The Contractor’s Core Responsibilities

• Prepare and maintain the schedule: The contractor develops the schedule, incorporating all work phases and milestones, and must keep it current to show progress and adjustments.
• Comply with deadlines and contract times: The schedule must adhere to the contractual durations (such as substantial completion, final completion, etc.).
• Manage subcontractors and suppliers
• Handle changes responsibly: If modifications or delays occur, the contractor must propose time impacts, recovery plans, or alternate sequences.

HURD is a strategic owner’s advisor and complete project manager, not just a contractor. Our business upholds a fiduciary duty to represent our customer’s best interest; therefore, we uphold these responsibilities in our pre-planning, strategic guidance, project management, and post-construction services.

How HURD Construction Management Puts These Principles Into Action

At HURD Construction, strong scheduling is a foundation for predictable, low-risk execution. With strategic pre-planning and management throughout the project, the HURD difference is less ambiguity, better coordination, and ultimately, a project delivered with confidence.

Here’s how we control the build to ensure the best result:

• Early focus on strategy and holistic thinking. From pre-construction, we build our schedule to anticipate milestones, constraints, and phases.
• Transparent baseline. Once the construction progress schedule is executed, we provide a clear baseline schedule that shows task dependencies and contingencies.
• Consistent updates & communication. We regularly update the schedule, clearly documenting progress, delays, and mitigation plans, and sharing them with all relevant parties.
• Proactive collaboration & coordination. We don’t schedule in isolation. We manage communication with all parties including real estate, architectural, design and regulatory agencies for a disciplined process from the start.

A construction progress schedule isn’t just a document; it’s a contract commitment, a tool for control, and a communication vehicle. At HURD Construction Management, we don’t just build projects, we manage them with clarity, accountability, and alignment.

If you’re evaluating a buildout, renovation, or new multi-site rollout, contact us to see how strong scheduling and proactive control can make your project smoother, more predictable, and unlock its full potential.

1. Don’t Do It Alone—But Know Your Plan

While it might be tempting to manage everything yourself, a construction manager is essential to navigate codes, permits, timelines, and qualifying contractors. Still, come prepared. A clear vision from day one ensures your general contractor executes exactly what your business needs as planned.

2. Consult a Construction Advisor Before You Sign Your Lease

A seasoned construction project manager or construction advisor can spot red flags that you might miss. From evaluating schedules to identifying costly deficiencies, they ask the right questions and help avoid expensive surprises later in the game.

3. Stay Ahead of the Supply Curve

Delays in furniture, fixtures, and equipment are all too common. By developing a smart procurement strategy early—ideally during the design phase—you’ll avoid unnecessary downtime and keep your opening on track.

4. Bring Your Architect and Construction Manager to the Same Table

When architects and construction managers collaborate from the start, you reduce the risk of overengineering and overdesigning. This integrated approach ensures your design supports both your vision and your budget—maximizing value at every turn.

5. Be Clear and Detailed in Your Instructions

Miscommunication leads to costly rework and delays. Be as detailed as possible when sharing your vision, so your team can provide accurate estimates and deliver exactly what you expect.

At HURD, we believe commercial construction should be as strategic as they are creative. Whether you’re building a flagship office or renovating an existing location, our team is here to guide the process from concept to completion—with insight, foresight, and unmatched execution.

Let’s build something great together.

What is Strategic Planning?

Strategic planning is the process of defining clear goals, identifying potential risks, and ensuring that every phase of construction aligns with budget and timeline constraints. It takes a proactive approach, analyzing market conditions, weaknesses, and opportunities to set a project up for long-term success. This method isn’t just about keeping things on track—it’s about elevating every build with innovation, efficiency, and expert foresight.

Why Strategic Planning is Non-Negotiable

Avoid Costly Mistakes Cutting corners may seem like a shortcut, but it often leads to expensive fixes down the road. Poor planning can result in delays, material waste, and structural issues that could have been prevented.

A Smarter Approach to Every Build Strategic planning allows for creative problem-solving and innovation, ensuring your project is functional and competitive.

More Confidence When you have a team of industry experts managing your build, you don’t have to worry about the unexpected. From permits to materials to timelines, everything is handled with precision.

