Blog - DBG Construction

The Innovation Imperative

Apr 13, 2017 | Construction Industry, Technology in Construction

More than any other characteristic, twenty-first century markets are iconized by technological and industrial revolution. According to industry experts, however, the construction industry – specifically, the commercial sector – has yet to commence its third industrial revolution, leaving it far behind other major market sectors [1] (think: transportation, consumer staples, hotels, restaurants, and leisure, etc.). So much so, that the World Economic Forum delivered a report on the state of the construction industry, indicating that traditional business model and project delivery had undergone no fundamental changes in the past 50 years. [2]

So how do general contractors spur innovation in our industry?

In this week’s blog, we have examined a few of the smaller scale steps local and regional contractors can take to encourage development and progress in their spheres of commercial construction. We also brought in some substantiating excerpts from the World Economic Forum to show how effectively these approaches can further our industry’s development.

1. Integrate Innovation Culture

Integrate innovation culture into your work environment. It takes strategy and deliberation to create a diverse, multidisciplinary team. While it is traditional to on-board individuals with specific construction experience, bringing in team members from varied backgrounds streamlines knowledge transfer and induces innovation. It produces and overall agile organization that is flexible, nimble, and responsive to consumer demands.

When envisioning the Burj Khalifa – the world’s tallest building and Dubai’s iconic landmark, Sheikh Mohammed and Emaar Properties chairman Mohamed Alabbar put great effort into assembling a project team from across the world. [3]

Why? To build a team that would push innovation and dedicate themselves to a vision that rejected the status quo.

The result? A building that has broken several world records and defied conventional limits.

“Their unwavering visions inspired the project team to go beyond the known limits – increasing the building’s height and implementing still-unproven processes and technologies.” [4]

2. Sustain Innovative Relationships

Sustain innovative relationships with suppliers and subcontractors. Subcontractors and suppliers develop a highly specialized expertise in their products. Who better to craft creative, effective solutions for a general contractor than the product experts?

Traditional approaches to construction segregate the design-bid-build process, which does not always promote open discussion among the project’s participants. Instead, it prompts each portion of the process to remain siloed from the other, limiting transfer of information.

When OVG Real Estate, Deloitte, and PLP Architecture embarked on a mission to create the world’s most sustainable office building, aptly dubbed The Edge, they reached out to the experts first: their subcontractors. By working closely with these suppliers and startups, OVG Real Estate introduced 21 innovations that had never been applied b

“We think we can be the Uber of buildings,” states chief executive officer of OVG Real Estate. “We connect them, we make them more efficient, and in the end we will actually need fewer buildings in the world.” [5]

Why is innovation imperative for general contractors?

Satisfying Expectations

Efficiency developments in other markets generate expectation for customers and consumers across all sectors – especially when it comes to speed. Technological developments have produced a metamorphic shift in consumer mentality. The modern individual expects immediate results and perpetual updates (think: Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and every other notification that pops on a daily – let’s be real, hourly – basis). General contractors must learn to work with new, emerging consumer expectations: faster, better results. It is a mentality that has taken the service market by storm and sets the bar high even for companies delivering complex products.

Establishing Relevance

This is perhaps the most pressing challenge for participants of the commercial construction industry. General contractors in particular already face logistical challenges, modifying traditional operations to incorporate new apps, software, tools, and gear. More importantly, however, general contractors face the added challenge of personalizing the entire construction process – i.e. incorporating the client.

General contractors can assess user needs, wishes, and ideas as the framework for design and engineering. From their project’s “Lessons Learned,” OVG attributed part of their success to the help of user studies and interviews. The design and construction team were able to gain “an early and accurate understanding of the client’s needs and preferences, combining open spaces with focus rooms and quiet zones to allow for different usages during a typical working day – phone conferences, informal meetings and tasks requiring high-focus.” [6]

This approach is becoming especially pertinent as the twenty-first century ushers in highly-specialized service methods for consumers. Companies succeed when they promise, market, and deliver personalized services with positive experiences.

DBG has had the pleasure of achieving such an outcome with multiple projects – the pinnacle of which was a design-build project for Dunlap Codding Law Firm.

