial property, consider planting durable, native plants in beds of mulch or river rock in areas that might receive a lot of reflected heat from the building or windows. Additionally, the area next to the building is often a difficult place to grow a needy plant like turf, because you want to keep irrigation water from spotting windows or staining siding. A mulch bed can be an excellent buffer, while providing great results for plant growth and a clean appearance.” Husker Organics also offers an all-natural program that will have your property looking amazing—the safe way! This program uses effective organic compounds that are 100% safe for kids, animals and the environment. Maintaining a care regimen once you have renovated and landscaped your property is essential. This regimen includes aeration, four organic fertilizer applications, and appropriate mowing and watering practices that will truly nourish your soil and plants. Husker Organics uses truly all-natural, locally produced products to feed your lawn. Rather than simply treating the symptoms of a struggling lawn with items made in a factory, they build the soil to support your lawn. This program includes five steps to feed your lawn, prevent weed seed germination, build organic matter in the soil and increase the beneficial microbial activity in your soil. Step one is the application of corn gluten meal. This is a higher nitrogen product to help get that green going in the spring, and provide some natural pre-emergent effects to prevent several prevalent types of annual weeds. Step two adds liquid compost tea. This will help add important, beneficial microorganisms to your soil, and serve as a method of natural disease prevention as well as a mild fertilizer. Steps three and four include applications of alfalfa meal. These applications provide a lower amount of nitrogen for the summer, when too much nitrogen will promote too much top-growth and use water, while continuing to effectively “spoon-feed” your lawn important nutrients and add organic matter to the soil. Step five ends with another application of corn gluten meal, ending the summer season with a pre-emergent to try and limit the amount of weed seeds that may germinate late in the season, and get you started on the next year of having a beautiful landscape presentation for your clients, customers, employees and community to enjoy! Remodeling can be tough on your property, and can change your outside appearance significantly. Utilizing these methods will ensure that your lawn and plants bounce back quickly, as well as protecting the investment you have made in new plants and nurture areas of your lawn that were re-seeded after being torn up or exposed after the remodel.
JL Exteriors can also offer many services that will improve the outside appearance or your building. They can accommodate just about any project involved in the exterior portion of your remodel, including several options for siding, roofing installation or improvement, windows and doors, or even deck additions for meeting or employee break space. As a locally owned and operated Exterior Contractor, they have earned a reputation for excellence in Lincoln. Lance Roach of JL Exteriors emphasizes that they will always put your needs first and will do all they can to ensure each job is done in a timely matter, with attention to every detail, in order to maintain their goal of overwhelming customer satisfaction.
From the beginning stages to the finished product, Tru-Built Construction provides a variety of commercial remodeling services in Lincoln and the surrounding areas. In the beginning stages of planning your project, they offer expertise as well as design services. Bo Jones of Tru-Built says “starting a remodeling project without a plan is like setting sail across the ocean without a compass. There is no clear direction and a lot of time is wasted. When considering a remodeling project, it is necessary to have basic drawings or a set of plans to work from. The more thorough the plan, the easier it is to get accurate estimates on the overall project cost and to help eliminate unforeseen surprises. Tru-Built has the ability to assist in the design and planning phase of your project in conjunction with providing our services for the job itself, and will bring our expertise to the design table and help to identify potential issues and guide the project down the right path from the beginning.” Tru-Built produces great results for both interior and exterior remodeling projects, and offer several simple recommendations for improving your business. Tile flooring is a very common upgrade to any room, especially for high traffic areas that need to be durable while retaining their original luster and clean appearance. This also includes tile backsplashes, as tile options are virtually unlimited and can really add to certain areas such as restrooms or an employee break room. Decorative trim details such as crown molding, chair rail and paneling are excellent ways to add dimension and character to a room as well. A very popular update that can be done without much disruption is to replace old, outdated trim and doors with new current styles and colors. They have hundreds of styles to choose from, and new doors and trim can come pre-finished so you won’t have any mess or lingering odor. If the appearance of your staircase is outdated, you can replace it with wrought iron, aluminum, or wood spindles that are sturdy and have a decorative touch. Replacing your windows can also improve the appearance of your building, inside and out, while improving energy efficiency which will save your business money while being kind to the environment. Tru-Built can install a variety of windows, and even skylights, allowing natural light in to improve and enhance your existing lighting. Additionally, they can install or repair roofing and siding to improve the outside appearance of your building.
