Preconstruction/Estimating

Preconstruction at ABEL Construction Company is the foundation for our “OPERATIONAL EXCELLENCE.” Our experienced project teams, starting with our on-site Superintendents up to our senior leadership, have the training, processes, and systems in place to be successful from the start. These early and detailed preconstruction meetings are the baselines for our project staff but more importantly, they benefit our clients and their projects.

How?

• The development and implementation of our standardized preconstruction processes create a detailed and defined game plan before anyone shows up on the project site.
• Our intention with the process is to provide a more prepared workforce prior to mobilizing.
•  This precise preparation benefits our client’s projects by leading to greater job site safety & productivity which will in turn, prove ABEL’S value to the client’s bottom line.
• The Preconstruction Team’s organization of the processes assures everyone on the project a clear path to being successful, highly productive and efficient for the duration of the job.

• ABEL’S preconstruction standards and procedures benefit our clients by implementing a system of continuous review and improvement.
• By consistently including the entire project team early and often in the initial stages of preconstruction & estimating, we engage the trade contractors with questions, ideas, and challenges while seeking cost saving suggestions by being creative without sacrificing scope, quality, or safety.
•  ABEL Construction Company’s Preconstruction preparations always start strong because we want to set the tone for the project’s duration.

The ABEL Preconstruction Team sets the tone with the viewpoint that this is the first, a most important and paramount step for the overall success of the project. The reason? ABEL will guide our client through this process and we approach it as a ‘tone setter’ for communication and collaboration. These conversations and early pre-con meetings discuss the aspects of risk management and mitigation by solving challenges and assuring the client the project will be delivered safely, on time and within the cost scope.

Our Preconstruction team utilizes different software platforms to improve efficiency and identify more challenging issues before the project’s first shovel of dirt is turned over. The software helps create the road map for our team to use productivity tools and methods for holding EVERYONE on the project team accountable. Once the initial preconstruction meetings have been effectively established and the tone is set, the project team will meet once again to confirm with ABEL leadership about any last-minute adjustments or changes that may have been discovered by any member of the onsite project team, such as:            

• Identifying any new potential challenges from plan changes, owner changes, costs, etc.
• Evaluating all means and methods for this particular project to generate greater efficiencies
• All areas of risk are identified and closely examined, discussed and solved during this phase through ABEL’S Safety design review
• ABEL Senior management reviews the project team’s approach and initial plans objectively

Kick-off meetings on the job site

Before a trade partner or sub-contractor begins any of their scope of work, ABEL conducts a series of meetings at the job site to review specific items such as:

• The contract 
• Each subcontractor’s scope of work in the contract
• Quality assurance
• Quality control
• Labor
• Safety procedures and protocols

Each of these bullets quantify our VALUE to our clients because these are ‘measurable KPIs’ that all owners should be concerned about.

These meetings are held so the project team can collaboratively plan and coordinate their specific scope of work. Again, setting the tone with an excellent start for each trade partner ensuring everyone on the team that ABEL expects their full attention. These project meetings have been well organized from the very beginning. How?

• Being consistent with handing off scopes of work to the subcontractors
• Being clear and concise with standardized procedures and processes for all trade partners
• Being upfront about what is expected from all subcontractors with clear scopes of work
• Being recognized as a trusted partner to the best subcontractors in the region

ABEL’S Project Management meetings with subcontractors will set the strategy for efficiency by:

• Being the best source for planning
• Coordinating every phase of the project to make sure the teams are on the same pages every day
• Collaborative planning ensures each phase of the job is started in the same manner with the exact expectations
• Establishing consistent language and terms for their scope of work
• Affirming the Project Managers understanding of timelines, scheduling, notification deadlines and other contractual obligations specified in the contract documents

The ABEL team is responsible for every client’s project by creating efficient and streamlined approaches to each phase of construction. We do this by creating open lines of communication, from the owner to everyone in the field, by establishing TRUST and TRANSPARENCY. 

ABEL’S Preconstruction Differentiator: Planning for the close of the project with a strong exit strategy and project turnover guidelines

The premise of the exit strategy is to plan and strategize for the successful and efficient completion of the last 10% of the project. ABEL plans this phase of the project by:

• Communicating & collaborating with ownership and the entire project team in each trade
• Keeping the project team focused on the process.
• Developing an achievable, realistic and consistent management philosophy that
• DRIVES the project over the goal line.

A sample of line items ABEL plans for in this phase of the project:

• Creating the punch lists as we advance the project: ‘punch as we go’
• Gathering operations and maintenance documentation
• Commissioning critical equipment
• Training the owner on systems
• Documenting as-built construction
• Obtaining owner buy-in
• Handing off the project

WHY DOES IT ALL MATTER TO OUR CLIENTS?

Every job at ABEL Construction Company starts with preconstruction and safety reviews, which are the foundations for our project’s success. ABEL knows that having consistent processes & procedures, documents, tools and approaches to each project before we mobilize can have a tremendous impact on our scheduling, efficiency, labor, safety and quality.  Subsequently, our clients and the entire project team benefit from the rewards of the results of these processes and procedures that have worked for over 8 decades.