Increased Efficiency A well-thought-out plan ensures smooth coordination between architects, contractors, and suppliers, preventing costly downtime and miscommunications.

Prepared for the Unexpected Risk management is built into strategic planning, allowing your team to anticipate and navigate potential challenges before they become costly disruptions.

At HURD, we believe that construction isn’t just about building structures—it’s about building lasting success. By investing in strategic planning, you’re ensuring that your project is efficient, innovative, and built to stand the test of time.

Ready to build something BIG together? Let’s create something that lasts. Contact us today.

As buildout, renovation, and retrofit experts for commercial environments, we want to share some information around the increase of renovations and retrofits we’ve seen taking place throughout Florida.

Whether your project is designed for retail, food and beverage, office, or mixed-use, this blog will cover what you need to know to take the next step.

The Difference Between Renovation and Retrofit

First, let’s discuss the difference between a renovation and a retrofit.

Renovation and retrofitting have similarities; for one, they both make changes to the existing building. Furthermore, these changes are to upgrade the building, increase its functionality, and add to its current value. In basic terms, the key difference is that renovation can pertain to interior changes that focus mostly on modernizing or updating the aesthetics.

In contrast, a retrofit provides something with a component that was not featured in the original manufacturing and deals largely with technology and systems. Although both can deal with more than cosmetics and involve layout changes, a retrofit will often require the team to address load-bearing walls, rewire electrical systems, fix plumbing, and other similar activities—to either bring the building up to code, fix what’s broken, or make the building systems more efficient.

According to a 2022 article from the American Institute of Architects, the number of renovation projects have increased and now rival the number of new builds. When surveyed about the goals of their recent projects, firms stated that 25% of their projects were for adaptive reuse. Another 25% focused on conversion and basic interior modernization.

The other half of responses were as follows:

• Tenant fit-outs = 18%
• Adding usable space = 10%
• Upgrades to the shell or to the systems = 10%
• Historic preservation = 3%

With nearly half construction projects devoted to renovations, where do retrofits rank in the current market?

From their research, the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory offers these key findings:

1. Systems retrofits represent around 20 percent of total projects.
2. Systems retrofits show a greater occurrence in high energy saving projects.
3. Lighting measures are the most prevalent in all types of retrofits, while there is a higher prevalence of HVAC measures in systems retrofits than in non-system retrofits.
4. Several barriers prevent wider deployment of systems, including a lack of awareness of system retrofit opportunities, perceived higher costs, ease of system design, installation and operation, and in some cases policy barriers.

However, there’s plenty of need for retrofitting; studies show that commercial real estate buildings constitute 18% of all U.S. energy consumption and have potential for significant reductions through cost-effective energy retrofits.

With Construction Companies Shouldering the Load, More Businesses Retrofit Their Commercial Buildings

It’s apparent that the number of retrofits could increase if some or all of the stated barriers were removed. For example, stakeholders cite ease of design, installation, commissioning, and operation as deterrents. Thus, if the construction company were able to address these issues on behalf of the owner, and thereby reduce the complexities involved in the process, more retrofitting and deeper applications of retrofitting could occur.

Most companies focus their retrofit budget on upgrading their commercial building HVAC, even though this is the most expensive to install per square foot. The least expensive retrofit is lighting, but all of the following can help decrease energy costs, saving the company money in the long run and— perhaps most importantly—bringing their building into compliance with current codes.

• Heating
• Cooling
• Ventilation
• Lighting
• Domestic hot water
• Plug loads (e.g., office equipment)
• Commercial refrigeration
• Weather-resistant roofing
• Outdoor air purging
• Building envelope air tightening

There has been a long-term trend toward fire safety and protection in commercial buildings, as state and federal laws are enacted to address and enforce the issue. Retrofits are becoming increasingly common as more governments enact ordinances like sprinkler coverage, bigger floor area restrictions, and extended egress pathways.

Retrofits can be more expensive than renovations, and multiple sources suggest that decision makers expect a payback period between three and five years. This quick ROI is more likely to happen if you hire a company who saves you money upfront and throughout the process while still executing the work with quality materials and craftsmanship.

