OUR SERVICES
Design Document and Construction Peer Review
Building design and construction are complex, but can be aided by early identification of potential problems, swift action to implement solutions, and follow through to avoid liabilities. Projects benefit greatly from an independent peer review of the proposed drawings and construction documents and ongoing site review during construction. When engaged on a project, Building One will uncover potential problems within the proposed design, offer solutions to improve or enhance the project, and consider alternatives that might be more cost efficient, more durable, or provide a better outcome.
Building One can identify construction issues before they arise and early in the construction process to help teams maintain construction quality. Often, Building One is part of the design and construction team and can propose effective, value-focused solutions to problems as they occur. Building One’s proactive approach to on site observations involves consideration of installations planned next rather than merely observation of in-place work.
Building One can also review shop drawings, construction and design contracts, budgets, construction schedules, monthly draw requests, change orders, and assist with project close out and owner acceptance. If construction costs are higher than expected, Building One can offer value options to augment construction processes, material selection, or building systems to align with the owner’s needs.
Owner Representation
Ownership and real estate development teams require design and construction expertise to help navigate the issues that arise during the development and construction cycle. Designers and contractors bring expertise to the project, but an Owner’s Representative can be added to champion the owner’s interests and ensure that optimal outcomes are achieved. Building One combines a “high touch” approach to client service with a deep understanding of the pitfalls inherent in real estate development and construction. For owners without in-house construction expertise, Building One can guide, educate, and support the ownership team throughout the process. Other ownership groups may be overloaded and simply need a trusted advisor to spend the time in the trenches during a project. As an Owner’s Representative, Building One can step into the range of roles needed to push a project to greater success.
Accessibility Consulting
One of Building One’s unique areas of expertise is the evaluation of projects for accessibility compliance with federal, state, and local accessibility laws and standards. Building One provides expert assistance to evaluate compliance, mitigate risk, and implement repairs to bring a property into accessibility compliance. Due diligence reviews can identify and quantify accessibility compliance issues and provide a preliminary plan to address them. After acquisition, Building One can provide guidance to modify non-compliant improvements as part of a transition plan for barrier removal. Building One also provides training to design, construction, and ownership teams to understand the complex landscape of accessibility requirements and to initiate or maintain a culture of compliance within an organization.
Building Enclosure Consulting
Preventing unwanted moisture intrusion in buildings can be the most important requirement of the building enclosure. Whether from a below grade source, surface runoff, bulk water migration, or water vapor diffusion through materials, Building One can identify moisture sources and propose envelope solutions to repel, manage, or control moisture at the building envelope. Often a “devil is in the details” approach to water intrusion is the most effective since a majority of moisture problems occur at material discontinuities and penetrations. Accurate and complete detailing during the design phase will lead to success in implementation to overcome a wide range of extreme environments buildings must withstand.
Periodic observations during construction provide an ongoing opportunity to ensure project success. During construction, Building One can also perform testing of window and wall systems to confirm conformance to specified performance levels. Building One can investigate water intrusion during operation and propose solutions to eliminate identified issues.
Due Diligence Consulting
Building One provides property condition assessments to institutional owners, investment advisors, lenders, and equity owners. Evaluation of properties can occur prior to acquisition, as an ongoing capital expenditures effort during ownership, or as part of a pre-disposition positioning of the asset. Building One can create deferred maintenance plans that allow the evaluation of investment and ownership risk while understanding the physical needs of the asset.