Our initial contact is usually by phone or e-mail.

1. If by phone, we will discuss some of the project information and details with you such as:

a. What is the project class? Commercial, residential

b. What is the project type? New construction, remodeling, addition, etc...

c. Do you have a budget?

d. What is your time frame?

2. If by e-mail, we will reply and set a time to discuss with you.

 

Either way we will set an appointment to meet you as soon as possible or your schedule allows.

Our first meeting will be to review the information gathered during our initial conversation. It is a meet and greet to allow us to get to know you and for you to meet us. To allow us to discuss our available services and answer some additional questions.

Following our initial meeting and budget discussion, we will help to determine the feasibility of the project in terms of costs, time, and realistic expectations which also relates to quality. This is a very important step, as many projects do not get started due to unrealistic time frames, insufficient funding, or quality levels that are above the time and funding abilities.

Do you have a budget?

This is a very important question you will need to ask and to understand the financial commitment required to complete the project. The budget is a critical step in making sure we can build the project for the monies you have allotted, within the time constraint and at the quality requested.

Through our pre-construction services, we can assist you in determining and setting up the budget.

a. Small projects, such as a kitchen or bath renovation, or service work we can typically provide an estimate based upon allowances for selections and some select bidding.

b. Large projects such as additions, new construction, commercial build-outs we will need preliminary plans and specifications to request preliminary proposals from our main subcontractors and suppliers.

Feasibility Study

Utilizing preliminary plans, specifications, basic product and material selections, or allowances for a quality level and range, and subcontractor preliminary bidding, we will establish a line itemed budget estimate. This estimate will detail hard construction costs and soft costs. This process varies in time due to size and complexity of project and location. If the preliminary drawings need to be adjusted to accommodate changes due costs or design this a good time to revise as the drawings have not been completed for construction and are changes easily made.

Drawings

Utilizing our select architects, engineers, interior designers or your own design team, the drawings can now be additionally detailed for final coordination of selections, subcontractor and supplier bidding, and ultimately for submission for permitting and construction.

By utilizing our preconstruction services during the design development and construction document stages; our experience, training and educational background will assist you through:

a. Direct communication and coordination with the design team. We speak their language and can take this part of the process and your project to a level that many projects never achieve in terms of design and detail development.

 

b. Review of selections. During this phase many costly details, proper product selections can also be reviewed for cost effective implementation.

 

c. Value Engineer – we can suggest alternate solutions and products to help keep the project on budget before construction begins where changes typically cost time and money whether they are decreasing or increasing the scope.

At this stage, the construction drawings should have sufficient and clear information to rebid to our select subcontractor and supplier network to get the best pricing available. We will review the construction documents and create a scope of work for each trade in the bidding process. Our vendor network will review and adjust the proposals provided earlier, if necessary, and furnish their best value to complete their scope. This is also a great time to discuss alternates solutions again with them that will add value to the project. The bids will be assembled and compared against similar scope and trade.

Subcontractors will be selected based upon:

a. Cost of work

b. Time to complete

c. Quality level

d. Materials used

These items all have an effect on the budget.

Through our select subcontractor and supplier network we will assist you and your interior designer (when applicable) on procuring and selecting details such as crown, appliances, colors, finishes, stone, counters, cabinets to name but a few.

If you have an interior designer or design consultant, we would recommend that they be brought into the process early as many of the ideas, suggestions, or furnishings can directly impact the layout, design, and ultimately the construction of the project.

If you do not have an interior designer, we can assist you on selecting and interviewing various local and national designers. We have worked with designers from around the world from New York and Paris, to California and Florida and understand their time is a valuable as yours. Our background in Architecture will put them at ease and allow them to focus on the details they are hired to complete.

If your project budget, size, or simply you do want to hire an interior designer, we will utilize our vendor and supplier network to furnish the latest catalogs and product information. If your time permits we can also schedule showroom visits to see and touch the products. Seeing a product in person at our select vendor showrooms is not only a great experience but typically allows for a quicker decision.