Renovations and Retrofits in Florida

Florida is a busy state with a dynamic commercial sector. Out of the nearly 40 new Wawa locations set to open across the county this year, 19 of them are in Florida. The Tampa market alone currently has around 4 million square feet in the construction pipeline.

But owners in Florida have the same concerns as owners throughout the country. Yes, they want their buildings safe and compliant. Yes, they want them to be attractive and functional for customers and clients. And, yes, they want to watch the budget’s bottom line so the company remains profitable.

Whether it’s retail stores, restaurants, offices, or mixed-use spaces, commercial renovations and retrofits have a vital role in maintaining and enhancing the building—and the brand. However, undertaking a successful commercial project requires careful planning, attention to detail, and a thorough understanding of the challenges of the Florida market.

While opportunities for brand expansion and renovations abound, commercial real estate advisor Chad Massaker claims that Florida’s regulatory requirements will continue to be a challenge. He explains, “Many cities have introduced new regulations and zoning restrictions to manage growth and maintain the quality of life for their residents. These regulations can add significant costs to commercial construction projects and may make it more difficult for developers to secure financing.”

This is why it’s so important that you hire a construction company that understands Florida’s building codes and regulations. Hurd Construction Management can navigate those requirements for you—saving you time and money.

Hurd Construction Management Removes the Barriers Holding Back Your Business

Why choose Hurd for your next commercial construction project? We offer complete project management, construction, and more:

• Site Selection Support and Existing Conditions Analysis​
• Pre-Construction Planning (Permitting, A&E Oversight, Scoping, and Budgeting)​
• Early Procurement Planning With Proactive Vendor Collaboration and Coordination
• Construction Management and General Contracting ​
• Florida Statewide Program Management
• Post-Construction, Facility Maintenance, and Repairs​

Download our PDF “Five Best Practices for Commercial Space Buildouts or Renovations”—it’s a free, practical guide full of information designed to help you make the best decisions for your next project.

If you need an experienced and reliable company to be your owner’s representative and project manager throughout the entire pre-planning to post-construction process for a commercial build, renovation, or retrofit, contact us today.

The commercial real estate market continues to rebound after a pandemic-induced decline. While this industry, and the subsequently affected commercial construction industry, has fluctuated since 2020, it’s now on an upward trend as investment and construction activity increases.

Here are some 2023 commercial real estate projections for South Florida:

• Office construction is projected to increase 30%.
• Retail and hotel construction are also expected to increase, although at a slower pace.
• Investment activity is expected to increase in all sectors, as investors seek to capitalize.
• Sales volume is projected to reach $10 billion in 2023, up from $8 billion in 2020.

With this much property being sold, commercial construction is also booming. Are you ready to expand your company’s brand? Open a new location? Launch a sister company at a different site?

National Infrastructure Spending Affects Construction

Federal spending on infrastructure development is expected to support growth in the construction market.

In November 2021, Congress passed a $1 trillion infrastructure spending bill. As the government upgrades roads and highways over the next 8 years, modernizing city transit systems and passenger rail networks, the need for commercial construction—whether new builds or renovation—also increases.

Across the nation, “The size of the construction market amounted to 6.4 trillion U.S. dollars in 2020, and it is expected to reach 14.4 trillion in 2030.” Industry experts believe that federal infrastructure spending will keep supporting the growth of the construction industry over the next four to eight quarters.

What About Construction Growth in Florida?

In early 2023, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis announced the Moving Florida Forward initiative to expedite transportation projects over the next four years. Through this record financial investment, work is being done “to combat congestion, improve safety, and ensure a more resilient transportation system to bolster current transportation needs and set the stage for future growth.”

In June 2023, Governor DeSantis signed his Florida Framework for Freedom Budget for the fiscal year 2023–2024, earmarking $14.8 billion to fund essential projects that improve and increase the state’s transportation network and facilitate trade.

This massive investment for infrastructure will literally pave the way for commercial development, and Florida will continue to see a construction boom as a result.

Positive and Negative Trends for Construction in 2023

Your company can leverage the shifting market and harness the following emerging trends to gain an advantage over competitors.

