What Developers Wish They Knew Before Their First Ground-Up Project
Ground-up construction starts long before the first shovel hits the dirt. Learn the critical planning, budgeting, permitting and site selection lessons every first-time developer should know.
Paul Tumlin
10/26/20263 min read
For many developers and business owners, breaking ground on a first commercial construction project is an exciting milestone. It also involves more moving parts than you might expect.
From site selection and permitting to budgeting and scheduling, successful ground-up construction projects require careful planning long before construction begins. Many challenges that affect cost, schedule and overall project success can often be traced back to decisions made in the earliest stages of development.
If you're preparing for your first ground-up project, here are some of the lessons experienced developers often wish they had known from the start.
Ground-Up Construction Starts Long Before Groundbreaking
One of the most common misconceptions about commercial construction is that the project begins when equipment arrives on-site. In reality, some of the most important work happens months before construction starts. Site due diligence, zoning reviews, utility coordination, design development, permitting and budgeting all occur before ground is ever broken.
The preconstruction phase often has a greater impact on project success than any other stage of the process. Owners who invest time in construction planning early are often better positioned to avoid costly surprises later.
Site Selection Impacts More Than Location
Many first-time developers focus primarily on visibility, traffic counts and surrounding demographics when selecting a site. While those factors are important, they are only part of the equation. Site conditions can significantly affect commercial construction costs. Questions that should be evaluated early include:
Are utilities readily available?
Will stormwater requirements affect development?
Are there environmental concerns?
Does the site require extensive grading?
Are there permitting challenges?
Two sites may appear similar on paper while requiring vastly different levels of site development. Understanding those differences early can help owners make more informed decisions.
Construction Budgets Involve More Than Building Costs
Another common misconception is that the construction budget only covers the building itself. But a commercial construction budget often includes:
Site development
Utility infrastructure
Permitting fees
Design fees
Surveys and testing
Landscaping
Furniture, fixtures and equipment
Contingency planning
Focusing solely on the building cost can create unrealistic expectations and lead to budget challenges later in the project. Successful commercial development projects are typically built around a complete understanding of total project costs.
Permitting Takes Time
Many first-time developers underestimate the role permitting plays in the commercial construction timeline. Every jurisdiction has its own review processes, requirements and approval timelines. Building permits, utility approvals, environmental reviews and agency coordination can all impact a project's schedule.
Permitting isn't something that should be viewed as a final step before construction. It's an important part of the overall project strategy. The earlier permitting requirements are understood, the easier it becomes to develop realistic project expectations.
Not Every Delay Happens on the Jobsite
When people think about project delays, they often assume construction is the source of the problem. But delays frequently occur before construction begins. Drawing revisions, permitting reviews, material procurement and utility coordination can all impact schedules.
Today's commercial construction projects often require careful planning and coordination across multiple stakeholders. That's why experienced commercial general contractors place significant emphasis on preconstruction services, procurement planning and risk identification.
Don't Underestimate Utility Coordination
One challenge that frequently surprises first-time developers is the amount of work that happens outside the project site. Utility providers, municipalities and regulatory agencies all play important roles in the development process. Electrical service, water connections, stormwater requirements and telecommunications infrastructure can all influence a project's schedule and overall development timeline.
In some cases, utility upgrades or service extensions may require separate approvals, engineering reviews or work performed by organizations outside the project team. What appears to be a construction delay can often be traced back to utility coordination that needed to begin much earlier in the planning process.
The earlier these discussions occur, the better positioned owners are to establish realistic expectations and avoid unnecessary surprises.
Early Contractor Involvement Can Create Value
One mistake many first-time developers make is waiting too long to involve a commercial general contractor. Bringing a contractor into the process during preconstruction can often provide valuable insight regarding:
Construction budgeting
Schedule development
Constructability reviews
Value engineering
Long-lead materials
Site logistics
The earlier project teams collaborate, the more opportunities there may be to identify efficiencies, reduce risk and improve predictability. Construction is most effective when it becomes a collaborative process rather than a series of isolated decisions.
Think Beyond Opening Day
One of the best pieces of advice for first-time developers is to think beyond project completion. Questions worth asking include:
Will this facility support future growth?
Can operations expand within the space?
Will the property continue meeting business needs five years from now?
How will maintenance and operating costs impact long-term ownership?
The decisions made during the planning phase can influence a facility's performance for decades. That's why long-term thinking is an important part of successful commercial building construction.
Great Projects Begin With Great Planning
Every developer remembers their first ground-up project. And while no two are the same, many of the most common challenges can be avoided through thoughtful planning, realistic budgeting and early collaboration.
At Great Southern Constructors, we've found that successful commercial construction projects often share one thing in common: the team takes the time to build a plan before they build a facility. Because long before concrete is poured and walls begin to rise, the foundation for a successful project is already being established.
Great Southern Constructors delivers commercial construction solutions across Florida, specializing in ground up, tenant improvements, renovations, and build outs.
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