As a commercial General Contractor, Sandquist Construction provides complete new construction, remodeling, additions, expansions and repair work services for any size or scope of commercial remodel projects, most notably within the Lincoln community and a 75 mile radius. As a professional architect as well as a contractor, they provide a unique, expanded approach to services. These added services include business development recommendations, site selection and review, design review, budgeting and cost estimating, and other various services and recommendations with respect to remodeling, building design, return on investment, and “green” construction. Scott Sandquist of Sandquist Construction stresses that planning is always critical. Sandquist recommends to anyone considering a commercial remodel that they first develop at least a five-year master plan for their business and related facility needs, which allows for a more accurate approach to any remodeling work that may be under consideration. On repairs and smaller projects not requiring professional design services, Sandquist Construction has the in-house staff and necessary expertise to suggest the most cost-effective approaches to the work, while on larger projects they team with architects and engineers to recommend the most cost-effective design solutions. Sandquist states, “In the Midwest and certainly in the Lincoln area, the ‘Great Recession’ with regard to building construction is largely over. Fortunately, interest rates, real estate costs and construction costs remain comparatively quite low; these factors suggest that there may never be a better time than right now for both new and existing businesses to move forward with any construction work that they may have delayed or may now be considering. Sandquist Construction is a general contractor in their 30th year of commercial construction business. As an architect, a commercial contractor and a developer, I am proud to say that we have the expertise to recommend or directly provide the qualified advice and services that our clients and potential clients need and depend on.”
Whether you want to improve the look of your commercial building, increase your property value, improve first impressions of your facility, further brand your business or even need to bring your building current on safety and health codes, remodeling a building is not a simple task. While many commercial property owners or landlords prefer to bring in outside help, there are still some things to consider before starting the process. Permits are usually necessary for any additions or renovations, and also depending on where your building is located, will need to be obtained months prior to starting your project. Obtaining a permit is contingent on whether the work is interior, exterior or both, among other factors, and you could potentially need several different types of permits as well. Be sure to double check that you have all the permits that you need before you get started to avoid complications, legal trouble, or bad press. Also, as previously detailed, it is crucial to know who is managing the project and their specific plans for completion. With extensive remodeling and repairs, you could have multiple projects going on simultaneously. Your project manager can obtain permits, as well as handle material deliveries and any disputes. As long as you know exactly who the overall project manager is, you can keep on top of deadlines and mark your progress while staying properly informed about any issues that arise during the process. An experienced project manager will already be aware that these duties are part of their job and know the best way to handle their contracted personnel and all tasks related to the project. If you are both on the same page, this will ensure that your project runs smoothly and stays on track. It may seem like a lot of the focus is on planning, and rightly so. Creating a detailed budget, allowing enough time to successfully complete a remodeling project, and taking the proper steps to ensure your business can still operate or notifying your clients and customers otherwise is crucial. Managing how your project will affect all parties involved can translate into a positive impression of how you conduct your business in general, while also providing the benefit of an improved building that will make these individuals happier and at the same time increasing your property value. Make sure that you plan for everything, no matter how trivial it may seem!
Lindsey Reinke of John Henry’s Plumbing Heating and Air Conditioning also stresses the importance of planning. She states, “It’s important to invest enough time in pre-planning projects to reduce change orders and also to get desired results. Some of the simple things like which way the door swings or even light switch locations can become very important. Properly planning heating and air conditioning systems will provide a comfortable building that is healthier. The bidding process is also important. Typically it makes sense to get three bids and make sure the bids are apples for apples. In other words if one contractors bid is for apples and the other contractors bid is for oranges that doesn’t work. Some contractors bid low and set customers up for change orders at a high rate. The three bids should be similar. If one bid is really high or low it probably makes sense to toss it. Beware of the really high or low bids and also how the contractor represents themselves. If they are late providing bids or do not respect you, odds are that will also be reflected in the project, and you will be disappointed.” Always check for references from friends, colleagues or the Better Business Bureau. If a contractor is not in the Better Business Bureau, it is an indication they had problems in the past and cannot maintain a good rating, or are not ethical. Reinke advises that often times quality contractors may cost a little more, but they never have to apologize for good quality in their projects.
Reinke also offers a method of brainstorming for your remodel: “I like to use a creative thinking process that asks Who, What, Where, Why, and What If. For example, the Who questions could include ‘Who has the potential to use an area of a building?’ or even ‘Who will see that area?’ Once the Who questions are asked it’s time to go through the list and start asking What questions, etc. This process expands the number of questions that can be asked to a point new ideas can be discovered.”
Commercial construction has numerous options today that conserve energy and reduce water usage. Since heating and cooling commercial properties can amount to 60% or more of utility bills, it makes sense to invest in higher efficiency heating and air conditioning equipment. Reinke says the great news is there have been significant energy savings improvements in recent years in all heating and air conditioning equipment. Rooftop units are a great example of equipment that can save 30% or more over existing equipment. That payback is even greater to replace equipment that has previously not been properly maintained. Reinke adds that another area of impressive improvements is in thermostats that can be controlled by I-phone technology. Remote access to the thermostat is an excellent feature, and it makes sense to set temperatures and even receive notifications of failed equipment online. This new technology has transformed dramatically over the last year.
