When you run a business, you need to make sure that every major project goes by without a hitch. As odd as it sounds, this means anticipating issues and hiccups, so the project can be successful even if something crops up. Because something will crop up. 

Now, part of running a successful company is being able to take a hit and keep going. But much like a boxer, the fewer hits you take, the better. 

One of the largest projects your company might undertake is building commercial property. 

The Drawing Board

You can only anticipate problems and deal with them if you plan ahead. This applies to any major project, but even more so for something like a building project. Even though you and your employees won’t be doing the actual work, you still need a plan in place. 

When you start the drawing board, you need to determine exactly what kind of commercial property you need. It seems obvious, but a warehouse is very different from an office block. 

One of the benefits of building the property yourself is that you can control the design of the project. So you can design it to perfectly match your company. This isn’t a level of control you can ever achieve by buying a property, and certainly not by renting it. However, this design element does represent more work. 

Again, much like any large project, you need to plan financially. In this case, this may mean getting a loan or mortgage to handle the initial investment. Poor financial planning on a project of this scale can cripple your business and leave you with a half-completed building site. If you get a loan, you will need a plan in place anyway so that you can prove that you can justify the loan and pay it back. But even if you’re able to fund the project with cash, this financial plan can save you some trouble. 

Part of this financial plan should involve, you guessed it, being prepared for extra costs and delays. It’s a rare construction project that goes completely smoothly, as bad weather and other issues can crop up, but being ready to cover an extra cost without crippling your project can smooth over these bumps in the road. 

Procuring Land

Once you have a plan in place, you can move onto making actions. The first step is, unsurprisingly, buying land. 

When buying a plot of land, you need to think about more than just the price. The plot should be large enough for the property itself, and ideally big enough for parking and potential expansion. 

As well as the size, the land should be appropriate for the build. This means that it should be flat and zoned for commercial use. It should be in easy access to utilities and other amenities and, ideally, a good location for whatever you need. If customers are visiting the site, it should be accessible and visible. 

You should check the planning permission where you are as well. Even if it’s zoned for commercial use, you may need to acquire permission for certain types of buildings. Neglecting this kind of legal work can have painfully expensive costs and consequences. 

The Project Itself

Once you have the plot ready to go, you can work on the project itself. This is definitely a reason to get the professionals in. This isn’t a job for cowboy builders. 

If something goes wrong on a commercial site, you aren’t just responsible for the extra costs it will cause you. A delayed project is an expensive project. As well as costs and time, if someone gets hurt, you could be liable for extra damages. 

How do you know when a contractor is trustworthy? One thing to look out for is a commercial contractor glossary. This is where you can see examples of their past work and can see the quality for yourself. If possible, see if you can go to sites and buildings that they’ve worked on in the past. 

Testimonials and reviews are another good source of information. Look for contractors that have worked on similar projects so that you know they have the right level of experience in the field. 

The cheapest contractor is rarely the best contractor for the job. If the price seems too good to be true, the general rule is that it is too good to be true. You’re paying for time, experience, and training. Again, being cheap at this point will almost always ends in extra costs, so you aren’t saving any money in the long run. 

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