Do Commercial Building Projects Need An Architect Or A General Contractor?

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Do Commercial Building Projects Need An Architect
Or A General Contractor?
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• When beginning a new commercial building project,
  many phases are involved and its critical to get
  all of them right for a successful build. Perhaps
  the most crucial phase of any commercial project
  is the design, and once youve got one in place
  that matches the buildings intended function and
  the projects budget, all that remains is for the
  design plans to be put into action.

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• But this isnt always as simple as it sounds, and
  even with the best laid plans, things can go
  wrong along the way sometimes costing the
  building owner thousands of dollars as their
  project encounters problems and delays. While a
  sound design is essential for the success of a
  commercial building project, should you hire an
  architect to draw one up, or rely on a general
  contractor? Contrary to popular belief, general
  contractors often prove to be more reliable than
  architects when it comes to designing a project
  plan, and heres why

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• General contractors ensure the best design
  according to their capabilities
• If you go straight to an architect and ask them
  to draw you up a plan for a commercial property,
  while they might well have a good understanding
  of what will look good, they may not always have
  such a sound understanding of whats possible in
  terms of construction. They may suggest that
  something be done a certain way in order to
  achieve the most aesthetically pleasing design,
  but without knowing the limitations in relation
  to materials, and construction techniques, you
  could end up paying out for more highly skilled
  construction contractors, who are willing to
  explore the limits of their skills and
  capabilities, and charge you handsomely for it.

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• Working with a general contractor, on the other
  hand, means that theyll come up with a design
  that they know their team is capable of carrying
  out to a high standard, and which will mean that
  the building is safe and functional, as well as
  aesthetically pleasing.

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• General contractors help to reduce costs
• A reliable and experienced general contractor
  will ensure that the project remains within the
  parameters of your budget, by choosing only those
  materials and techniques that are affordable to
  you. Should an architect design a building that
  might involve a lot of sub-contracting or the
  renting of specialist equipment, for example, the
  project could easily start to exceed the budget,
  and without specialised knowledge and
  understanding of construction techniques, this
  can easily happen.

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• General contractors may come up with a more
  efficient design
• Architects are skilled at what they do and are
  capable of designing many incredible and
  functional buildings, but, they are renowned for
  being somewhat stubborn when it comes to sticking
  to their blueprints. Without the experience of a
  general contractor, they may not know that there
  are more efficient ways to construct something,
  and that what looks great and perfectly doable on
  a computer screen, may in reality, not be quite
  as straightforward.

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• Working with a general contractor on a commercial
  building project simplifies the entire process,
  and cuts out a lot of unnecessary and often
  costly, middle men. As well as coming up with a
  plan that they know they can put successfully
  into action, youll also get an entire team of
  contractors who will carry out the work under the
  general contractors watchful eye. However, if you
  still want to involve an architect in the
  designing phase, thats absolutely your choice,
  but you should at least ensure that they work
  closely with a general contractor.

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• At I.T.M Construction Corp. is one of the best
  general contractors in Astoria, Queens NY. Our
  family owned and operated business has been
  providing valued clients in Astoria, Queens and
  beyond, with a variety of high quality
  construction and roofing services for almost two
  decades. Whatever your needs, weve got a skilled
  contractor to handle them, and with fair pricing
  and quality workmanship. If you are looking for
  construction companies in Astoria, NY, contact us
  at 718-956-8483.