1. More Efficient Construction Technology: Digital tech tools like drones, augmented reality (AR), and building information modeling (BIM) enable companies to offer clients tangible imaging before breaking ground, streamline the construction process, and improve build accuracy. Collaborative project management software also streamlines the process from start to finish.
2. Sustainable “Green” Construction: Business owners are looking for ways to reduce their company’s carbon footprint in order to protect the planet and ease shareholder and customer concerns around climate change. Eco-friendly materials, renewable energy, and green scapes are all options that can also save money in the long run.
3. Increasing Material Costs: It’s important to save money wherever possible because there is no sign that materials cost will go down in 2024. Data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics show that the producer price index for final demand construction was up 4% in May of 2023 compared to a year ago. This is just a single data point in a longer-term trend of rising construction costs.
4. Modular and Offsite Construction: One way to save money is to choose from stock and custom Modular Buildings for temporary and permanent applications. When time is of the essence, versatility in designs provide maximum flexibility and fast solutions. Whether it’s a new office campus, relocation of your business, or expansion of facilities for your team—prefabricated construction can deliver safe, code-compliant, and cost-effective buildings.
5. Increasing Pressure on the Bottom Line: Even with an increase in construction revenue, construction companies—and the companies who hire them—want to see a net profit. There are several ways to boost your bottom line, including negotiating with vendors. A big way for businesses to prioritize efficiency and cost-savings is to skip hiring a construction company and instead utilize a construction management company that does it all, ensuring your projects stay on schedule and within budget.

Construction Growth Despite Increased Materials Cost

Anne Hunt, director of data and analytics at Trimble’s Viewpoint, predicts continued growth in the nonresidential category in 2023. Hunt explains, “There’s an increasing number of construction workers in Texas, Florida, and the Midwest. As more people flock to warmer states and friendlier tax environments, those construction trends will follow.”

Data also reveals that plumbing, wood-based building materials, roofing, and architectural interiors are all projected to maintain stable prices with diminishing lead times over the next 6–12 months. However, HVAC and electrical are expected to rise 15% over the next year, with lead times predicted to increase from already significant current numbers.

Here’s the best news yet: Materials cost and delays don’t need to be a deterrent to starting your next project. At Hurd, commercial construction is made easy with our buildout and renovation expertise for brand-centric retail, restaurant, and office environments. What’s more—we have more than 1,100 statewide vendor partners, immediate resources to scale for multi-site initiatives, and proven Florida best practices increasing speed to market.

Hurd can help ensure that lead times are accounted for within the design, permitting, and construction process in order to eliminate any delays or down time. This will yield quicker ROI’s for the client.

Complete Construction Planning and Project Management​

Hurd Construction Management is adept at strengthening brands across Florida with our strategic construction expertise. We’re busy during the boom, but we always have time for you.

If you need an experienced and reliable company to be your owner’s representative and project manager throughout the entire pre-planning to post-construction process for a commercial build or renovation, contact us today.

We just experienced a big hurricane with Idalia, and Hurd is hoping everyone in its path was able to stay safe. In this blog, we provide some suggestions to aid the recovery process, and help you better prepare your commercial property for future storms.

During severe storms construction sites are particularly vulnerable to damage. Hurricane force winds can transform loose materials and debris into projectiles. Heavy rain can saturate and ruin exposed materials, and water can flood unfinished structures eventually causing mold or rot. Storms can also damage equipment or wash away tools.

Protect Your Construction Site Before the Storm

It might be too late for Idalia, but there will always be storms in Florida’s future. With shored structures, partially secured walls could be at high risk for collapse from high winds. A storm surge can flood and damage low-lying structures, foundations, and retaining walls. Cranes and other equipment can collapse or be damaged by strong winds or flying debris.

According to Akerman Law, “In the last 30 years, local counties and cities, including Miami-Dade County, Bradenton, Venice, St. Pete Beach, and West Palm Beach, have enacted legislation punishing contractors (and project owners) for failing to secure their sites during the threat of a tropical storm or hurricane.”