“Trust and trustworthiness are concepts that are highly sought by professional service firms. Appropriately, however, it is very rarely earned. DBG has earned the trust and admiration of the partners of Dunlap Codding as well as the employees of our firm. Our trust is not simply because of the outcome achieved – which is exceptional – but also for the manner in which DBG handled themselves during all aspects of the project. DBG’s personnel are exacting professionals who we believe always had out best interests in mind – DBG acted as a partner in the project rather than a typical vendor of goods or services.” – Douglas J. Sorocco, Director and Shareholder, Dunlap Codding

The Impact of Technological Developments in Construction

Apr 5, 2017 | Construction Industry, Technology in Construction

Technological advances have permeated the construction industry at a much slower rate compared to other industries.

However, growing developments in 2016 and 2017 have improved aspects such as safety, accountability, and financial efficiency on the job site.

While adoption of emerging technology has been a gradual process, there are some distinct introductions that have already demonstrated tangible results.

Here are some of the innovations that could make waves across the industry:

The Use of Virtual Data

Although the construction sector has been a brick-and-mortar operation both literally and figuratively, there is a growing usage of virtual tools to improve efficiency. This development has had the greatest impact in tracking and streamlining asset management on the job site.

Specifically, general contractors are beginning to use data-gathering tools like commercial drones to optimize their operations and complete projects faster.

How do they improve efficiency?

Commercial drones fly over job sites collecting real-time footage and storing extremely large data sets that may be analyzed to reveal patterns and trends. That footage can then be converted into a three-dimensional picture of the developing site and compared to computerized architectural plans. This allows contractors to examine the project in-progress and address any concerning disparities – i.e. lack of material or labor.

Ultimately, the idea is that this virtual representation utilizes large data sets to automatically anticipate project steps that may be falling behind schedule.

This type of supervision has also helped contractors recover stolen equipment.

Just last month, commercial drones were used to recover a trove of stolen construction machinery in Delaware. The most expensive item was a John Deere 50G excavator, valued at $60,000 and lead to the discovery of three additional missing machines at a separate location. In all, approximately $394,000 worth of equipment was recovered and returned to their property owners.[1]

The Federal Aviation Administration published its annual Aerospace Forecast report on March 21, 2017. With the uptick in commercial use, the report predicts that the number of drones and virtual data gathering tools could rise to 1.6 million by 2021.[2]

The Popularity of Mobile Applications

Mobile applications have taken the construction field by storm.

This development is by far the most popular technology within the construction industry to improve collaboration between field staff and the office team.

There are intuitive mobile applications that enable project managers and on-site workers to access documents, edit and share relevant job site information.

While the digital transfer of information has increased speed and accuracy, it has most notable become a catalyst for improved safety standards.

How do they improve safety?

There are several applications – such as the Safety Meeting App or iSafe – that gives superintendents and field staff a new reservoir of up-to-date safety information. These applications provide safety meeting management, topics for safety discussions, and cover over 30 trades in the commercial construction industry.

More importantly, they fulfill the Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s required meeting laws, create and store digital safety logs, and keep field staff updated on new developments and the latest safety standards.

Safety applications are also beginning to develop digital and real-time management for onsite safety inspections.

Users can now automate any type of inspection, including safety audits, work orders, property assessments, asset management, service management and custom forms.

Safety planning applications also make it easy for project managers and superintendents to collaborate in the field, allowing them to share and log critical information such as updated plans, photos, and punch lists.[3]

Overall, these technological introductions in commercial construction have brought a whirlwind of new data. This influx of digital information has empowered general contractors to approach projects with higher rates of efficiency and accuracy.

But knowledge is power, and with power comes responsibility. The progress of technology will continue to raise the bar for project timelines, material and labor efficiency, and job site safety.

[1] http://www.enr.com/articles/41708-drone-spies-stolen-construction-equipment-trove

[2] https://www.faa.gov/data_research/aviation/aerospace_forecasts/media/FY2017-37_FAA_Aerospace_Forecast.pdf

[3] http://dailyreporter.com/2015/01/09/15-construction-apps-for-2015/

Four Growing Commercial Construction Trends To Watch in 2017

Mar 29, 2017 | Construction Industry

With 2017 well on its way, construction professionals are identifying new and growing industry trends that will shape the remaining year and set the stage for 2018. Despite an overall underwhelming growth in 2016, the Dodge Data & Analytics team has projected an optimistic 5% growth for the upcoming year.

