important in the early stages of planning a construction project that your ideas can be brought to reality in compliance with zoning and building codes within your municipality. The project scope may need to be altered to meet the zoning and building codes. Thus, it is better to know the rules which need to be followed early in the planning stages rather than sometime in the future. Zoning regulations deal with the orderly planning and growth of any municipality. Building codes are instrumental in ensuring that your proposed improvement will be built to provide protection from all types of weather and provide a safe environment for all occupants. Preliminary or conceptual compliance may be obtained from a municipal office. Licensed professionals are also a good source of discerning the viability of a project.
HOW TO PLAN & PREPARE FOR A CONSTRUCTION PROJECT By Timothy M. Heffner
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roperty owners, whether they are a homeowner or a commercial building owner, are proud of their investment. The pride of property ownership will generate numerous thoughts for potential improvements to a structure. Likewise, improvements to an existing structure may not meet the needs of the property owner for various reasons. So a new building may be required. Or, for many reasons, an owner may desire to build a new home or operate a business venture in a new facility. Whether you are planning to upgrade your home or commercial building or build a new home, office, or commercial building; a construction project is in your future.
Planning Prevails The amount of time and thought devoted to planning a construction project will have a direct effect on the success of the finished product. A thorough and complete evaluation leading up to the first 6
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day of construction will always deliver a finished product that everyone is proud of. Time is valuable to everyone and valuable time devoted to planning is a prerequisite for success. The first step in planning a construction project is to get your ideas transferred to paper. The transferred images can be simple sketches, photos of similar works, or any media which can illustrate your vision to another individual. The quality of the images is not important, but the message needs to be clear in conveying your intent. When you are satisfied that your proposed project can be conveyed to another individual, you are prepared to seek the advice of a licensed professional or building contractor.
Government Hurdle
All building construction is governed by municipal zoning regulations, plus local and state building codes. It is very
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It is recommended to engage an architect, professional engineer, or a seasoned building contractor in the early stages of a proposed project. These professionals have the knowledge and experience to assist in the development of a successful finished product. A successful construction project is not developed in one meeting; in fact, multiple planning meetings will be required. Planning meetings are sharing sessions rather than plan review meetings. Every one of your thoughts which should be shared with the design professional. What you may consider to be a minute detail could be a major factor in design and performance. Also, be prepared to compromise your initial ideas as regulations, building functionality, and your first vision are combined into a working plan. You also want to be certain that the design professional is listening to you. The design professional is designing a construction project for you and not for their portfolio. If a design professional is not listening to you, it is in your best interest to pursue another design professional for the ultimate goal of a successful improvement. As mentioned earlier, a finished product that exceeds your expectations is achieved by the building owner and design professional sharing all known details and deciding upon the best approach for the benefit of the end product.