The Broadway Subway will make it easier and faster for people to travel between Vancouver’s jobs centres, health-care services and neighbourhoods. It’s part of Metro Vancouver’s 10-Year Vision to provide fast and frequent SkyTrain service to residents and visitors.

I’ve worked with many design/build companies and none are created equal. Laryssa and her team at Broadway are top notch.

1. Design Assist

Design Assist is a great way to improve communication between the Building Team and reduce risk, and it can help to resolve disputes. It’s important to clearly define Design Assist services in a contract, so that both parties understand what is being provided and when. It also helps to break down responsibilities into smaller, more manageable chunks—for example, by separating Design Assist and Construction duties into two separate contracts.

The design-assist process can be used on projects of all sizes, but is particularly beneficial on large or complex projects. It can also be used on projects with a compressed schedule, as it allows the project to begin faster by identifying and addressing constructability issues earlier in the design process.

Having key subcontractors involved in the design phase helps to eliminate redundancy and speed up the review and approval processes, thus reducing overall construction time. This early input also helps to identify areas where prefabrication or offsite assembly can be incorporated into the design, which can save significant amounts of money and time on the project.

As the construction process continues, a contractor’s knowledge of how to build the structure is invaluable. This insight can prevent changes and requests for information that could lead to cost overruns, scheduling delays, or both. By implementing design assist, you can take advantage of a contractor’s expertise throughout the entire construction process and get the project completed on budget and on time.

While design assist is similar to delegated design, the difference is that the contractor does not take on contractual responsibility for the design of any components it provides assistance on. It’s also important to distinguish between design assist and design-build, as a general contractor performing design assist is still required to have a professional engineer or architect on staff.

2. Convenience

As a real estate professional, I have worked with countless builders and rehabbers – not all are created equal. Broadway Design Build stands out from the crowd because of their design eye, the quality of their projects, and their level of professionalism. From the initial consultation to the final punch list, they are a pleasure to work with. I highly recommend them to anyone looking for a design/build partner! Thank you Laryssa & team! – Amy S.

3. Flexibility

Construction work can be a difficult sector for flexible working, with location-based jobs and inter-dependent team roles often leading to long hours, high stress levels, and a culture of excessive absences. However, some innovative companies have begun to experiment with new ways of working, and this is having a positive impact on staff wellbeing. One such company is Timewise, a consultancy that has worked with a number of large construction firms to pilot flexible working schemes.

The flexible building movement aims to make it easier for tenants to adapt their office spaces over time to meet their specific needs. This involves designing the base building, such as the concrete foundation, skeleton and utility connections, with flexibility in mind. Then, it is possible to create a fit-out for each tenant, with the freedom to choose where walls and plumbing are placed.

The researchers identify several key factors that can be used to improve building flexibility, including increasing layout predictability, minimizing intra-system interaction, optimizing the positioning of system zones and providing physical access to system zones. They also suggest integrating flexibility measures into design criteria and developing a practical instrument for flexibility measurement in industrial buildings. This will ensure that future changes are taken into account.

4. Timelines

Timelines help control costs by laying out the workflow in terms of when tasks are to be completed and who is responsible for each task. This helps keep everyone on the same page and ensures that all aspects of the construction process are properly scheduled to meet expectations. It also makes it easier to identify the cause of any delays and communicate them with clients or other stakeholders.

Timeline templates can be created at the project, phase, and task levels and are typically presented in a Gantt chart for better visualization. They are a great tool for determining which crews will work when, ordering materials in a timely manner, and estimating completion times. Additionally, timelines make it easy to come up with contingency plans for times when construction will interfere with business operations or residents.

One of the biggest contributors to cost overruns is lack of planning. A good construction timeline is a must-have for ensuring that projects are completed within budget and on schedule. It is critical to balance wants and needs when creating a timeline. If something isn’t necessary for project completion, it should be removed from the schedule and the client should be informed of why.

Creating timelines isn’t an easy task, but it is an essential tool to have for every project. A poorly drafted construction timeline can lead to costly project delays and miscommunication with your team, which can result in an ineffective project. By following these tips, you can create a well-written construction timeline that will save you money and stress while delivering high-quality results for your clients. For more helpful tips, listen to this season of The Buildertrend Podcast – “The Better Way: Strategies for Start-Up Success.” Learn how you can streamline the way you run your business and achieve your goals the right way.