What will this growth look like in the commercial construction industry?

Increase in Warehouse and Distribution Centers

While the robust growth in online sales has been detrimental to larger retail centers, like Macy’s and JC Penny, it continues to build demand for regional distribution centers. Retail construction as whole is not projected to decline, it is only predicted to experience a sharp shift from walk-in glass-glass front stores to warehouse and manufacturing centers.
The retail sector has also experienced an overall positive-growth, meaning that commercial construction still retains a positive outlook for cutting-edge retail and restaurant concepts. One of the more innovative developments is fulfilling grocery or food orders. Need some examples? Check out AmazonFresh, Instacart, and Grocery Gateway – all companies who will need massive warehouse space to accommodate a larger variety of products and produce.

Energy Efficiency and Green Building

The rise in eco-friendly and health-conscious trends is now beginning to take shape in the commercial construction industry.A new study completed by Dodge Data and Analytics points out that green building is expected to double by 2018. The demands for recycled materials and energy efficient solutions are spurring new developments in various trades, specifically in the window/glass, doors, and plumbing trades.Customers are learning that while LEED-certified buildings involve a costlier design, they use less water and energy overtime, reducing expenses in the long-run.
What does this mean for general contractors?There is a growing expectation for contractors to provide clean and resource-efficient alternatives for all phases of development. Might be time to consider that LEED-certification.

Technological Efficiencies

The integration of technology and construction has rapidly reduced and streamlined previously arduous processes. Project management software systemizes the pipeline of communication between contractors, subcontractors, and clients. Real-time video feeds capture and report jobsite data with speed and accuracy. As far as customers are concerned, technology has significantly raised the bar for both jobsite accountability and visibility.
Wearable technology is also transforming the building and construction industry, specifically for tradesmen and superintendents. The building pressure behind jobsite safety and quality assurance has instigated a wearable technology industry that is expected to hit and $4 billion by the end of 2017.[1] Some of the most innovative wearable devices include safety vests with GPS, hard hats with virtual display visors and augmented reality devices to experience virtual design elements.[2]

Collaborative and Integrated Approaches

The collaborative approach is becoming more popular as it continues to prove its time-efficiency and cost-effectiveness. While the public sector primarily retains its design-bid-build segregation, construction professionals are seeing an increase in design-build projects in the private sector. According to Dodge Data & Analytics, the design-build, public-private partnerships and integrated project delivery are three of the most often-cited methods that are altering the industry and are likely to gain ground in 2017.

[1] https://www.buildsoft.com.au/blog/construction-tech-and-trends-for-2017

[2] https://equipmentshare.com

Three Common Myths About Construction

Mar 22, 2017 | Construction Myths, Starting a Construction Project

Myth #1: I can do my own general contracting.

Navigating the commercial construction industry requires years of involvement and significant technical understanding.

Does this mean that general contractors have an exhaustive understanding of every trade? No, definitely not to the same degree that subcontractors do. However, there is a reason general contractors are required to be licensed in Oklahoma.

Operational general contractors must demonstrate a basic proficiency in the construction process so they know how to build your project safely and effectively. They must know how and when to obtain the necessary permits, schedule material and long lead items, and – most importantly – manage the pipeline of communication between project managers, subcontractors, architects, and the client. This maze of project management requires an entire team of full-time, dedicated construction professionals.

Not convinced? That’s okay. We wrote down a few more reasons to consider a General Contractor here and here.

Myth #2: You can pick any general contractor.

Your project is unique, so the company that builds it should be, too.

Is it a design-build project? Some commercial construction companies have developed years of synergy with architectural firms. They know how and when to implement value engineering.

Are you constructing a multi-phase, 100,000 sqft building? Other firms have developed their portfolio in construction management and know how to execute complex phases using cost-effective and time-sensitive methods.

A firm that specializes in office renovations and repairs may not be the most qualified to handle your ground-up restaurant. That’s why it’s important to vet the experience and expertise of any general contractor.

Ask for referrals. Most general contractors who perform quality work are well-known by repeat-clients and subcontractors.

