Commercial Construction

Commercial renovation is a coordination problem before it is a construction problem. The useful questions concern occupancy, approvals, long-lead equipment, building systems, phasing, and the operational cost of disruption.

This page is a curated reading guide. The Topic archive lists articles by category.

• Selecting commercial construction management companies — Audit Agency CM vs. CMAR/GMP delivery, West Coast seismic and accessibility code triggers, wet-season protection, and schedule delay claims.
• Commercial renovation — Organize due diligence, scope, schedule and turnover.
• Construction management — Establish responsibilities, project controls, changes, quality and closeout.

What this section covers

• Commercial construction management firm selection and GMP buyout controls
• Commercial renovation planning
• Tenant improvement scope and approvals
• Retail, office, and restaurant build-outs
• Agency CM, CM-at-Risk (CMAR), design-build, and design-bid-build delivery
• Work in occupied buildings
• Commercial facade and exterior wall renewal

Exterior projects should also use the building envelope guide to distinguish appearance work from water-management work.

Decisions that deserve early attention

Confirm lease responsibilities, property standards, permitted use, accessibility obligations, utility capacity, shutdown constraints, and the approval path before pricing the finish package. A fast-looking schedule is not useful when it excludes landlord review, permits, procurement, testing, or closeout.