The past several years (and counting) have brought an increasing number of office headquarters relocations to South Florida. Corporations from Chicago, New York City, and California are pulling up roots and transplanting to the Sunshine State.

Aside from an amiable climate and cultural opportunities, Florida also offers businesses tax advantages that can be appealing to owners and corporate shareholders.

Before undertaking construction on a new or renovated office space in Florida, there are some important considerations you’ll want to take into account as you plan for and execute your build.

• Local code and regulations in SoFla vary from county to county and municipality to municipality.You’ll want to work with a local, on-the-ground GC who is familiar with rules and requirements specific to the area

• Each building also has its own set of rules GCs must follow – In addition to city code, each building itself may have rules specific for vendors or construction. Your GC must be aware of them and will have to plan for any potential restrictions.

• Understand the existing operations of other units within the same building – to accurately plan the needs for your office space within a shared high-rise building, for example, you must also know about the operations in other units. Don’t neglect this step in an effort to speed up your project, as it could have an impact on the design and construction of your project.

• Understand the building’s HVAC and fire safety systems – A GC must know their way around the building before beginning construction. Otherwise, they could inadvertently set off the fire alarm during construction. Vendors who have already worked in the building should have priority over any competing vendors as they already know the building.

As you make plans for an office renovation or new construction project in South Florida, you’ll want an experienced team on your side. We can help. Contact our team at Seacoast Construction to set up a free consultation. We’ve been undertaking commercial construction projects locally in South Florida for more than 20 years.