Conversely, contractors who promise low prices and perform low-quality work also develop a reputation for hemorrhaging client’s budgets with hefty change orders.

The commercial construction industry is a resourceful community. Ask for recommendations and find out what contractors deliver quality services.

Analyze their resources. The individuals who comprise the general contracting team determine the overall capability of the firm. That’s why it’s important to ask: What are the qualifications of the project managers and superintendents? How many can they dedicate onsite to your project?

For example, DBG Construction uses Procore Construction Management software to effectively record and track onsite supervision, safety, and progress. We dedicate a superintendent to a single project, and provide a comprehensive support system for processing contracts and documentation. Make sure your construction project is going to receive the detailed attention it deserves.

Myth #3: The hard cost is negotiable.

An experienced contractor is familiar enough with the trades to ensure that each piece of the project is priced properly. In fact, a quality contractor will put together a team of knowledgeable subcontractors with a record of excellent performance. This means that a general contractor has diligently estimated the hard cost of your construction project, and then added the necessary percentage to cover their overhead costs. These hard costs are the result of existing market dynamics – labor, material, or the availability of both – not the contractor’s desire for profit.

(Fun fact: Overhead costs are how we take care of our people – including providing water and accommodations for onsite workers. You can read more about overhead costs here: “Contractor Markup – What are you really paying?” SucceedWithContractors.com.)

What is left to negotiate? A successful general contractor in the commercial construction industry knows that they can only afford to drop the price if they can adjust the scope of work.

They often provide value engineering services to analyze the specifications and replace various materials and finishes with cost-effective alternatives. Without examining other options for material or labor, the hard cost of your project remains the same, but an experienced general contractor has the resources and the network to help keep your project in budget without sacrificing quality.

Looking for a general contractor for your next commercial construction project? We’d love to hear about it. Contact the DBG team!

Two Techniques to Improve Teamwork

Feb 9, 2017 | Communication in Construction

In the commercial construction industry, teamwork is a non-negotiable component for successful construction projects.

Usually, any general contractor can complete a project – they may even complete it close to schedule or near the budget amount, but there is more that distinguishes a successful construction project than meeting the basic time and money requirements of project management.

At DBG, we aim above and beyond the elemental construction of a project; we aim to build an effective, dependable team of subcontractors, architects, engineers, city officials, and – most importantly – our clients.

The Bigger Picture

Remind team members of the bigger picture. A project team achieves high performance when they are motivated by the same goal.

As a general contractor, one of our key ingredients to project approach is incorporating the client into our team. Their vision becomes our vision.

We recognize the challenges and hurdles of the client’s project and communicate them with our subcontractors. Then we develop lasting business relationships with subcontractors so they work to achieve this vision with a sense of pride and ownership. This is also a reason to consider integrating pre-construction management for your project.

Pre-construction opens a forum for brainstorming, discussion, and determining milestones and goals. One of DBG’s hallmark projects was so successful in achieving its overall vision, that the building has merited multiple awards and recognition for its artistic and community-based space. Check out our blog on pre-construction for Dunlap Codding Law Firm.

Clear System for Communication

Have a clear system for communication that includes everyone. Communicating the goals and vision of a project needs to happen more than once.

According to Forbes’ article Five Ways to Build a High-Performance Team, good leadership needs to “be a broken record and help team members to be focused on the vision. High-performance team leaders stay on message, they constantly communicate and keep people focused on the vision and mission to accomplish.”

Implementing communication processes that support day-to-day and even hour-to-hour updates is critical to achieving each milestone.

At DBG, we use Procore Construction Management software comprehensively for each project.

If you have a commercial construction project, consider working with a general contractor that utilizes a robust management software that keeps them accountable and keeps communicating the vision every step of the way.

You can also check out our blog on Communication: Setting up Projects for Success to read our story on effective and comprehensive communication systems.

For more information about our commercial construction firm and our project management, please contact us today.

Teamwork in Construction

Feb 1, 2017 | Communication in Construction

When a new construction project begins, it is usually an exciting time for the teams involved — ideas take shape, goals and milestones are established, and everyone is eager to get started.