Ackerman goes on to explain that contractors must be aware of specific local legal requirements; pleading ignorance won’t cut it. Best practice is to fully secure the project site at least 24-48 hours prior to any predicted landfall of a tropical storm or hurricane.

Some precautionary measures include:

• Making sure construction materials stockpiled at the site (such as boards, bricks, etc.) are banded together and fastened to a secure structure.
• Removing construction materials (such as loose roofing tiles) from the tops of structures and securing to them the ground.
• Storing construction materials inside the structures (if structures are secure from wind loads) or removing the materials entirely from the site and temporarily keeping them elsewhere.
• Removing construction site dumpsters in advance of the storm, and if this isn’t possible to ensure they are weighed down, secured to a structure, and covered with mesh or other durable, wind resistant material.
• Secure portable toilets to the structure, or properly empty them and lay them horizontally before securing them to the ground.

Be prepared before the storm; get more information on how to protect your worksite.

Steps to Take to File an Insurance Claim for Commercial Property Damage After a Hurricane

Even though the NOAA predicted 2023 to be a relatively calm year for severe storms (and it has been thus far) September and October are likely to be more active. In many areas of Florida, we’ve already endured record-breaking temperatures and multiple heat advisories. Abnormally dry conditions weaken root systems, which means winds much lower than hurricane standards can knock trees down and ruin your roofing.

If your commercial property is already built out and fully operational, there are still preparations to be made to protect your physical building(s).

Additionally, before you suffer storm damage, be sure you’re prepared to take these important steps outlined by Lockton Global insurance. As soon as it’s safe to go outside and survey your building(s), take action right away to increase your chances of recovering your losses—and of expediting the claim process, so you can more quickly pay for repair costs:

• Immediately report a loss. Be broad in describing the type and extent of damage suffered, and specify the date of a loss and any affected locations.
• Put your claim team into action. This team may include your risk manager, your broker’s property claim advocate, and several department heads within your organization.
• Document physical damage. Photos, videos, news reports, and social media posts can all be useful. One best practice is to create accounting codes to track any expenses you’ve incurred to recover.
• Assess damage, disruptions, and financial impacts. Consider the possible impact of a storm on your inventory, supplies, finished products, in-progress work, and sales/wages/income. And understand that a complete restoration of your business may take time.

How to Repair Commercial Property Damage

To help accelerate the repair timeline, consider hiring HURD for your commercial construction needs. If your office, retail, or restaurant building has been damaged in a storm, and you need a trusted professional to oversee the repairs and renovations- look no further.

As a construction manager, HURD gives you immediate professional planning support, plus continued expertise and assistance throughout the renovation process.

For future protection, consider HURD’s comprehensive facility maintenance and repair programs for your HVAC, electrical, plumbing, interior and exterior, roofing, and more! Our ongoing maintenance programs ensure proactive upkeep and support for unexpected repairs.

To put HURD’s strengths to work for you, contact us today.

QSRs don’t offer full table service, but they typically provide higher quality food than fast food restaurants, with fewer frozen and processed ingredients. A QSR, or Fast Casual Restaurant, is basically an intermediary concept between fast food and casual dining.

Quick-serve brands need speed, certainty, and consistency as they expand and refine market presence. QSR brands also need technologically savvy construction providers that understand how to plan and deliver tech-forward spaces. Complete QSR solutions should include:

• Full range of services supporting site selection through post-construction
• Statewide resources and experience for large, multi-site roll outs
• Construction planning and project procurement best practices (décor, equipment, and more)
• Prefabricated and modular buildings for construction phases or other uses as necessary

Why Construction Management Is Better for Restaurant Renovations or Build Outs

When it comes to commercial construction, most people think they only need an experienced contractor for their remodeling projects or new builds. But we recommend bringing a construction management company on board first and foremost—because this will save you costs and headaches in the long run.

One Florida example of how hiring a construction management company was more effective than hiring a general contractor is B the Bakery. For details, check out this B the Bakery Case Study.

