(2024 Update) Pre-Construction Checklist: 10 Essentials to Start Strong

A solid foundation is the bedrock of a successful construction project. Likewise, the planning stage of the construction, also known as “preconstruction”, is the cornerstone of any well-executed building project. This blog compiles the ultimate pre-construction checklist to ensure no critical steps are missed by the project team. Let’s first understand the meaning and significance of preconstruction.

What Does Pre-Construction Mean?

As the name suggests, the preconstruction phase encompasses all activities that take place before construction begins. Construction companies offer preconstruction or precon services such as planning the project, budgeting and scheduling, identifying potential issues, designing, procuring materials, acquiring permits, and several others.

Pre construction planning sets the tone for the construction project team members to follow. It also ensures all relevant parties such as project owners, contractors, architects, and engineers are on the same page. During pre construction, owners get a complete understanding of the project’s scope, costs, and construction schedule. If the client is dissatisfied with the contractor’s services or the construction project has cost or constructability issues, the client can end the agreement before actual construction begins.

Published by FMI Corp, The State of Global Preconstruction report explores the preconstruction practices and outcomes experienced by 979 construction stakeholders worldwide. Most survey respondents preferred a formal or agreed-upon preconstruction procedure. Respondents stated that effective risk and resource management, lesser rework and delays, higher profitability, and more satisfied clients were the major reasons for prioritizing preconstruction.

Pre Construction Checklist

Since pre construction phase offers multiple valuable benefits, you likely want to maximize the process and pull it off successfully. Oftentimes, clients hire a pre construction manager to assemble teams, strategize, and align the precon process with the owner’s business goals.

While many pre-construction checklist templates are readily available nowadays, here are the 10 essential pre construction activities and outputs to tick off from your checklist.

Checklist Item 1 – Scope of Work

The owner should define the project’s scope and initiate the pre construction checklist. This scope will outline project objectives, requirements, construction schedule, and desired finishes. Consider these questions during preconstruction planning:

• What are your goals and quality expectations for your building?
• What are your occupancy requirements and will they change in the future?
• When does the project need to be completed?

A clear understanding of these goals is essential for your general contractor and architect. If the client’s vision is unrealistic, the contractor will develop a feasible project scope that efficiently aligns with the vision. Defining the scope of work helps predict challenges, allocate resources efficiently, and ensure risk management.

Checklist Item 2 – Site Inspection and Analysis

After defining expectations for the commercial property, the contractor will investigate the building site. This includes surveying conditions to understand the client’s vision and determine feasibility.

The general contractor will analyze environmental factors like soil, topography, seismic activity, drainage, and utility access, and check local zoning and regulatory requirements.

An existing building’s condition analysis will assess structural integrity, design, and functionality, including electrical, plumbing, and HVAC inspections. Planners can then integrate new systems and materials.

Thorough construction site analysis helps prepare a comprehensive bid package and avoid costly surprises. Using building information modeling (BIM), developers create a 3D model for clients to visualize the construction project and make informed decisions.

Checklist Item 3 – Budget

Establishing a preliminary budget as part of the pre-construction checklist ensures informed budgeting decisions, prevents unexpected expenses, and helps prioritize tasks while scheduling. Contractors and stakeholders must consider various costs when estimating the project budget.

• Design Team Fees: Allow for 10-12% of costs for hiring architects, engineers, and other design professionals to create plans and specifications for the construction project.
• Administrative Costs: Expenses related to the process of obtaining permits (1-2%), utilities (2%), and engineering work (5-10%).
• Labor Costs: Includes payment for the entire construction crew from project start to finish. Covers usually 20% of the entire project costs and if combined with indirect labor costs, can rise to 40%. 
• Materials Costs: Covers expenses from building supplies to construction and safety equipment. Also considers equipment sourcing and rental prices. Allocate between 50-65% of the total budget for material costs. 
• Survey and Soil Testing Costs: Includes 5-10% budget costs for conducting soil and geotechnical testing, as well as surveys of the construction site.
• Site Preparation Costs: Costs of job site preparation activities from demolition, excavation, and grading to debris disposal and utility installation, or any environmental remediation if needed. Usually covers 10-15% of the total construction project cost. 
• Contingency Costs: 5-10% of the total costs are allocated as a buffer amount to cover unforeseen expenses that may arise during the construction process. 

Contractors and designers will provide realistic cost estimates by referencing similar construction projects, obtaining quotes from subcontractors and suppliers, and determining their profit. They will suggest cost-saving alternatives or premium options based on your budget. A preliminary budget estimate paves the way for creating a final budget.

Checklist Item 4 – Design Development

Once the project scope and budget are finalized, architects or designers create construction drawings, coordinating with structural, mechanical, electrical, and civil engineers. Architects generally refer to this pre construction phase as “design”, which includes:

• Schematic Design: Establishes building massing (size and shape of the building) and overall conceptual design with the client.
• Design Development: Involves detailed sketches, floor plans, elevations, selecting finishes, materials, and planning building systems.
• Construction Drawings: Finally, the architect develops a complete package of construction drawings which will be submitted for acquiring construction permits or requesting bids from qualifying contractors. 

Building Information Modeling (BIM) facilitates real-time collaboration and clash detection among design and engineering teams. This aligns design decisions with client expectations and regulatory requirements.