In order for that project to reach those goals, or sometimes, to reach completion at all, it is absolutely necessary for everyone to recognize the importance of teamwork while working on the project.

Who is on the team?

If you take a quick glance at a commercial construction project, you may think that the team consists only of the construction crew, the general contractor, and maybe an architect. Depending on the size and type of project, there may be city officials required for permitting, zoning officials, engineers, utility companies, a team of architects, and, of course, the client.

How does a project management team master teamwork?

In a word – communication. With so many individuals, trades, and responsibilities, commitment to communication is essential. For example, DBG utilizes Procore Construction Management software to track and log critical deadlines and project information. They can keep everyone’s calendars synced and up-to-date, plus they can also make sure that everyone is sent any changes or updates to deadlines or budget information.

Project management and teamwork go hand in hand.

We recently completed a project for Pizza Studios that required an extra emphasis on teamwork and communication. Prior to the start of the project, we communicated thoroughly with the team of architects, so we knew from the outset that we would be working with a tight timeline.The client needed to work with a general contractor that could achieve milestones quickly and open Pizza Studio’s doors on time.

As a local general contractor that has operated in the commercial construction industry for ten years, we rely on our good working relationships with subcontractors and city officials.

The project started in November, so we already faced challenges with potential weather delays and holidays. Our client needed permits expedited and customers walking through their doors as soon as possible. Our project team had to expand, and our sense of teamwork and effort to communicate along with it.

Pizza Studio has since opened its doors, reaching substantial completion in just under 6 weeks. We owe a lot to our team of subcontractors and superintendents who stayed on-site during the holidays to see the project through to completion. It is one of those projects that reminds us that communication, proper management, and teamwork are critical to success.

Have more questions about how to help your team work together and communicate well? Feel free to contact us and ask. We will be happy to help any way we can!

Preparing for Inclement Weather

Jan 25, 2017 | DBG Construction, Starting a Construction Project

While the height of construction season is around the corner, there are still the remaining months of Winter and the upcoming rainstorms and tornadoes of Spring.

Mother nature gives us beautiful, sunny days, but she’s also unpredictable. When it comes to executing a construction project, weather is one of the most notorious factors that causes unpredictability and inhibits progress on the construction site.

For those of you beginning projects during these seasons, our team of pre-construction and project management professionals compiled a few pointers to avoid unwanted delays and unplanned cost increases:

Assess the weather conditions in the project location.
Before beginning any construction project, our team researches and identifies possible weather delays. They explore the climate of your project’s location and find the most common weather patterns in the area. More importantly, you will learn how impending inclement weather may run affect the projected timeline.
Make recommendations and adjustments given weather trends.
Depending on your company’s timeline and needs, we may suggest making changes to the project’s start date in order to minimize weather-related risks. Time is often an uncalculated cost in construction. At DBG, we understand that avoiding delays means your business opens and becomes operational, earning returns on your investment as soon as possible.
Plan on-site fixes for anticipated weather challenges.
If you’re planning to begin construction during rainy season, for example, our team will recommend incorporating specific types of equipment – such as plastic sheets and storm drains – and develop flooding contingencies for your construction site. The overall costs of extra equipment and exigency panning are less than being caught unprepared by an onslaught of weather conditions.
Create a realistic budget and timeline considering common weather patterns.
Our team develops a projected schedule accounting for probable weather-related delays, and how long these delays could last in your area and time of year. With our 10 years’ of experience as a general contractor, we predict how much these weather patterns may affect your projects progress; we create a timeline that takes realistic weather projections into consideration and develop a budget that is prepared for whatever the weather brings.

Although we can’t control mother nature, we have an impeccable record when it comes to dealing with the unexpected and delivering projects with quality in timely fashion.

Starting a Construction Project: Permit Considerations

Jan 18, 2017 | Reasons to Use a General Contractor, Starting a Construction Project

When beginning a commercial construction project, it is uncommon to be able to break ground and get started immediately.

The vast majority of commercial projects require you, or your general contractor, to apply for a permit from local municipalities.

Depending on the project’s scope and location, the complexity and requirements of the permit will vary.

