Construction Company Beneficial Question

This is one that a lot of people do not think to ask in an initial meeting but is information you need to know before taking on the venture of a new office fit out.

All design and construct companies work differently when it comes to payment terms and it is best to know what you are going to be up for up front before you sign anything.

This way you can plan your budgeting around deposits, progress claims and practical completion (if this is the way they like to run it).

It is also worth asking how many days you will have to pay your invoices (7 days, 30 days?) and what kinds of payment methods they accept so you aren’t caught off guard.

Timelines are key when it comes to new fit outs and you need to be sure the information you are getting is correct (and not being fed to you in order to secure a signature on a contract!).

Whether you have negotiated a lease-free period for your new tenancy or you need to be out of your current tenancy by a certain date it is very important that you and your staff can make a smooth transition from one tenancy to the other with minimal disruption.

Ask for a general timeline on projects similar to yours and if this seems unreasonable don’t be afraid to ask for previous client details in order to get references on efficiency.

Along with being capable of putting together the perfect fit out for you experience is another major factor when choosing a design and construct company for your new medical, dental or veterinary clinic.

Find out how long they have been established for and become familiar with their story.

The last thing you want is to appoint a company that has only been in the game for 5 minutes.

Experience is extremely important not only for knowledge of current products and standards but over time, like everything, we learn from our mistakes and therefore by selecting a company that has been working within the industry for a number of years you can rest assured that they have most likely come across most possible site problems and already have ways of addressing and solving them before it becomes a timeframe issue.

When you sit down for your first meeting one of the most important things that need to be discussed before you start getting down to the nitty-gritty is are the design and construct team you are talking to capable of doing your project?

This may seem like a silly thing to discuss considering you have gone to a design and construct company and they should know what they are doing right? But it is not always that straight forward.

It is very important that you see examples of previous projects and make sure they have completed or are capable of designing fit outs similar to what you envisage for your medical, dental or veterinary clinic.

Not only will this give you the piece of mind that you are dealing with healthcare professionals that can deliver what they promise but by looking at past projects you may pick up some nifty ideas for your own upcoming fit out!