How to Choose the Best Commercial Construction Management Company

Beautiful commercial spaces don’t just happen. Endless small details are carefully planned and executed to bring the perfect space to life.

When beginning a commercial construction project, selecting the right partner is foundational to the project’s success. Everything from the craftsmanship and quality of work to the project schedule relies on the team entrusted with the work.

If it’s time to enlist expert help in getting your project underway and completed, we have 10 tips to help you find the best commercial construction management company.

10 tips to help you select the best commercial construction management company

A gorgeous finished space is the result of a carefully managed project team and a finely tuned plan. You’ll need to find experts to understand your vision, create a project road map, and develop a budget and timeline you can trust.

Here are 10 tips to help you find the right choice:

1. Look for referrals and reviews

If you know someone who has been thrilled with a recent commercial construction project, ask them for a referral. See if you can find out what the project entailed and what they loved most. If you can source a few of these referrals from your network, you’ll have a great starting point.

Without a referral, you can still get reassurance from other sources. Look for testimonials and online reviews that can help give you a sense of the company’s capacity for inspired ideas, relationship building, and successful completions.

2. Assess communication and collaboration

Every project will need a certain amount of back-and-forth communication between you and different parties at the construction management company you’re vetting. The early days of considering potential project partners are a great time to assess if their communication styles and patterns work for you.

Collaboration is another essential element in successful projects. Does the company seem open to discussing how to bring your ideas to life? Do they have strong relationships with other industry partners and subcontractors? It may take a team effort to manage your project to the best results, so look for a partner skilled at working with others.

3. Ask about experience

Look for relevant and recent experience with similar projects, even if the specifics of each are unique. Ideally, the best commercial construction management company for you does this kind of work often and has familiarity with common challenges that could crop up.

You can check out their project portfolio to see what kind of work they’ve done in the past or review case studies to see how they’ve managed projects to achieve successful client outcomes.

4. Review safety details

Workplace safety is necessary to prevent injuries during the execution of your projects. Look for a company with well-established and comprehensive safety policies and safety practices they use consistently.

You should also look at the company’s safety records and ask about their safety program for insight into how they’ll care for their team throughout your project.

5. Compare proposals carefully

If you have more than one proposal to consider before moving ahead on your project, great! Be cautious when comparing them side-by-side, as two proposals may have very different elements. These differences may lead to different costs, but you may get more value from one than the other.

Look at the detailed scope of work, cost estimate, payment schedule, project start and finish dates, planned schedule, how the company will handle changes and delays, changes and extras, and warranties. Don’t be afraid to ask questions until you understand what they have included and how it adds up.

6. Get to know the team

Any project will have multiple team members working with you and showing up on the job site to take care of necessary stages of construction. You may spend time with an owner, a project manager, a sales rep, office staff, or even subcontractors.

If you’re partnering with a whole team, ask how it works and who else will be a key contact for you and your team. You may meet one or two primary contacts when first considering a proposal, but if possible, see if you can meet anyone else.

7. Assess prices and budget

Price will need to factor into your final decision, but be sure you understand what prices include, which parts of your project could drive costs up, and how the company you’re considering can help keep things on track. While some market prices fluctuate, a good company will work with you to suggest alternatives if issues arise.

Your budget will govern decisions made throughout your project, and finding a company that can work with you to spend it wisely can be invaluable. An experienced company can help you make decisions to make your plans a reality.

8. Review licences, certifications, and insurance

When you trust a company to handle an important project, you need to know they’ve taken care of all the permits and paperwork needed to do the job. You’ll trust this company to perform work to code, obtain necessary permits on your behalf, and build something you can be proud of for years. It’s wise to be thorough.

The best commercial construction management company will hold appropriate licenses, have necessary certifications, hold insurance, and be bonded for your protection and theirs.

9. Ask about systems and processes

Ask potential partners to walk you through the frameworks that support their teams in completing projects. Ideally, they’ve created standard policies and procedures to keep all projects moving smoothly and have excellent in-office systems.

A company that has adopted modernized processes to continuously improve how they work is more likely to be able to keep your project on track.

10. Look for alignment in values

Examine the company’s values and see if they align with yours. You may want to look for a positive team culture, strong relationships, impeccable accountability, and robust community connections.

A company’s core values will show up in many forms, from how they manage projects to the way they communicate with you and stand behind the work they do.

The best commercial construction management company will work with you to clarify the path ahead and be proud to offer you the reassurances you need that you’re making the right decision.

Avoiding common pitfalls

Knowing what to look for when choosing the right partner for your commercial construction project is important; however, learning what to sidestep is equally helpful.

Here are a few common missteps to avoid:

Try not to make your choice based on price alone

Each proposal and each company you speak to may have a different approach with a different combination of elements and value-adds. The others might have things you want and need in your final project.

Don’t assume the communication will get better

If a company seems to be unresponsive, or worse, dismissive of your concerns and questions, this could be a sign that they don’t have good practices in place to engage you and keep you informed and updated.

Don’t skimp on vetting

No matter how busy you are in the early days of a project, take the time to carefully read through proposals, contracts, and any other resources that can help you make the best decision. The time you spend now will save you sleepless nights later.

Building dreams—and extraordinary commercial projects along the way

Your goal is to work with someone who understands your vision and can offer you a successful path to completing your project. Invest time in finding the best commercial construction management company for your specific needs.

With a team of skilled professionals prioritizing honesty and quality, we consistently deliver high-quality results while managing tight timelines, budget constraints, and complex requirements.

Our proven track record of superior cost control, integrated design, and effective communication ensures successful project outcomes, making us the trusted choice for both large and small projects.

Whether you’re still dreaming about your project or ready to get started, contact the ACS team today to learn more.

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