What everyone agrees on is there are plenty of ways to promote and increase energy efficiency, especially during a commercial remodel, and with good reason. A current trend of the general population is to make a concerted effort to seek out and implement greener options in their residences, and this translates into commercial spaces as well. As individuals, we are all invested in leaving less of a carbon footprint and being environmentally responsible. At the same time, we are also beginning to expect the same dedication to protecting our environment on the commercial front. Not only are implementing greener options the environmentally responsible thing to do, they can save business and commercial property owners a significant amount of money after the initial investment. Moreover, they can convey a great image for your property and thus, your company or business. Some improvements are more costly or difficult than others, but several easy ways to consider the environment when commercially remodeling include:
• Updating light fixtures to more economical and energy efficient incandescent fixtures
• Updating heating and air conditioning units to energy efficient models
• When it’s time to repair or replace your roof, choose materials that are made from recycled products.
• Update plumbing fixtures to those that conserve water and are made of environmentally friendly material
• Install motion responsive or daylight controlled lighting to cut back on use of electricity
• Use products for commercial interior painting projects that contain low or no volatile organic compound (VOC) products. VOCs are solvents that get released into the air as the paint dries. (Other products emit solvents, including adhesives, cleaning supplies, and even some home furnishings.) VOCs can cause acute symptoms, including headaches and dizziness. The long-term effects are less certain, but according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, some VOCs are suspected carcinogens.
• Install skylights or highlights. The natural light makes for a pleasant work environment as well as conserving energy.
• Install rooftop solar collectors as a supplemental energy source
• Improve your outdoor lighting, for areas such as parking lots, by using solar powered light fixtures.
If you’re a business or commercial property owner, it is important for you to maintain a certain profit margin. Investing in energy efficient equipment can cut your costs significantly, effectively paying for itself, and from that point will yield a return that you can allocate to other endeavors or improvements.
When it comes to experience, Jim Springer of Concrete Restoration Services advises that you should work with a company that truly knows their trade and is fully invested in your project. Concrete Restoration Services offers a working relationship and chemistry to achieve desired results. Springer says, “We create a relationship with our clients, understand each other, and work together to the finish line.” He adds that to achieve this understanding, it is not uncommon for them to bid on a project two or three different ways in order to provide their clients with all of the options that are available—and often times presenting innovative approaches the client may not have previously considered. This concept is often referred to as value engineering, or a balance between codes, what engineering your project dictates, and the overall look of the final project. Anyone can have a cell phone and a box of home printed business cards in whatever trade they proclaim to be good at, so Springer advises to interview companies or contractors like you would interview potential employees. If they are good at what they do, they will be able to answer your questions and provide examples from their body of work. Springer emphasizes that they believe quality work and great customer relationships are all you need to be successful. “At the end of the day, people need to feel comfortable about spending their money and investing in a company to help them with their needs. I work on projects and I perform the work as if the business location was mine. Especially at home shows, we provide hundreds of pictures of our work to show people. We simply treat people right and perform at the highest level of quality.” He adds, “Our work speaks for itself. We are not the cheapest, but we do our job the best we can every day.” Concrete Restoration Services provides a number of services for commercial remodeling projects related to concrete and associated industries. Areas they can help with include footings, poured walls, floors, paving for driveways, parking lots and walkways, general repairs, concrete and structural demolition work, correction of water problems, retaining walls, block wall repair, I-beams, poured insulated walls, stamped concrete, and epoxy work. With almost two decades of experience in designing and applying different functions related to concrete for a variety of projects, Concrete Restoration Services incorporates their knowledge into each endeavor to provide high quality results.
Another reason for hiring experienced, local professionals also comes down to following building codes that change by legal jurisdiction. Local building codes involve processes such as obtaining the appropriate permits, or having inspections conducted intermittently or once the project is finalized. Finding out about infractions after work has been done makes it much more difficult and costly to correct, as it effectively means the same job will have to be done twice. Commercial buildings are subject to many more government regulations than residential structures, and they are more likely to receive fines when they break those codes. Being educated on city and state regulations is part of the reason why trades are specialized, and local professionals are well-versed in their area of work as well as being experienced in legal requirements. In addition to increased regulations, the purpose of a commercial remodel is usually broader than a residential remodel. Instead of simply aiming to please a single homeowner or family, the commercial design should appeal to the community and reflect the image of the business. This is why it is necessary to consider what you are trying to achieve with the remodel. Maybe your business is growing and you need a larger, better looking space to accommodate new customers or clients. Or perhaps you want to utilize the space you already have more efficiently, or want to add some energy efficiency updates. Planning and designing create a partnership, and so should you—with your project manager, contractor, the companies you have hired, and the businesses that will play a role in completing your newly remodeled place of business.