Things to keep in mind when applying for a permit:

Permits take time before receiving approval.
City permit offices can get backed up, particularly at the peak of construction season. When developing a construction plan, keep in mind that even a simple permit can take several weeks to get rubber stamped. A qualified and respected general contractor that has well-developed relationships with local municipalities can often speed up the approval process by knowing who to contact and how to monitor the permit’s status.
Inspections or meetings may be necessary.
As a part of their due diligence, some city committees will need to inspect your building, property, or construction plans before approving them and providing the permit. You may even be required to share your plans with a city planning committee at a live hearing. To ensure a seamless approval process, have your plans reviewed and inspected by a general contractor before presenting to a committee.
Your construction project might need revisions.
Your permit may not receive approval upon the first review – especially if the committee or city has concerns that the property or existing infrastructure may not be able to sustain the project size or type. Your permit may be delayed by other concerns including neighborhood disruptions. Sometimes you’ll also need to re-submit for simple reasons like not filling out the paperwork quite correctly. Be prepared to work with the city to alter plans, or possibly consider a new site.

There are consequences to not acquiring the correct permits that not only affect your timeline but also your finances.

If discovered without a permit, or with the wrong one, your company may be fined or asked to halt the project until obtaining the correct permit through the correct approval process. These types of delays increase costs for any business, preventing them from opening up their doors and accessing customers.

As a local general contractor, DBG has spent 10 years working alongside municipalities and planning committees to achieve timely permitting.

We have the resources and the reputation to apply for permits in a way that maximizes your project’s odds at rapid approval.

If you are considering a project that may require permitting, contact us for help today!

“Thank Goodness I’m not my own General Contractor!”

Nov 23, 2016 | Reasons to Use a General Contractor

Becoming an efficient and reputable general contractor takes years of hard, and often thankless, work. A General Contractor team invests years, even decades, learning the intricacies of each trade and mastering the art of project management and timely delivery. To be effective, a General Contractor needs to be proactive, engaged, and an aggressive problem-solver. They develop an extensive knowledge of building codes, OSHA safety standards, materials, fixtures, and spend thousands of hours of analyzing construction plans and specifications.

Over the past couple of month, our blogs have covered the variety of services and skills applied to different projects. The quality of these services, though ultimately determined by perseverance and commitment, is often based on a framework of challenges and lessons-learned. A successful General Contractor makes the client’s role painless, if not effortless, through meticulous coordination and adept management. While our previous posts captured the client’s viewpoint, we decided to delve into the contractor’s perspective to provide you with a full panoramic view. And, to be in tune with this week’s holiday spirit, we noted some reasons to be thankful that you don’t have to be your own general contractor.

Reasons to be thankful for a General Contractor

General Contractors craft quality subcontractor teams.

General contractors spend years developing a through and excellent rapport with local subcontractors.

Not only does a General Contractor have the network to develop these relationships, but they also provide a unique incentive: the promise of more work and future projects! This exclusive dynamic produces an incentive for subcontractors to offer better pricing and provide superior quality.

Imagine the time and effort required to put forth researching, calling, obtaining bids and checking references for over a dozen and a half different trades.

A proactive General Contractor already has the best tradesmen on speed dial and is ready to coordinate the best team for your project.

“Of all the things I’ve done, the most vital is coordinating the talents of those who work for us and pointing them toward a goal.” – Walt Disney

General Contractors design a comprehensive schedule.

Ask any subcontractor who’s participated in a disorganized project: There’s nothing worse than attempting to perform work while in a crowded space or on a crowded construction site.

Electricians trying to wire walls before the framers have left the room, ladders overlapping, tripping over the extension cords of five different trades all crammed in one spot. Nescient scheduling is not only unsafe, but it’s also counterproductive.

An experienced General Contractor understands the best order of operation and will save everyone the headaches, hazards and the cost inefficiency that are the inevitable result of a poorly-timed and mismanaged schedule. A poorly handled schedule means a poorly handled project. This is why DBG has a full-time in-house scheduler.

“Time is the scarcest resource; unless it is managed well, nothing else can be managed.” – Peter Drucker

General Contractors coordinate all of the communications.

Most people do not have the time or patience to deal with the endless stream of busy work involved in a construction project.