Checklist Item 5 – Selection of Contractors and Subcontractors

Your pre construction checklist would be incomplete without assembling the right project team. During the bidding process, interested parties submit bids for the construction project work. While other construction companies can bid, the commercial contractor that developed the pre-construction plan has an advantage by closing loopholes and better understanding the construction process. The project owner will compare the qualifying bids and subcontracts before securing the final bid.

Multiple vendors and subcontractors will likely work on separate project phases. Construction documents are packaged together for competing firms to submit accurate bids or tenders. The general contractor will review these bids and decide which best fits their requirements and financial commitments.

Checklist Item 6 – Schedule

An initial schedule outlines the project’s start and finish dates and the hours each team will work. Construction scheduling considers estimations, bid releases, meetings, permits, deliveries, storage, subcontractors, inspections, and logistics.

An experienced commercial construction firm uses project management skills to set realistic milestones and create a project sequencing plan. They seek input from subcontractors and clients to finalize an acceptable timeline.

Construction software (Procore, Fieldwire, BuilderTrend, Contractor Foreman, etc.) may be used to keep the construction team updated and detect potential issues beforehand.

Checklist Item 7 – Materials

In material procurement, the general contractor must identify and order all necessary project materials and equipment in advance to avoid delays. Procuring materials for a commercial construction project often involves a specialized supply chain.

For example, an airport requires durable materials and security technologies, while a laboratory needs fume hoods and vibration-proof surfaces. Construction procurement demands an ongoing understanding of market prices for cost-effective materials.

A seasoned professional ensures selected materials and equipment remain compliant and offers LEED or sustainable design and construction options.

Checklist Item 8 – Permits

A commercial building or renovation project requires several permits based on location and project scope. This process typically occurs during the pre-construction stage, with the construction company responsible. Contact your local permit office to obtain the necessary application. After securing the necessary construction permits, pay the licensing fees to begin construction.

Here are some of the standard building permits required in construction projects in San Francisco, California, United States.

• Building Permit
• Electrical Permit
• Plumbing Permit
• Mechanical Permit
• Fire Alarm Permit
• Fire Sprinkler Permit
• Street Space Permit
• Trades Permit
• Accessibility Compliance Permit

This entire process could take a while, so make sure you start acquiring permits once the construction drawings are ready. For detailed information about permit requirements, visit the official website of the San Francisco Department of Building Inspection (DBI).

Checklist Item 9 – Communication

A resourceful preconstruction checklist ensures effective communication throughout the project by planning regular communication between the contractor, design team, client, subcontractors, and other participants. Setting communication expectations from the start helps the construction team quickly address obstacles, avoiding cost overruns and delays.

Discuss the following topics with all parties involved to set an effective communication plan:

• Do you prefer to communicate via phone calls, face-to-face meetings, or email updates?
• What time of the day are you available to check in on construction progress?
• Who will be responsible for communicating construction project updates and progress to stakeholders?
• How frequently should the information be communicated (daily, weekly, or monthly)?
• How will feedback from stakeholders be collected and implemented into the project plan?
• What is the escalation path for communication issues or disputes that arise during the project?

Checklist Item 10 – Pre Construction Meetings

Conduct pre-construction meetings to ensure all stakeholders understand the project’s goals and specifications. Include a pre-construction meeting agenda in your checklist to guide the discussion.

Keep the construction project contract handy to clarify roles, responsibilities, and deliverables. Explain how each role fits with others. Review critical documents such as design renderings, blueprints, construction schedules, safety plans, risk management plans, quality plans, and communications plans.

During the meeting, address potential issues related to environmental, logistical, regulatory, or other aspects, and propose solutions. Encourage conversation and questions among the project team to enhance understanding.

Lastly, devise a follow-up plan post-meeting, including distributing notes and action items, scheduling further meetings, or other necessary measures.

Conclusion

The preconstruction phase is complex, involving a synchronized effort between construction professionals, machinery, and resources. A preconstruction checklist outlines all essential tasks to complete before starting construction. It helps clients understand the process and the contractor’s coordination with other involved parties. Preparing and reviewing this comprehensive checklist keeps the entire project on track and minimizes issues.

For quality preconstruction services and project management, rely on Constructive Solutions, Inc. We assist with every project aspect, from preconstruction planning through post-construction, ensuring seamless execution from start to finish.

FAQs

Why is a pre-construction checklist important?

A pre-construction checklist ensures all project tasks are completed on time, within budget, and helps identify and resolve potential issues before construction begins.

Should a pre-construction checklist be updated?

Yes, it should be updated periodically throughout the construction project’s lifecycle, especially when changes or modifications occur.

How much do pre-construction services typically cost?

The cost of pre-con services varies based on required services, project size and complexity, and the construction company. Usually, pre-construction services represent a small percentage of the total project cost.

What are some key pre-construction documents? 

Important pre-construction documents include project plans, bidding documents, permits, contracts, and environmental assessments.

What activities take place during the pre-construction phase? 

The pre-construction phase involves planning, design, site evaluation, budgeting, and obtaining building permits, contractor hiring, material procurement, scheduling, among other phases.

Relevant Resources:

• Value Engineering in General Contracting Services
• Pre-construction Services: Closing Gaps in the Communication Loop