Here are the highlights: B the Bakery had a good concept for the bakery’s design and operation. The project required remodeling a historic building so that it could support the intense mechanical requirements of a large commercial bakery. The old building had previously housed a convenience store and 24-hour laundromat. Given the complex use change and the age of the building, critical issues around structural integrity, constructability, and budget feasibility needed to be fully vetted before hiring a general contractor to start construction.

Hiring a general contractor without pre-construction planning would have been disastrous. With such significant planning needed, it was vital to hire a construction manager. A construction manager oversees all aspects of the project, creating a detailed plan that avoids the pitfalls of commercial construction so the structure is sure to pass inspection and serve the client’s goals.

The decision to emphasize upfront planning before prematurely hiring a general contractor paid off. By identifying everything the building needed ahead of time, strategically managing the permitting process, and avoiding reactive overspending with well-developed procurement strategies and proactive vendor decisions, HURD accomplished everything needed for the project while hitting the initial deadline for active bakery operations in the new location. B the Bakery successfully baked cakes the very same day they received the certificate of occupancy and food inspection!

Better architectural and engineering approaches lead to faster permits and fewer avoidable delays

On most QSR jobs, Architectural and Engineering (A&E) requirements present an immediate roadblock to many general contractors. Franchisees struggle to orchestrate planning across multiple providers. Some providers lack expertise in food service environments, and this type of fragmented approach is not conducive to developing a scalable food service program. A construction management company can help avoid these issues, reducing costs by reducing delays—and additionally reducing costs by procuring supplies from a vetted provider.

Utilizing establishing vetted and optimized FF&E supply chains

Most Furniture, Fixtures, and Equipment (FF&E) manufacturers offer decent pricing but deliver goods “when available” versus “when needed,” which leaves owners to struggle. Although the QSR client may identify some sources for furniture, fixtures, and equipment, significant work might be needed to manage long lead times, evaluate alternatives, and find suppliers who can consolidate and distribute goods “just in time” to avoid the fixed cost and complexity of managing stored inventory.

Through our professional procurement process, HURD (one of the top construction management companies in Florida) solicits proposals from several suppliers with detailed FF&E schedules, specifications, and requirements for guarantee of supply and consolidated “just in time” deliveries. Also, by leveraging the full needs of the client, HURD negotiates preferential pricing and significantly reduces direct and indirect FF&E cost.

Statewide Florida Resources and Reach

Although Florida is a market with limitless opportunities, its complex building codes, architectural requirements, and fragmented contractor options make building or remodeling a Quick Service Restaurant very challenging.

As a construction manager, HURD gives you immediate professional planning support, plus continued expertise and assistance throughout the process—overseeing the general contracting, the build itself, and the procurement of statewide resources to plan and execute your projects without the delays and fixed cost of buying your own resources.

Our Florida strengths include:

• 63 recent Florida projects
• 25 Florida cities served
• 1,100 statewide vendor partners

To put HURD’s strengths to work for you, contact us today.

There are steps to take to ensure your project requirements are being met, your timelines and budgets are being hit, and ultimately, you are getting the result that you are paying for.

Tips for Interviewing Contractors

Every owner or project manager wants to hire the right person for the job, but choosing a construction firm can be a project of its own. One method with a high rate of success in the industry is to interview a shortlist of contractors for the job. To create this shortlist, we recommend asking colleagues or connections for referrals of firms they hired and were pleased with. If you are beginning a franchise project, ask your franchisor for recommendations on contractors that have worked with or ask other franchisees in the same market.

Consider these tips when interviewing contractors:

• There’s no need to shop your project to a long list of general contractors. Working your way down a long list will be exhausting, and your energy and time could be better spent elsewhere. Besides, a long list can negatively affect bidding efforts, the integrity of the selection process, and the reasons for which a firm will be awarded the job.
• Ask each contractor the same set of pre-written questions. We suggest asking about relevant experience, current works in progress, timeliness of delivery, their knowledge of health and safety standards, and the availability of resources. 
• Ultimately, your selection should be based on the firm you feel is the most capable to complete the job as desired. It is similar to a personnel hire, pick the firm you will enjoy working with for the lifecycle of the work.

Level-Set Your Qualifications

It’s important to make sure that the firms you’re considering are comparable in size, capacity, and experience.

