A Commercial Renovation Planning Guide

Renovation Planning is the Key to a cost effective commercial renovation project

A Commercial Renovation Planning Guide

Our focus on planning and designing commercial ( tenant improvements ) renovation projects, means that we rarely accept residential projects (under $100K). Over the years, we have found that most homeowners are more than willing to hire the first renovation contractor who tells them what they want to hear. We no longer provide specific home renovation information.

We provide some residential renovation planning information on this site simply to help homeowners learn how to protect themselves! We have listened to many homeowners tell us how they could get the work done cheap, only to report a renovation horror story, a few months later! The money they thought they saved, all went to lawyers, fixing the problems and trying to recover from poor decisions! Although NOBODY can protect you from yourself, we trust that the information on this site will help you learn to protect yourself.

 This page contains general planningconsiderations that frequently apply to both residential and commercial renovations. 

PRE-PROJECT SITE INSPECTION

When you know what you actually have to work with, you can determine what might need to be repaired or upgraded, before you even start your proposed project. After you sign a lease, get a building permit and start construction, surprises are never a good thing!

After determining what your initial project goals are and discussing the possible options, we inspect the areas of your building that may be affected during the renovation. We point out the potential areas that could be expensive and suggest ways to avoid problems. We recommend this inspection be done LONG BEFORE you sign a commercial lease!

CONSUMER FRAUD AWARENESS AND PROTECTION TIPS

There are many variations of the old aluminum siding sales pitch. With all the new construction materials and procedures, there are numerous scam-artists working lower mainland home and business owners. Now they use tele-marketing and beautiful glossy brochures to get your attention! We can help you evaluate if a product/service will work for you, or why it won't. Also, with all the incompetent, un-licensed and un-insured contractor impersonatorsoperating in the lower mainland, you need accurate and unbiased project information, before you hire a professional scam artist! Remember the saying, If it sounds too good to be true... before you accept a sales pitch from the contractor who just happened to be working in your area, do some careful research. There are no BC lemon laws to protect renovation services consumers. 

RENOVATION CONCEPT DRAWINGS

We listen to YOUR design goals. We help you to put your ideas on paper. When you can see how your design and space planning actually work together, you can determine how to get the most out of both. Taking the time to discover what's possible, is the first step to making practical, cost-effective, design decisions. Since we have been designing commercial renovations for many years, we can help you make your ideas work. You might be surprised how much money and stress you can save by knowing exactly what you want, before you need to change your mind during construction. We will ensure that you clearly and comfortably understand your options and details, before you call for contractor quotes. There are huge savings in not having to make changes to a full set of working drawings! During the concept phase of planning, you can find out if the elements you want, are actually feasible or cost effective. Taking your design concept ideas to working drawings is much easier if you have already made some real priority decisions.

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DETAILED WORKING DRAWINGS ( Building Permit Plans )

Once you decide that your concept is feasible, functional and cost effective, we produce the drawings (plans) that you will need for the engineers, contractor(s) and building permit application. Since the working drawings (also known as as-built drawings) need to accurately represent your project, we include the details that are important to all the various people involved. If you include sub-trade drawings, they have no difficulty understanding what the finished project should look like! Getting accurate contractor and supplier quotes, is not possible without detailed project drawings and specifications.

Since the project drawings should always form part of the agreement (Contract) that you sign with your Contractor(s), they must be detailed and comprehensive. This is often where misunderstandings with your contractor and sub-trades originate.

Accurately produced drawings help avoid many potential arguments, long before they erupt (and cost you even more time and money).

SUB-TRADE PROJECT SPECIFICATIONS

When you tell all the trades people (in writing) EXACTLY what material, grade, fastening method, finish, etc. to use, there is no confusion about what you expect from the finished project. The drawings and specifications must form part of the Agreement (Contract) that you both sign, if you expect to actually get what you're paying for. You said, I asked for and He promised may give you some comfort when you complain to your friends or the BBB, but they simply don't stand up in court. Most renovation contractors ask you to sign their Standard Contract. Please understand, it was written to protect them, ensure that they get paid, and be as vague as possible about their responsibilities. The drawings (Plans) and specifications together, prove to everyone EXACTLY what you BOTH agreed to. If they don't produce the finished project quality you agreed to, you don't pay until they do! (We'll testify in court on your behalf, if they're foolish enough to try and sue you.)

CRITICAL PATH (Scheduling Procedure)

Contractors often work on several projects at the same time. When you spell out the timing and order of progress expected, they won't put you on holdwhile they work for someone else. When we set up the project, knowing how long it should take to complete a phase, we stage each component to smoothly complete the entire renovation on a schedule. The progress payments are tied to efficiently completing the work. Penalties are written into the contract. The delay costs to a project can make it necessary to re-schedule other sub-trades. We ensure they keep the total costs accurate. If they don't want to stick to the schedule, they don't make as much money. Finally, unnecessary delays will cost them, not you!