There is a reason that managing a project is a full-time job: it starts with securing permits and then quickly spirals into a typhoon of invoices, phone calls, emails, change orders, budgets, material orders, meetings, walk-throughs, inspections, punch lists, and writing checks (to name a few).

Good news, though! Your General Contractor takes care of it all.

An exemplary General Contractor also commits a part of their time to updating clients on a daily, weekly, or bi-weekly basis. Depending on the project size, a General Contractor is usually regulating hundreds of communication streams between suppliers, subcontractors, and architects to make sure your project is completed promptly, safely, and cost-effectively.

“Being a project manager is like being an artist, you have the different colored process streams combining into a work of art.” – Greg Cimmarrusti

General Contractors assume the majority of the risk.

Acting as your own general contractor means you assume all the risks associated with construction: financial risk, safety risk, and quality risk – all of which require constant scrutiny and evaluation during your project.

Even with the most meticulous General Contractor at the helm, no job goes perfectly smooth for the entire duration. Complications happen with every project; it’s simply the chaotic nature of orchestrating an immense volume of manpower and material all at once.

One of the many advantages of having a General Contractor is their experience with proactive contingency planning and aggressive problem-solving. When it comes to construction difficulties, they already have the experience, resources, and network to keep your project moving forward.

“Quality is never an accident; it is always the result of high intention, sincere effort, intelligent direction and skillful execution; it represents the wise choice of many alternatives.” – William A. Foster

With DBG Construction, you can rest assured that your project is in experienced and diligent hands. You’ll appreciate the peace of mind you gain from our consistent communication and quality performance. As with all of our clients, you’ll be grateful that you didn’t have to tackle your project on your own.

Communication: Setting Up Construction Projects for Success

Nov 16, 2016 | Communication in Construction

We understand why so many individuals seeking construction services place a premium on estimated cost, reputation, and time-frames for project delivery. What we don’t understand is why so many clients settle for a construction firm that doesn’t advocate and provide transparent communication.

Many construction teams win a competitive bid, receive a list of instructions, and then commence work with little-to-no forecast of future communication. Not only does this lack of communication increase the odds of mistakes, but it also generates a space of silence and unknowns that increases stress and tension between the contractor and the client. The client is left wondering just how well (or how poorly) things are going and whether the project is scheduled to be completed on time and on budget.

DBG firmly believes in establishing a clear framework of consistent, forthright communication. Routine communication with the client not only eases their concerns, but also improves the overall management and organization of the project.

When facilitated correctly, communication brings cohesion to all of the project’s different participants: the client, the architect, the contractor, and the subcontractors. Every single person knows what portions of the project are proceeding according to schedule, and what needs to be moved along more quickly.

Since transparent communication works both ways, it’s important that our client knows what we have completed and also what we are struggling to complete.

Importance of Regular, Direct Communication

Studies indicate that the most effective form of communication during construction is direct communication or, when dealing with routine matters or regular updates, written communication.

The reason direct communication plays such a critical role in a contractor’s performance is because it allows people with technical experience to generate a forum for questions and answers. It is not uncommon for this dialogue to evolve into a brainstorming session that provokes new ideas, new strategies and solutions.

So how does communication ensure a project is completed in a timely and cost-effective manner?

DBG relies on its proprietary weekly meeting packets which are distributed during routine meetings of a project’s key personnel. These regular meetings facilitate direct communication and generate an expectation of teamwork and transparency. DBG’s project packets supplement these meetings with written communication, providing detailed progress reports and up-to-date photographs of the construction site.

DBG especially relies on these documents during particularly challenging projects. For example, DBG was awarded a contract to complete two extensive restaurant renovations in just under 70 days.

Weekly meetings with the architect and the client were essential to monitoring progress, identifying lead items, and determining contingencies to make sure the deadline was met. To add additional pressure, opening dates are non-negotiable for restaurants: they either open on time, or they begin to lose money before the first customer even walks through the door.

DBG beat the deadline and our quality performance brought two new Chick-Fil-As to the University’s campus before the Fall semester had started.

As a general contractor that strives to set new benchmarks of service and project management, DBG is proud that our strong communication strategy results in happy clients and new businesses that enrich and contribute to our community.

Considering opening up a new location for your business? Contact us today to find out how DBG’s services can help you open up on time and in budget.

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