To obtain competitive bids, ensure that companies are bidding “apples to apples.” This can be achieved by providing a Bid Form for companies to complete and submit.

It’s important to be clear about your timeline and expectations. Share with your bidders how long you anticipate the project taking from start to finish. This way, they can budget accordingly and accurately staff their team—and subcontractors can do the same.

Consider More Than Cost

The biggest mistake we see from decision-makers during the process of qualifying a contractor is basing their selection too heavily on the quote, and not heavily enough on other qualifications.

There are other intangibles to consider too. Which team is more attentive and responsive to you? Who do you think you will enjoy working with for the lifecycle of the project? 

If you are deciding between multiple firms of relatively the same size, experience, and capacity, the cost of work should not be drastically varied. If one bid is significantly lower than the others, there may be an underlying issue in the clarity of the construction documents or the contractor’s understanding of the scope of work.

If the bids are relatively close in price, that’s a good indication that the SOW and instructions are clear. You can then make your decision based on other factors.

If You Need Help, We’re Here

Whether your commercial building project is retail, office, or restaurant, you want to responsibly qualify a general contractor before you start your property improvements or build outs. A good rule of thumb: Find someone who will keep your risk low and your ROI high. 

If you need help getting started, HURD is here. For more information about the services we offer as one of the top construction management companies in Florida, contact our experienced team today.

We are an outsourced development partner for retail, restaurant and office brands who are expanding through the state of Florida. We utilize a comprehensive project delivery method that aids a development from conception to completion. This includes pre-construction, permitting, FF+E project management, general contracting, and post-construction facility maintenance. The niche Hurd has in the marketplace creates undeniable value for businesses seeking growth in the sunshine state.

This text highlights some of the concrete ways an outsourced development partner can help take your growth to the next level. So, why outsource?

WHY OUTSOURCE?

Outsourcing work, in any industry, delivers several key competitive advantages:

• Increased focus on core business activities
• Delegation of tedious, timely tasks
• Access to a larger pool of professionals (in this case contractors, architects, etc.)
• Third party contractors are more incentivized to perform

WE ARE EXPERTS

With over 700 completed projects since the inception of Hurd Construction Management, we have seen just about everything. Through trial and error we have found best practices around labor shortages, institutional landlords, a fragmented contractor landscape, inflation, material costs, and more. Through this trial and error, we are able to share our best practices with customers to help them navigate the same looming concerns. Think of it this way. You wouldn’t hire a mechanic to perform heart surgery, right? So why hire anyone other than an expert to open your restaurants? Our full-time job and sole focus on a day-to-day basis is retail, restaurant, and office development.

LEAN AND MEAN

Many companies, especially those growing through the franchise model, tend to prefer to keep their overhead low. With that in mind, partnering with an outsourced firm allows brands to grow their team without the long-term fixed costs of W-2 employees on a regular payroll. When the growth stops, we go away.

Time is of the essence in statewide expansion. So with the real estate landscape being more competitive than ever and local incentives becoming limited and aggressive, working with Hurd offers immediate assistance and can help avoid delays in recruiting, onboarding, and training. From a cash-flow standpoint, flexible “pay as you go” variable support is far less expensive than full-time employees. Our strategic role flexibility allows for “as much as you need, and as little as you need” services on different projects.

BOOTS ON THE GROUND

Post COVID-19 pandemic, Florida has become a hotbed for families moving here, as well as for businesses expanding to the state. Many of these businesses are out-of-state and maintain headquarters not positioned inside of Florida. Working with Hurd offers “boots on the ground” assistance to help non-local brands achieve strategic growth in a complex market.

Teaming up with a local expert offers access to a large list of qualified local vendors, best practices to navigate difficult building requirements, and reduced costs for project managers needing to travel to job sites from elsewhere in the country.

Ultimately, the outsourced advantage lies in partnering with field experts to allow them to do what they do best. All the while, having that time freed up to do what you do best – growing your business.

“We started with a traditional GC project scope and found that the work we had to internally manage was too costly and time consuming. Since late 2021 to now, we have had a very positive experience with Hurd to the point that today they serve as our outsourced project development department to build out our stores”

– Chief Strategy Officer, International QSR Brand

Ready to work with a strong construction advisor?

