Construction Round-Up

There's a lot of great info in our blog. With over two hundred articles and counting we know that finding the best information can be a little tough. In this new series of round-ups, we're looking to bring together existing articles and make it easier to find related information. This first one features articles looking at different types of construction. There's a short into to the information in each article followed by a link to the full piece. Remember, if you have any questions, or need any construction work done, don’t hesitate to contact us and we’ll be happy to assist you!

What is Roll Out Construction?

Shopping trends tend to be seasonal. This means for any retail business to keep up, the interior of the store needs to stay updated. This update, of either a single store, or multiple (such as in a franchise), simultaneously, is a Roll Out Construction. This allows the business to keep the same brand image across the board. Regardless of the location that they might be in. This makes sense since branding is one of the most important aspects of any business.  Finding a company that has enough manpower to be able to accommodate a large-scale roll out construction can be a challenge. Read the full article: What Is Roll Out Construction?

What is Dark Shell Construction?

A dark shell is a commercial property rented to an occupant without any interior done. This includes heating, lighting, HVAC, electrical, interior walls, and most finishing touches. In other words, it’s just a “shell” that the tenant can then finish to their specifications. But, there are other “shells” too, like a white box; also known as a “vanilla shell”. These come with the electrical, HVAC, plumbing, and other systems in place, but still leave room for the interior to be finished as the tenant requires. A dark shell requires less upfront building work than a warm shell. Although requires more effort to get ready for tenants. Usually, a dark shell won’t have painted walls, HVAC or Electrical. It also lacks utilities or plumbing, and room dividers, and often has an unfinished floor or roof. Dark shells are frameworks that the tenant can then use to get ready for day-to-day operations of the business. Read the full article: What Is Dark Shell Construction?

What is Commercial Construction?

Commercial Construction refers to a building project that is generally used for commercial, or other business-related, purposes. Like office buildings, or military compounds, among others. Commercial construction projects differ from residential construction in a variety of ways. But, the largest difference is the scale of the project. Commercial construction projects are far larger, and more comprehensive, than residential construction. Think about the difference between building a skyscraper and a single-story house. Smaller projects, like rebranding, also fall under the commercial construction scope. This is why commercial construction companies often have an interior design sector. This means that any construction for business-related purposes is commercial construction. This includes renovations or remodeling. Read the full article: What Is Commercial Construction?

What is a White Box Finish?

The term “white box” in construction refers to a building that has had most of the essentials built in. This includes electrical and HVAC. But, most of the interior is undone. This is so that the future tenant can build out the interior to their own requirements. Contrasting to a “dark shell”, as written about above, a “white box” or “warm shell”, is almost completely finished. This includes finished floors, walls, electrical, plumbing, and all utilities, where the only parts left to finish are the inside design and decoration. This interior design is referred to as “Tenant Improvements” or “TI”. Tenants can hire a contractor to finish the space to their TI specifications. Often, landlords also incentivize tenants with discounts on their rent. They can also offer tenant improvement allowances (TIA) that trade rent discounts for interior finishes. But, it is expected that tenant agreements will be completed before tenant space finishing begins. This helps landlords avoid providing tenant improvement allowances (TIA) unnecessarily. Read the full article: What is a White Box Finish?

What is Fit-Out Construction?

Fit-Out Construction is referred to any activity that makes the interior space of a commercial tenant occupation ready. Fit-Out constructions can be carried out by the landlord's contractors. More often though, they are carried out by the tenants' contractors. Typically, the landlord’s contractor will develop a white box (“warm shell”). Then the tenant’s contractor will take over, and “fit-out” the space according to the tenant’s specifications. A fit-out can be done on a new building, or to redo a previously used space. Sometimes, tenants can even bring in an interior architect to assist with the fit-out. Although similar to interior designers, interior architects have more design capabilities. They can draft and implement structural changes too. Read the full article: What is Fit-Out Construction?