When meeting with project owners for the first time, two of the biggest concerns we hear about any pending buildout are budget and timeline. This is no surprise. Class A office buildouts require a significant investment, and the longer a project takes, the more money that’s going out the door without any revenue coming in.

Because budgets and timelines are correlated, when you shrink your timeline, you should almost be able to hear the cha-ching in your balance sheet. As you plan an office project in Florida, paying close attention to variables that can get in the way of your timeline becomes paramount – and, unfortunately, here in South Florida, numerous obstacles could hinder your timeline if you’re not careful. Below we offer a few tips for saving time and money on your office buildout.

• Anticipate obstacles – One of the simplest ways to save time is to avoid mistakes. You do this by planning ahead and anticipating all possible scenarios. A constructability report is a key part of this planning as it helps identify any potential obstacles that could get in the way of constructing the project as designed. An experienced construction consultant can also offer invaluable guidance in this regard. 

• Minimize change orders – Modifications to a project once work is underway can lead to major and expensive consequences. You and your construction team should do everything you can to minimize the number of change orders in your commercial project. Here are some ways to do that.

• Use third-party providers for permitting – The City of Miami allows developers to use private providers to conduct building code inspections and provide other permitting and inspection services per Florida Statute 553.791. While this will cost more money, it will also save significant time on what can be at times a painfully frustrating process. What’s more, the city applies a fee reduction of up to one-third for plan reviews and inspections conducted by third-party providers.

Contact Us at Seacoast Consulting Group

Managing timelines during an office buildout starts with thorough planning during pre-construction. When done right, all your efforts will come together to save you time and money on your construction project.

If you want to shave time off your South Florida office buildout, come talk to our teams at Seacoast Consulting Group and Seacoast Construction. We’re a local firm that has extensive experience navigating the unique complexities of South Florida construction and are ready to help you with your project.