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Getting the Most Value Out of a Construction Budget

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It’s getting expensive out there. As the economy reopens and businesses start gearing up again, demand for construction materials has shot through the roof. Steel prices alone have increased 91% since Q4 2020. Demand for basic construction materials far outweighs supply, and many project owners are seeing the cost of construction blow way past their original budget projections.

The pain is real. Writing in Construction Dive, Jen A. Miller reports that skyrocketing lumber costs are making residential projects much more expensive, too:

The National Association of Home Builders reported that lumber costs are adding an average of $36,000 to new single family home prices. Those prices have also added $12,966 to the value of an average new multifamily home. As those are typically built to rent, that in turn is adding $119 a month in rent to new apartments.

These same cost impacts are hitting commercial construction projects, which result in higher lease rates for potential tenants.  Leon Williams Contractors, a Maryville construction expert, is dedicated to helping our clients get the most value for their money. We combat price creep through our value engineering services. Every client deserves our honest appraisal of design complexity and the materials being used to build a structure. To help find more economical solutions that provides the same quality, we might:

  • Look for different materials and structure designs to reduce costs.
  • Substitute fixtures and finishes to be more economical but still meet client needs.
  • Point out features that have little benefit but can result in added costs and completion delays.
  • Even positioning the building differently on a site can have a ripple effect on the cost of grading, utilities, sidewalks, parking, etc.

Overly complex designs that rely on costly materials can break the bank in the current environment. We’ll use our value engineering techniques to make sure your project is providing the most value for the expenditure without ever sacrificing quality. If you want to learn more about how we can help, contact Leon Williams today.

Value engineering can help your church build a new home.

How Value Engineering Can Help Your Church Build More with Less

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While the economy is strong, it is not uncommon for construction pricing to come in higher than desired.  One solution is a concept referred to as Value Engineering.  The Maryville construction experts at Leon Williams have three decades of experience working for our faith-based clients, and we’re proud to put that to work for you.

Value engineering can help your church build a new home.

Value Engineering Helps Communicate Value and Avoid Conflict

When it’s time for a church to start a new building project, the road to actually realizing that vision can be long and difficult to maneuver. If it’s time to expand, it can be difficult to align your congregation behind a single solution. Should you build a new building? Buy a larger one? Renovate what you’ve got?

Even just getting internal groups, like church councils, to sign off on a new project can be difficult, and often takes a strong value proposition and well-communicated goals.

One of the best ways church leaders can provide responsible returns on their congregation’s investment in the Kingdom and create buildings that can meet the needs of their church well into the future is value engineering.

What Is Value Engineering?

Value engineering is a way of thinking about construction that makes larger projects easier and more affordable, without compromising on quality. Value engineering takes a holistic view of client needs and construction realities, giving church leaders a bird’s eye view of their project and direct lines of communication with the design and engineering teams. Designers, engineers, contractors, material suppliers, and church leaders tackle problems as a group, shrinking budget overruns and reducing construction time.

By balancing the work a structure needs to perform with the price of that structure over its lifespan, value engineering gives us the opportunity to deliver on a client’s goals on-budget while meeting functional needs.

Here are a few ways we engineer for value:

  1. Comparing different structure types or materials to make them more affordable to purchase and easier to construct.
  2. Altering the project finishes and fixtures to provide economical quality based on client requirements.
  3. Locating pain points and adding features that can address or eliminate them.
  4. Removing planned features that would impede usability or result in added costs and lead times with little benefit.

How Can Value Engineering Help My Church?

Choosing to build a new worship hall or classroom wing can be a big decision, and not everyone will be on the same page with the final product. When embarking on that project, you need to be sure you’re getting what’s best for your congregation. Value engineering helps church leaders gain the approval they need by exercising due diligence on behalf of their congregation.

Why Should We Choose Leon Williams for Our Church Project?

At Leon Williams Contractors, we specialize in balancing cost and value for our faith-based clients. Through pre-construction consultations, site assessments and more, we strive to provide as much value as we can.

We love creating spaces where congregations can gather and worship together, and we treat every church project as if it were our own place of worship. Are you looking to invest in an upgrade or new building? Contact Leon Williams Contractors today to learn more about how we can use our value engineering expertise to make your next project a fruitful endeavor.

Offset rising material costs with this advice.

3 Strategies to Offset Rising Material Costs

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Construction material prices have been volatile in recent years, but they continue to rise overall. Combined with economic uncertainty related to tariffs, it can be a challenging time for the construction industry.

Along with increasing materials prices, delays and mishaps can drive construction project costs past the initial budget. To combat these issues, Leon Williams Contractors has put strategies in place to help offset unpredictable costs and deliver more value to our clients.

Build for the Site

Successful builders create structures that work with the sites they’re on, rather than fighting against them. By assessing every site for compatibility with the structures our clients want to build, we ensure parking, traffic flow, even noise and light pollution don’t interfere with local infrastructure and existing development. Choosing the right site, using the right materials, and clearing up any potential issues with environmental and geotechnical hazards before starting construction can save thousands in engineering and remediation costs later.

Design for Efficiency

Leon Williams Contractors also offers design-build construction services, which can save clients a lot of money on materials over the course of a project. A design-build construction team can make more informed decisions about materials and reduce waste compared to traditional building. When clients aren’t paying for excessive material waste, especially the kind incurred when solving construction mistakes, material costs overall can be significantly reduced.

Engineer for Value

When clients begin a renovation or new construction, they stake a lot of their own money, and the money of their investors, on the success of the project. Difficult designs that rely on expensive or complex materials can be a major financial headache. Leon Williams Contractors uses value engineering techniques to give clients an honest appraisal of the value and longevity of every solution we provide, allowing them to save money without sacrificing quality.

If you want to avoid the pain of rising materials costs, we can help. Contact Leon Williams Contractors today to learn more.

Shopping Malls are Changing

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Developers need construction flexibility

The retail apocalypse isn’t nigh. It’s happening now and shows no sign of stopping, forcing mall operators to rethink the way they do business.

Father and daughter spending a day in shopping mall

With more than 75,000 more stores expected to close throughout the United States by 2026, traditionally retail-centered commercial developments like malls are shifting focus to services and experiences, according to GlobeSt.com:

Mixed-use projects are stepping up to fill the void with underperforming malls. Live-work-play activities are animating retail centers, moving away from the islands of traditional retail.

These commercial pressures are encouraging developers and property managers to make creative choices, creating new malls experiences through diverse dining options, services and experiences. This can range from bowling alleys to grocery stores, gyms and dry cleaning — even incorporating nearby residential options.

Need for Experienced Contractors

As this new commercial playbook is being developed, developers and property managers will benefit from partnering with construction firms, like Leon Williams Contractors, that have a wide variety of commercial experience.

From transforming a former arcade and entertainment center, previously known as Thunderworld, into the elegant Foothills Church (FC) facility in Blount County, Tennessee, to building out new dining facilities at the University of Tennessee’s Knoxville and Chattanooga campuses, Leon Williams Contractors has decades of experience revamping spaces to fit new commercial needs. We’re also thoroughly experienced in building out new commercial spaces, including, most recently, three East Tennessee Which Wich® franchise locations.

Project Management for Any Need

Construction experience is just part of the equation. To be competitive, commercial construction projects must be completed on time and within budget, requiring consistent oversight of the construction management process.

To benefit our commercial clients, Leon Williams Contractors offers an extensive toolkit of services to trim costs while ensuring quality. This includes pre-construction consultation and design-build and value engineering expertise. Contact us to learn more.