August 2021
Engineer the best value for your next construction project
Value engineering will help you get the most out of your next commercial construction project. In this process, your construction team will discuss your goals, analyze the elements of your project, and make recommendations that offer the lowest life-cycle cost while meeting your objectives.
Value engineering doesn’t necessarily mean cutting costs. Rather, it is a practice that allows you to optimize your project by carefully examining the cost/benefit of all the pieces of your project, including:
• initial building costs (including materials and fixtures, etc.);
• ongoing maintenance, operating, and efficiency;
• opportunity costs (like downtime during construction, impact on the environment or on a community); and
• the owner’s goals.
Most owners have multiple goals for their projects. Discussing and prioritizing these goals is a critical first step in value engineering. At the onset of a project, we ask clients “What is most important to you with this project?”. We hear everything from “Getting the project completed quickly” to “Creating a high-end experience for my customers.” Adding quality to or emphasizing the elements that are most important to you ensures that any cost cuts made do not diminish the overall value of the project.
The planning stage of your project is the best time to value engineer. Considering your priorities, your team will be able to recommend alternatives prior to starting a project and work them into your project plan. Initiating value engineering at the preconstruction phase of a project reduces costly change orders and helps maintain the project schedule. However, if you have already broken ground and construction is underway, it’s not too late. Your contractor should always be looking for creative ways to add value to your project.
At Peter Schwabe, Inc., value engineering is part of every project. We tap into 90+ years of experience to provide strategic ideas for efficiencies, operations, materials and process improvement throughout each project. Working with you, your architect, designer and engineer, we strive to gain a full understanding of your goals up front to enhance your project experience and outcome. When the entire team embraces your priorities and actively participates in the value engineering process, you are assured of the best VALUE over the life of your next project.
For more information about how Peter Schwabe, Inc. can help engineer the best value for your next project, please contact Michael Gilbert, Director of Business Development, at 262.317.6678.
Project Profile: McDonald's EPU Pilot Project
A long-time builder for McDonald's Corp., Peter Schwabe, Inc. was retained to remodel this Skokie, IL, restaurant to accommodate increased demand for curbside pickup. One of the first two in the country to pilot McDonald's Express Pick-Up (EPU) program, the Skokie, IL, restaurant features a dedicated, covered area for customers to park and wait while picking up their pre-ordered food. The new canopy area helps increase restaurant efficiency and customer comfort. This innovative project was completed through our Service/Small Projects Division.
See more project photos.
We're expanding our team!
Business is good, and we're always looking for more! That's why we are expanding our team and adding first-class, scrappy, people-focused, positive individuals who fit our core values.
Ann Vogel joined us in July as a part-time controller. Ann brings decades of experience as an energetic accounting/finance leader in a broad range of industries. Please help us welcome Ann to the team!
We currently seek a Bidding/Estimating Coordinator and a Field Service Tech. If you know of someone who agrees with our core values and would be a great addition to our team, please have them contact Carrie Rajala. Have them tell Carrie you sent them!