Public building construction is a major and vital industry for today’s urban world, and cities and towns alike often each out to general contractors so that office buildings, city halls, banks, hotels, and more can be built on plots of land for retail, living space, and more. Cities, towns, and private businesses in various states can reach out to general contractors that are available in their area; for example, for a construction project, a hotel in Nevada would reach out to construction companies in Reno, while a hotel chain in Miami may reach out to contractors across Florida. Construction companies will provide their own materials and labor, and their own management, although very specialized work in a project, such as pouring concrete or installing interior lighting, may fall to another contractor who specializes in that work. How can a business or city reach out to general contractors, and what can be built?
The Industry
American construction, from Massachusetts to California, is a big deal. In the year 2016 alone, for example, commercial buildings built totaled to a value of $74.24 billion, and data from the Energy Information Administration, among all commercial buildings, 72% of them have under 10,000 square feet of area, so not everything being built is enormous; motels, small banks, and smaller retail stores often make up a large slice of what is constructed, as opposed to enormous shopping malls or skyscrapers. Also, partly due to gains in the commercial sector, the construction industry is continuing to grow. In the year 2017, this industry added 210,000 jobs, and 30,000 of those jobs were added just in December. That represents a significant growth from 2016’s total of 155,000 new jobs added. Finally, those of the Millenial generation (born between 1982 and 1995), showed the highest rate of interest in real estate investment out of any demographic, with 55% of them showing interest.
General Contractors and the Job
Any construction project when the project owner commissions architects to draw up a building’s design and contacts local contractors to build the structure. When multiple parties convene for such a project, the construction lawyers one each side will make sure that all laws are being followed and that their respective clients are being fairly represented. As contracts for assigning work and due payments are created, the lawyers will look over and approve of this paperwork as well, and they will continue monitoring the project in case legal trouble arises. For example, a workplace injury or damaged equipment may result in litigation, and lawyers will make sure that the case is settled quickly and without great cost. These attorneys will also make sure that city and state safety codes are being followed, such as workers’ rights, fire codes, and more. If payments are late, absent, or insufficient from one party to another, their respective attorneys will help settle the matter. And if a project is wrongfully terminated by one or more parties, the lawyers can intervene on that case, too, or carry out the paperwork for a proper termination of the project.
Assuming that a project is not terminated, it will involve many steps, such as choosing the right location in terms of existing roads, pipelines and sewer utilities, the electric grid, and nearby traffic, aside from finding enough square footage for the intended building and its grounds. The ground will be cleared off so a proper foundation can be built, and concrete contractors will handle pouring this foundation and getting the concrete into the best possible shape. Steel, bricks, plaster, and more will go into the building’s bare essentials, and specialized contractors will also work with plumbing, electric systems, and heating and air conditioning, as well as other fabrications and lighting. As the building nears completion, other contractors may also install glass windows, the doors, and probably an Internet connection and Wi-Fi as well. The whole time, building codes must be followed, and worker safety should be carefully prioritized. Fire, falling, getting crushed under items, inhaling dangerous particles or gases, and slipping are among the most common workplace hazards, and precautions should be taken to prevent them, both to protect human life and to avoid legal battles between construction lawyers as the project advances.