At Hurd Construction, we are construction advisor experts and drive for the strongest results. If you have a project coming up and you need a strong partner or advice on hiring a general contractor, we would love to connect. Leave us a message or give us a call at (866) 231-2477 today.

The Key: Partnering, early on, with a construction advisory firm can help alleviate the pressures and stresses of this venture.

This blog will highlight four important considerations in the hiring of a GC.

1. Proper instructions are key
2. Appropriate experience is imperative
3. Do not forget to consider your necessary timelines
4. Hiring a general contractor is just the beginning

1. Proper Instructions Are Key.

The first step in this hiring process is to create a clear and consistent set of instructions for your general contractor. Ultimately, a general contractor’s job is to build what you tell them to build. If your instructions do not line up exactly with your expectations, this is a dilemma that can lead to costly changes further in the project. It is essential to partner with a firm who can offer strategic planning and pre-construction advisory services. This partner will work with your architect, and construction team to create the appropriate plan for your job. Without a clear set of instructions, it is very challenging to qualify a contractor and fully understand their timelines and costs which leaves substantial room for error. Irresponsible contractors will take a poor set of instructions, and use that as an opportunity to change order and increase their profit on the back end. With proper instructions and a partner guarding your best interest you mitigate that risk.

2. Experience Is Imperative.

The next step would be sourcing a GC that specializes in the type of project you are starting. If the contractor you are considering hiring does not have any experience building in similar spaces, or in the jurisdiction of your space, that presents as a major red flag. We are approached frequently by owners who are in a bind with their project because they hired a residential builder for their commercial project. Or better yet, hiring their cousin who remodeled their kitchen to build their coffee shop. Contractors consistently get a bad rap for taking on work outside of their expertise in order to make profit. Aligning with a provider who has a proven network of qualified vendors can help simplify the sourcing process. Not only will this provide a larger list of more qualified options, it will also offer an expert opinion in the final hiring.

3. Consider Your Timeline.

Another important factor to consider when selecting your GC is their timeline and the cost implications that schedule may have on your project. For example, a local general contractor with lower overhead may be able to execute your project in 12 weeks for $300k. A regional contractor, with a larger workforce, can execute the same project in 8 weeks for $320k. The regional firm can also mobilize in 2 weeks, while the local firm needs 6 weeks to get you into their WIP. This is just one arbitrary example of the timeline factor in the selection process. Working with a construction manager who understands (and helped plan) your project will help explore the cost/benefit analysis of different execution strategies. In the end, helping you make the most appropriate hire for your given job requirements.

4. Hiring a GC Is Just The Beginning.

Where many owners are caught off guard is immediately after hiring their GC. They think their responsibilities have ended, but the truth is, the project is just getting started. As discussed earlier, the general contractor’s job is to build spaces to the specifications of your construction plans. Their responsibility does not exceed past general construction. An owner takes on massive accountability during the construction phasing portion in the form of providing information, payments, approvals, and navigation around any unforeseen conditions.

In short, the owner is still the head coach of the team. However, many owners do not have the time or experience necessary to successfully manage the “day to day” tasks of their project. This is where hiring an experienced owner’s representative to lead your project can create a tangible advantage. Specifically, an advisor who offers complete project management, and is involved in the process very early on.

Ultimately, a construction advisor’s expertise and experience will illicit positive results in the hiring, and managing, of a general contractor. Comparing this procedure to other industries – “hiring managers” in other businesses, or even 3rd party recruiters, understand fully the requirements of the job they are hiring for, what to look for in their candidates, and how to best set their new hires up for success. They are often times considered experts in their professions. Why would you run the risk of hiring the wrong GC and costing yourself, or your company, substantial amounts of money and time? The answer is, you should not, and most successful owners and entrepreneurs do not.

Ready to work with a strong construction advisor?

At Hurd Construction, we are construction advisor experts and drive for the strongest results. If you have a project coming up and you need a strong partner or advice on hiring a general contractor, we would love to connect. Leave us a message or give us a call at (866) 231-2477 today.