The architect. Someone who has an eye for the finer details, steady hands, and is a master of design. The life of an architect is not just about designing a building, but the benefits do outweigh the stress and long nights. An architect’s typical day is apprehending the time you can work, draft, draw, and meet deadlines. Sometimes you’ll work on more than one project a day, which means bigger responsibilities. 

During the Day

Much of the day’s work is done on a computer. Whether drawing or emailing with clients and consultants, you use many tools to develop the design, construction documents, revising the model, and reviewing structural models for coordination. You also are building and designing 3D models and preparing drawings to communicate your design solutions to the clients. 

There will be problems

A month to finish a specific project sometimes isn’t enough. Time management is an essential skill if you want to be successful as an architect. There shouldn’t be a day that goes by that you accomplish nothing, especially when projects are more complex. As your project progresses and moves on to the next phase, you’ll eventually have to attend site coordination meetings and discuss the problems that arise and create solutions. Sometimes higher ups will come with you, but most of the time you will be the one to present the answer to questions that need urgent decisions. Problems will arise, but the most important role of the architect is becoming part of the solution without sacrificing and affecting the structure’s functionality.

So, as an architect, you must not only consider the physical appearance of your project, but also the interior. You are the architect, the master of design, so every decision you make must be well thought out. Some people get buried in details that aren’t necessarily relevant to the bigger picture, so you need to be thinking about the overall view of your structure and what works best for the business. Also being cost efficient in the early stages of design, helps transform the job site by reducing conflict, scheduling delays, and changing orders. 

It is immensely satisfying

Being an architect is a lot to handle, but the satisfactions are worth it. Witnessing the project you worked so hard on for months, sometimes even years, coming to life is a very fulfilling part. Working with like-minded professionals, being around others that are passionate about the same thing as you makes everything more exciting. It is a continuing learning experience as no one can perfect architecture, but with it we can make the world a better place.

At BGW, we believe that our process sets us apart. We are dedicated to providing you with the best possible construction services to meet all of your church construction needs. Our process has been fine-tuned to ensure that your construction project is customized to meet your specific needs. Here are a few beneficial things to understand about our specific process and what you can expect when you work with us.

Phase 1: The Preliminary Design Phase

Design is an incredibly important part of ensuring your project is completed successfully. When we implement phase 1, a collaborative approach will be taken to ensure that your vision can be made into a reality. This phase takes place over 3 days and occurs at the ministry site. During this phase, we create site plans, floor plans, exterior renderings, and elevations. This will help to outline your vision and ensure it is executed in the best possible manner.

Phase 2: The Project Positioning Phase

After the preliminary design, we move into the project positioning phase. The purpose of this phase is to bridge the gap between preliminary design and construction documents. The exact specifications of this phase will depend on the particular project. It may include planning department approvals, the coordination of civil engineering survey, feasibility studies, fundraising, zoning, A/V/L design planning, and planning department approvals. Our experts will help to guide you through this process and set your project up for success. We can also help you to connect with valuable resources to meet the needs of your project.

Phase 3: The Construction Documents Phase

There is an array of construction documents that will be necessary to complete your project. These documents will be compiled during the third phase of your project. These documents are generally used for bidding and permitting. They will include mechanical, electrical, plumbing, architectural, and structural drawings. This phase also tends to include coordination with Civil and AVL. These documents will be extremely detailed and will include everything from duct configuration to the exact type of door hardware that will be used.

Phase 4: The Permitting and Pre-Construction Phase

Various permit approval will be necessary to get your construction project rolling. During this phase, we work along with local jurisdictions to coordinate this approval. We will also finalize a guaranteed maximum price for your project. During this phase, we utilize a unique process called “Pre-Construction Stewardship.” During this process, we will explore the architectural drawings along with subcontractors to get an in-depth look at the project. This will enable us to incorporate their advice and input into the final plans.

Phase 5: The Construction Phase

Finally, we’ll begin the construction phase of your project. During this process, the project architect and ministry’s representative will engage in weekly phone calls with the builder during the construction project. The project architect will also start making monthly visits to the project site. During the construction phase, we monitor the budget and implement strategies to reduce expenses as necessary.

Our team at BGW provides a streamlined, tried and tested process to provide you with the best possible construction project. When you work with our experts, these phases will be a part of your construction process. We also often implement factory-direct purchasing to minimize your expenses and ensure you can obtain the highest quality of materials for your building. To learn more about the various phases of our construction process and the church construction services that we provide, contact us at BGW today!

