Category Archives: Design-Build

“The Conductor” by Christine Schmidt on Flickr

Does a project need a superintendent? Does an orchestra need a conductor?

“Conducting is the art of directing a musical performance by way of visible gestures. The primary duties of the conductor are to unify performers, set the tempo, execute clear preparations and beats, and to listen critically and shape the sound of the ensemble.” Wikipedia 

You just bought tickets to see a symphony. You and your Plus One are in black tie, expecting the night of your life – a night to remember.

The curtain opens. Puzzled, you don’t notice a conductor. It shouldn’t matter. You look at each other and smile. The orchestra begins. How will it sound?

Just like a symphony, tradespeople and their teams need to be coordinated. If there isn’t onsite supervision and project management, where do they look to?

Does the floor go in first or the doors? Does it matter? You have drawings so everyone’s on the same page. You think. Continue reading

Lego Bricks by Benjamin Esham, on Flickr

Why Design-Build is Like Building the Millennium Falcon from the Lego Kit, Not Garage Sale Finds

As an avid Star Wars fan you promised your nine-year-old son that your next project together would be building the Millennium Falcon. Great Father-Son time, right?

Then you go to the Lego store and the cost seems steeper than you had imagined. But it does come with 6 figures including Han Solo and Chewbacca, of course. And who can turn down a rotating laser cannon?

Plus, it has the directions. Now, you can go online and download them but pfft, it’s not original.

Still, your wife says it’s not in the budget so you get creative.

You decide to download the directions and use the lego bricks from the seven collections you already have. Good thinking – frugality is a plus.

The Falcon needs thousands of pieces! Who wants to start a project you can’t finish? Continue reading

Anne Street - Before and After - Tilt-Up Panel Replacement

Project Profile: Anne Street Fire Damage Repairs

We are proud to announce the completion of the design-build restoration to a building recently damaged by a neighbor’s fire.

The client took the opportunity, since much of the roof structure was damaged, to replace the entire roof with four-ply built-up roof system. Six skylights were replaced and two were added, increasing the natural light throughout the warehouse. Additionally, a self-flashing galvanized steel roof access hatch was installed.

A 3-ton heat pump unit was replaced and it was relocated onto a factory curb to minimize leak potential.

During reroofing is the best time for a volunteer seismic retrofit of the building and that is precisely what our client opted for. We also replaced the tilt-up panel that had been compromised structurally (it bowed outward) with two new concrete tilt-up panels.

Continue reading

The Anatomy of a Trash Enclosure

TrashEnclosurePlan-1a

So, you think fancy-pants design-build construction is just needed for warehouses and offices?

I’m here to dispel that myth.

In our project for Newport Medial Center LLC we were the owner’s yin contractor to the tenant’s yang. Many times in lease negotiations owners perform some improvements while the sandwich chain, in this case, had their own contractor.

Which brings us to the trash enclosure suite. Why do I use the term suite? Because it was much more than just a place to hide your bin, like something you would be ashamed of.

Did I stop you in your tracks? Continue reading

The Anatomy of a Stormwater Retention System

Stormwater RetentionThe purpose of a stormwater retention system is just that – to retain as much of the rainwater in the native soil as possible while facilitating proper filtration of any excess runoff during storm events.

The retention system allows any excess runoff from the site’s parking lots during rain events to be filtered then directed to the city’s storm drain. At the recently completed project for RBC Transport Dynamics, the city storm drain empties into the Pacific Ocean.

This project has a bio-swale and permeable concrete. Permeable concrete is often referred to as “magic concrete” in viral video stories, like this one.

In the video below, 1,500 gallons of water is dissipated in 5 minutes. It’s not magic – it’s engineering!

What is this system, you ask?

Let’s break it down.

You may want to click over to our Facebook Page to see all of the photos and detailed captions or just click through on this SlideShare.

Have you ever seen this type of parking lot?

There’s a lot more to a parking lot than meets the eye!