www.marejournal.com Mid Atlantic Real Estate Journal — Industrial / Distribution Centers — May 31 - June 13, 2013 — B I ndustrial R eal E state & D istribution C enters By Keith A. Brubacher, Brubacher Excavating, Inc. Making the right site contractor choice is key to arriving at the completion deadline on time I magine going to the train station and see- ing intelligent people
swaths of budget and sched- ule risk can be minimized by teamwork between the developer, design and soils engineers and thorough site investigation by the contrac- tor. While counter-intuitive to some, our experience re- veals that establishing an early partnership inclusive of the site contractor increases clients’ ability to meet cost and schedule expectations. In addition, stress is mini- mized and risk managed more effectively on projects with a high level of early col- laboration.
Agreat example of this is a large warehouse project com- pleted recently by Brubacher Excavating, Inc., the com- pany I lead. Extensive sub- surface investigation, design input and pre-project com- munication with the owner yielded a change order to contract ratio of less than two percent (excluding owner- initiated plan changes). This is impossible to achieve if any member of the construc- tion team instead chooses an adversarial approach, contributing just enough to solve today’s problem. The
likelihood of unanticipated and unnecessary costs sig- nificantly decreases with a collaborative approach. That means the ‘construc- tion train’ stops infrequently to collect more ‘fare’, aka change orders. Some contrac- tors have successfully con- vinced clients they can reach the same destination while paying only 90% of the ‘fare’. After being surprised mid- way through a project, many an owner has discovered the cost of arriving at completion is more than the value of the remaining 10%.
In short, the highest risk line-item on industrial, warehouse and commercial construction projects can be greatly reduced by part- nering with a strong site contractor who evaluates and manages risk, plans the project before it starts and communicates openly. Kei th Brubacher is president and co-owner of Brubacher Excavat- ing, Inc., a site contractor serving developers, own- ers, general contractors and municipalities. n
p r e p a r i n g to transact business in- volving tens of millions of do l lars , boarding a c i ty-bound train pulled by an old, unre l iabl e
Keith Brubacher
locomotive. Worse yet, you notice the conductor strain- ing to see just twenty feet ahead. Nobody is going any- where fast, and if so they would be terrified! Every few miles the train stops mid- journey to collect additional fares from the passengers. Asimilar scenario plays out daily on a surprising number of large construction projects. Few places is it more costly than large industrial and commercial projects. The operational strength and planning capabilities of the site contractor set the pace for the whole project. Mak- ing the right choice is key to arriving at the completion deadline on time. Site prepa- ration drives everything from building pad delivery to final paving and line painting. The investment required for new projects from the ground up is too valuable to jeopardize with an ineffective contrac- tor. The right site contractor possesses far more than horsepower under the hood of yellow iron to move dirt fast. Many people equate action with speed of completion but without a coordinated plan and sequence, speed alone won’t deliver the desired results. Owning big equip- ment doesn’t necessarily mean that a contractor can think, see and plan ahead any more than sitting in the front of a train makes one a conductor. A competent site contractor has proven expe- rience verified by delighted clients. They understand the importance of creating a work plan before the job even starts, communicating it in advance and coordinating with other trades. Site improvements typical- ly contain the most exposure to high-cost variables such as rock, unstable soil, sinkholes, existing utility location vari- ances and weather. Large
420 Salem Church Road Mechanicsburg, PA 504,321 SF Rail Served Distribution/Warehouse Facility Available
Strategically located at the crossroads of Interstates I-81, I-83 and the PA Turnpike Distribution / Warehouse Space Available
Section A: 252,561 SF Section B: 252,560 SF Building Total : 504,321 SF Property Highlights Norfolk Southern Rail Service 19’6”-27’10” clear ceiling height 40’x40’ column spacing 37 loading docks
SECTION A
TEMPERATURE CONTROLLED AREA
SECTION B
INTERIOR RAIL SPUR
For more information, please contact: Steve Bonge | Senior Managing Director | 610.737.3408 | sbonge@ngkf.com
www.ngkf.com
Philadelphia CBD 215.561.8300
Suburban Philadelphia 610.265.0600
Delaware 302.655.0600
Southern New Jersey 856.334.2100
Made with FlippingBook HTML5