Your thoughts and dreams, time and effort, and financial planning are about to become a reality. The project is ready to start, what do you do now? Our project management team will guide you through the construction process, its ups and downs through use of our innovative project management systems by planning, scheduling, implementing subcontract purchasing, material ordering, selections, and inspections:

a. Planning – We embrace the revised 6-P’s adage principal of Proper Planning Promotes Peak Performance. By planning the project prior to starting construction, many costly mistakes can be avoided. In many instances delaying a projects start will allow it to finish early and with decreased costs. How is this possible? If the project planning is not completed and methods agreed, or selection of primary building parts or systems are not determined starting a project and the construction process could pass the proper installation sequencing resulting in removing or modifying what was just built. Time is money, but in construction once a project starts the clock starts ticking. Our planning system involves asking pointed questions and the resulting answers are utilized during construction.

 

b. Scheduling - utilizing scheduling programs we keep the project on time by proactively planning and implementing subcontract purchasing, material ordering, selections, inspections.

 

c. Subcontract purchasing - our goal is to purchase all work prior to starting, where possible, to avoid unexpected costs and to avoid unexpected conditions.

 

d. Material ordering – Material ordering when purchased properly is seamless but when materials are ordered late can significantly delay a project. At Cianci Construction, we create a material list at the start of the project and adjust it as construction progresses.

 

e. Selections – Selections are typically the touchable, visual pieces and parts of the project sometimes know as the “fuzzy”parts. Selections in many estimates and contracts are left as allowances as they typically are not clearly defined until the project begins, the project is well underway, or in many instances, not selected until the space is actually built as this provides the ability to see the “actual” space before deciding. The later is problematic as many selections such as flooring, casework, and millwork can have long lead times, sometimes more time than is left on the project to complete it. This is a very important step in the process and can be avoided utilizing our selection schedule. A selection schedule is created prior or at the start of the project and will list the time frames opposite of the construction schedule. By looking at the schedule backwards will determine when the item will need to be installed and based upon lead times when it will need to be selected and purchased.

 

f. Inspections - Inspections are a necessary and important part of the construction process and we embrace the permit process for many reasons:

i. Licensed General Contractor - as a licensed General Contracting Company we are required to permit all jobs that the city or municipalities require us to permit. This distinguishes us from an unlicensed person or company.

 

ii. Permits are required – in most municipalities in South Florida any project over $2,500.00 dollar value, or service provided by company or someone other than owner, and/or any work on the exterior of a building requires a permit.

 

iii. Another set of eyes – The inspection process provides another qualified person to review and check the construction project and provides the owner a reassurance that it was completed correctly to today’s standards. iv. Inspections trigger payments – Inspection in many larger projects the triggers for contractor payments and are therefore critical for cash flow and management.

 

v. Value added to property - the building, work, renovation once completed will provide added value to the owner

 

vi. Occupancy at completion – Inspections are required throughout the construction process to ultimately receive a Certificate of Occupancy. This is the final step in the construction process allows the owner to occupy the newly completed project.

Notes:

1. Some small projects or certain types of work are not required. As a policy, we will always inquire first and get approval to proceed if a permit is not require.

 

2. Permit requirements vary in terms of dollar threshold, type of work, and who performs the work. Always check with local governing jurisdiction before proceeding with any work as it might cost you twice.

As part of the completion of all projects we provide closeout manuals which include listing of materials selected during construction, warranty information and cards, operating manuals, maintenance manuals:

a. Materials Manual – we provide a list of the items selected for your records and for reference if you would like to order again for another project, have inquires if selling, or if additional materials are needed for expansion at a later date.

 

b. Operation and Maintenance Manual – we provide a handy manual with the product literature that was provided by the manufacturer. Most manufacturers provide these manuals with the product for use during installation and many times they are left on site or are thrown away. We collect this paperwork and assemble into a binder. This information is important and should something go wrong with the product in the future or during the warranty period it might be needed for service, maintenance scheduling, trouble shooting, or proof of purchase.

 

c. Warranty Manual - for all items purchased that have warranties, or service requirements. It is very important to get the information to the manufacturer when required to allow the service and warranty to be effective. We will assist or complete these warranties for you to activate.