Have you ever thought about what goes into the creation of a professional building? In many ways they aren’t that different from the houses or apartment buildings we live in. They start with a strong foundation and then they progress from the inside out, from the frame to the finishing touches. But there are some ways in which a commercial building differs from other types of buildings, and that is why when it comes time to build, expand or renovate a commercial building, most businesses will look to hire the best contractor they can find for commercial construction.
Just as a commercial building is made to serve a different purpose than a home or an apartment, one professional building can built for a very different purpose than another. Think of the difference between a recreation center and a doctor’s office, or between a supermarket and a hotel. Different businesses and practices need different accommodations and those accommodations often need to be built right into the walls, floors and wiring of the building. Commercial construction is more than just creating a building of the right size—it’s also all about the right shape, the right materials and the potential to support the correct electrical appliances.
Commercial construction experts also take into account the number of people who will use the building in a given day. For instance, while a hotel and a shopping mall might end up being approximately the same size, a hotel will not see the constant daily flow of people that a shopping mall will. Therefore, a commercial contractor will be less concerned with durable flooring. However, they will have other challenges to face in creating a building that needs frequently used plumbing in every room. The wear and tear that a building is likely to face is something that can be planned for in advance, and commercial contractors can build that planning right into a new building.
Of course, the need for custom-built business buildings doesn’t stop with large professional buildings. Ask anyone who has ever moved from one location within a shopping mall to another—just because a store is bigger doesn’t mean it’s better. A unit originally designed to house a clothing store needs renovation and rebuilding before a bookstore can move in and make itself comfortable. The shape of the unit, the flooring materials, the angles of the walls and other elements that people don’t tend to notice are all vital parts of a store. Commercial construction is, in part, the art of creating a building around a business.
Commercial construction focuses heavily on the practical elements of working in a professional building, but there are other elements to be considered as well. The finishing touches of a building are what give it its character. A law office will receive a completely different interior treatment than an art gallery, for instance. Some businesses feel at home in stately marble and granite, while others are just made for bright, inviting colors and a light, open atmosphere. All of these things can be built into a business before the business itself takes up residence.
Finally, commercial contractors often have the job of changing a building to fit an entirely new business. In a world of ever-changing markets and trends, it may be necessary for a chiropractor’s clinic to move into a building that was once a corner store. The logistics of giving a building a whole new look and a whole new personality are part of the job when it comes to commercial construction. The right contractors can change a building so completely that even people who knew its “old self” would never recognize it. Renovations can be tricky work, but commercial construction experts are usually up to the job.
The buildings we visit, work and play in are works of art. They were designed (or redesigned, as the case may be) for a particular purpose and it’s easy to see the places where it worked out well, and where it could maybe have been designed differently. Next time you’re out and about, have a look at the buildings you visit and see if you can spot all the ways the commercial construction workers have adapted the building to suit its purpose. You may be surprised at what you see!