Design & Build Process

At ARCO, our approach is built on keeping customers focused on their core business and not worrying about construction cost overruns and schedule delays. We’ve developed a successful system to keep track of the details for your design/build projects.

1. ARCO and the client set up a project kick-off meeting to establish a shared idea of the functional, aesthetic, economic and schedule requirements for the proposed development. Comprehensive checklists will facilitate conversation and ensure that all the right information is conveyed and understood.

2. Based on that information, ARCO will assemble the architectural, civil, and structural design team needed to fully assess your project requirements. Their in-depth study will:

• Evaluate current facility needs, as well as 5- and 10-year expansion needs.
• Evaluate the potential site or sites to determine the optimal site for the facility that will maximize site efficiency and meet your goals based on form and function.
• Generate both a site plan (showing the proposed structure’s optimal location, building expansion areas, and all site improvements such as drive lanes, parking and dock areas, walkways, and landscaped areas) and floor plans (showing the interior layout of office areas and a racking layout based on the program developed in the initial meeting.) Preliminary building elevations will be included in these plans.

3. These preliminary site plans, floor plans and building elevations will be forwarded to you for approval. Once approved, these documents shall serve as the preliminary project plans. While ARCO is very comfortable leading the design team, we have also been involved in many successful projects where the owner directs the design team and ARCO helps provide cost-effective solutions to design issues.

4. With the preliminary project plans, ARCO will begin pricing your project using these steps:

• ARCO will use in-house cost databases, in addition to specific local subcontractor and vendor input, to create an economic model for the project. Various options will also be evaluated on a cost and schedule basis and presented with the proposal.
• A complete project schedule will be developed showing preconstruction, design, permitting and construction tasks and durations. This schedule will also clearly denote assumed lost workdays due to weather.
• A detailed Outline Specification will denote all work included and excluded, to establish the baseline scope of work.
• Finally, the proposal letter will define the project cost and will be presented in person so that ARCO has the opportunity to completely cover the project scope of work, schedule and costs with you. We believe that a well organized presentation and understanding of the work by all parties is the key to the start of a successful project.

At the close of the proposal process, you will know the maximum project cost, scope of work, schedule and various options and alternatives to choose from. At no time shall the cost to you exceed the price for the scope of work defined in our proposal.

The only risk you have at this point would be associated with concealed or unknown conditions such as soils and existing site topography. ARCO can facilitate a geotechnical and a civil topographic survey at your request. These costs are typically minimal relative to the overall project costs and the risk associated with these unknowns.

Once construction begins we make it easy for our clients to keep up-to-date, project progress photos on a regular basis, weekly project updates and project coordination meetings as frequently as you desire.

After construction is completed, we will provide you with a complete set of record documents for your entire project, including as-built drawings, a quality control manual and a close-out manual. This will allow you to quickly reference any of the components relating to the maintenance or operation of your facility. You also have our firm commitment that we will not disappear after you have taken possession of your new facility, but will make a series of follow-up visits to ensure your total satisfaction.