CONTRACTOR LOCATION and SELECTION PROCESS

A critical decision. Just because they did a good job for someone else, doesn't prove they can make your project work. Every renovation project is unique. We know how to ask the right questions, to get the right contractor for you! We never assume that they actually know.... how to do the work properly!Trades Qualification Certificates mean almost nothing. If they don't have the extensive knowledge and experience to adapt to unusual site conditions, you don't want to hire them. Renovation projects always involve adapting the procedures, to the condition of the building they're working on. It is not like new construction work. New construction experience doesn't prepare skilled trades people for the unusual conditions that professional renovators know to expect. The ability to recognize potential problems, before causing new ones, makes all the difference between a successful renovation and a remodeling nightmare. Interview your renovation contractors just like you would any other employee. They work for you, not the other way around.

CONTRACTOR NEGOTIATIONS

After completing a few thousand renovation projects, you too could negotiate a best value project. We have, so let us do it for you. There's a lot more to agree on than just the price. Unless your contractor agrees (in writing) to provide every detail you want, you don't really have an agreement that protects you. Getting a project estimate means absolutely nothing, if you haven't defined exactly when, how, and what, you will get for that price! We only acceptfixed price quotes. They have no reason to give you, what they casually said they would. We know the issues that the contractor will use to create additional expenses. Because we can understand the components of the entire project, negotiating with your contractors is much simpler. Doing this right, could save you a lot more than money!

THE BUILDING PERMIT PROCESS

City Hall Building Departments in the lower mainland have an established procedure for obtaining a renovation building permit. They will give you the information regarding procedure, documents required and fees. Some of this information is available on our LINKS page. Since we have already been through the permit application process many times, we can make it simple for you. Please be aware that the building permit is actually issued to the property owner (or their agent) and does not belong to the renovation contractor. This is how the local building inspector will hold the owner responsible for any illegal or defective construction work!

NEVER assume that you don't require a building permit. Always ask the Building Department for specific building permit requirements, before you begin work. Surprises can be costly!

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BUILDING PERMIT ISSUED OR BOARD OF VARIANCE HEARING?

If your initial permit application is rejected by the Plans Checker, you have the right to appeal the decision to the Board of Variance for the City. If you believe that your proposed renovation actually fits within the City building or zoning bylaws (or is still a good business for the City), a Variance Ruling may be necessary. City Hall may require special information before giving you a permit. They may even need to allow you to do something slightly outside the bylaws. Most variance applications are eventually granted, if you can give the right reasons for your project being approved. We have the experience to help you provide a reasonable argument, to improve your approval chances.

ENGINEERING REQUIREMENTS

For specific commercial renovations, you may need to have a Registered Professional Engineer's approval for both the design and construction process. We can tell you when this might be necessary and how to get the most cost effective result. Some building departments can request engineered (sealed as Professional engineer approved) drawings for every permit application. Unless you can show that your proposed renovation project poses no public danger or failure potential, they will enforce this by-law provision. Where this is necessary, providing each professional engineer with the detailed information they need, will save you a lot of time and expense. We can provide the preliminary drawings and specifications (in digital form) to assist the engineer in preparing final drawings and specifications. By reducing the amount of preliminary work they need to do, your total engineering cost is reduced.

PROJECT LEGAL DOCUMENTS (Contracts)

From an Agreement with a Termination Procedure through Specifications and Change orders, we will prepare the project documents, (including the Final Releases). As your lawyer will probably tell you, the only legal protection you really have is good paperwork. With everything in writing, there are no surprises! We always suggest that you have your lawyer review your project documents, for your protection. NEVER sign a contractor's Work Order, as your only working agreement. Every project is unique. Your Agreement (contract) MUST reflect this fact. A contractor's Standard Contract can be an expensive trap. It was written to protect the contractor, usually has no provision for terminating the agreement, and rarely contains any details about a completion schedule! Once you sign the contract and he unloads his tools, you could be liable for the final price, regardless of his performance! Too many lower mainland residents have learned the hard way, that trusting a contractor to show up, perform well and leave (with you smiling), can be an expensive illusion. Get it in writing, (but make sure that what is written protects you, not just the contractor).

INSURANCE COVERAGE AND LOSS PREVENTION REQUIREMENTS

We can help you to deal with your insurance broker for the most cost effective way to protect your coverage during the project. Depending on the extent of demolition and construction work you intend to do, your coverage may be affected. Whenever there is a substantial and material change to the risk exposure for your insurance provider, you must inform them. Failure to advise them, could result in unnecessary problems if you need to file a claim.

Your contractor should always have valid Contractor's General Liability coverage. If they don't, you could be found liable for any damages they cause to your neighbor's or the City's property. Your insurance provider will not be pleased when they have to pay a liability claim that should have been avoided. Underwriters are under increasing pressure to refuse coverage to people who have filed easily avoidable claims.

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PROJECT SITE-MANAGEMENT

When all the trades workers know that they have an independent site manager to coordinate activities, they are usually more cooperative and efficient. After a few thousand renovation projects we know how to keep the project progressing, without having the sub-trades tripping over each other. Having someone available to answer technical questions, eliminates confusion and increases everyone's efficiency. We provide clarification of your agreement provisions before the contractor and sub-trades can get off course (and create a dispute). Who manages the project is usually more important than who does the construction work. Having the contractor manage the project, can easily lead to contractor fraud. The easiest problem to solve, is the one that you avoid.

QUALITY CONTROL = CONTRACT COMPLIANCE INSPECTIONS

The only way to ensure that you actually get what you pay for, is to have it inspected. We provide the quality control checks beyond City Inspectors. Building inspectors are only required to ensure that all the work performed conforms to the project described in your building permit application and meets the minimum standards set by National/State building codes and local City by-laws. Contract compliance and quality workmanship is simply not their responsibility. But it can be ours! When you write accurate, detailed, project specifications, can you actually have quality of workmanship and performance to inspected (during the project). When you can stop the work to correct problems (before they cover them up), you won't have to wait until they (and your money) leave... to discover a problem. Our inspection service includes both photo and written report scrutiny. You have a permanent record of the progress (or problems) for your project!

CONTRACTOR DISPUTE MEDIATION

Before lawyers make money, there has to be a contractor dispute that gets completely out of control. Since we probably understand what both you and your contractor are actually disagreeing about, we can usually help you both get what you need to resolve the problem. Most of the time, problems result from poor communication or incorrect assumptions. We can provide the impartial explanations, to end the confusion and resolve disputes. It is in everyone's best interest to resolve the dispute without litigation, simply because of the costs involved. Your contractor will usually negotiate, when they know that their chances of winning a court case will go way down, if someone testifies on your behalf. Most disputes can easily be avoided if you plan the project carefully and specify everything you expect the contractor to provide. Assuming that your contractor will volunteer services to give you what you want, is a sure way to a conflict. When we help you plan your renovation, we ask both you and your contractor a lot of questions. Getting answers to the important questions, let's both of you know what to expect. If communication breaks down, we're still there to help!

EXPERT WITNESS TESTIMONY

If your project is completely out of control, or your contractor refuses to perform as agreed (in writing), we can provide recognized expert testimony in support of your legal action. Having provided testimony regarding building repairs and fraudulent actions over many years, we can give you the credible support to prevent frivolous law suits costing you even more wasted expense. After inspecting and photographing the work done on your project, we prepare an affidavit detailing the physical facts. This coupled with personal testimony, reduces the reasonable doubt that the court faces when trying to determine who's telling the truth. To date, we have never testified for the losing party. However, if you neglected to produce a proper contract (with all the details and specifications) we probably can't help you very much. The courts deal with civil litigation on the basis of provable facts, not vague promises. If you signed a vague work order as your only contract, it usually doesn't matter what was verbally promised. Getting a detailed agreement prepared before you start your project, could save you thousands of dollars in wasted legal costs.

ON-GOING CUSTOMER SUPPORT

Just because your project is finished, paid for and shiny new, doesn't mean that we're going to forget about you! If any problems arise, we want to hear about them. Only by knowing that your product and service providers respond quickly to customer service issues, can we know that you made good decisions when you hired them. If they don't respond to you, they probably will to us! 

About GOOD RENOVATION CONTRACTORS..?

Good Contractors truly appreciate being treated like professionals. When you accurately present your project to them, they can put all their efforts into completing the work, not simply guessing what you really want. Incompetent contractors simply can't deal with all the professional aspects of a properly documented project.......and run! Making the most of your renovation investment is our fundamental service. Only YOU can decide which services you actually need, to get the result you want and... (to stay in complete control of your project).

• Paying far too much for their renovation project (tenant improvements).
• Wasting valuable time, trying to fight City Hall just to get building permit approvals.
• Getting talked into a space design that doesn't work (or isn't profitable).
• Deciding to risk doing illegal renovation work.
• Getting scammed by an incompetent renovation contractor!
•  Losing control of their project and their business goals.