At BGW, we are passionate about providing you with the best quality church construction projects to meet your needs. In order to do so, we take a factory-direct purchasing approach to obtaining the materials that are necessary in the construction project. This provides many advantages to the final outcome of the project. Here are a few of the benefits of factory-direct purchasing.

Prevent Shipping Damage

When you purchase materials directly from the manufacturer, you will be able to reduce the amount of shipping that is necessary for the materials. The materials will be shipped from the manufacturer to the project site, rather than from the manufacturer to the distributor and then to the construction site. This helps to reduce the likelihood that shipping damage will occur to the materials.

Reduce Costs

When you purchase materials from a distributor rather than a manufacturer, you will also be paying for the services of the distributor. With a factory-direct purchasing approach, you cut out this expense. This helps you to substantially reduce costs that can help you to keep your construction project within its designated budget.

Clear Communication

Miscommunication becomes much more likely when you have to communicate through multiple parties. The message can be skewed more easily the further it has to travel. By purchasing materials directly from the factory, we can ensure that we have a direct line of communication to the manufacturer. This helps us to get materials that are created specifically to meet our needs.

Higher Quality Products

When you purchase your materials directly from the factory, they will be particularly conscious about the quality of the products. This helps to ensure that you are able to obtain the right materials to meet the needs of your project. The quality of the materials will have a direct and substantial impact on the quality of the finished product.

More Control Over Outcome

When you purchase your materials directly from the factory, you gain more control over the quality and specifications of the materials. This helps you to adjust the construction project in order to meet all of your specific needs. Having more control enables you to implement the highest quality church building possible.

Through the use of factory-direct purchasing, we are able to improve the quality of your finished product while simultaneously reducing the necessary expenses. This approach helps to prevent damage and ensure you can have the best outcome to meet all of your needs. To learn more about factory-direct purchasing and the church construction services that we can provide, contact us at BGW today!

Custom church construction help to ensure the ideal building that will meet all of your needs. Our team at BGW can help you to design the perfect building through every step of your upcoming project. We offer custom church construction services to help create the ideal building to match your expectations. Here are a few of the advantages that come along with custom church construction for your intended project.

Improved Value

When you have custom services for your construction project, you will be able to ensure that you obtain a superior outcome. This ideal finished product will be far more valuable than a product that is of lower quality. When you have improved value for your church building, you will be able to ensure that the project comes with a higher return on investment.

Enhanced Organization

By constructing your church building to meet all of your needs, you will be able to ensure that it is organized far more effectively. In fact, you will be able to build in any of the storage space that you will require. This will help you to maintain a much more comfortable environment.

Personalization

Custom church construction enables you to take whatever steps you want to personalize the building. Rather than having to pay for potential remodels or decoration to personalize the building, you can ensure that it is done far more efficiently at the very beginning. This helps you to create the ideal building, while simultaneously reducing your expenses.

Lot Optimization

Each lot is likely to be slightly different. This prevents a “one size fits all” approach from effectively utilizing every lot in the same way. Custom church construction allows you to tailor your project to make the most effective use of the available lot.

Customized for your Specific Needs

The specific needs of your church building may differ depending on your own operations. Custom church construction can help to ensure that your building is created with all of these needs in mind. This ensures far more efficient operation within the building, as well.

Make a Good First Impression

The appearance of the building is often an important component for a church building. You want your church building to provide your members with a comfortable, beautiful place of worship. Custom church construction services help you to ensure that the building provides you with the beautiful appearance that you want for the building.

Sustainability

One key difference of working with our experts at BGW is that we are knowledgeable and experienced in providing multi-purpose, sustainable buildings. Church buildings are unique in that they tend to not be in use for the majority of the week. By creating your church building with sustainability in mind, the building can be leveraged for multiple uses. This will enable you to use the building in a sustainable manner, so that you can make optimal use of the space and offset the expenses of maintaining the building.

Cost-Effective Services

A comprehensive approach to your construction project ensures that the project will be completed much more efficiently. This generally enables you to save a great deal of money throughout the project. In addition to this, custom church construction prevents you from having to remodel the building in order to ensure that it meets your needs. This further helps to save you money.

Our team at BGW offers a broad range of services to meet all of the specific needs of your church construction project. We are able to provide design services, as well as aid throughout the construction process. When you work with our experts, you will be able to procure a church building that will meet all of your specific needs. For more information about the advantages of custom church construction, contact us at BGW today.  

The location that you choose for your construction project will have a substantial impact on the finished outcome of the project. When you choose the right location, you will be able to ensure that you have the best outcome for your construction project. Our team at BGW can help you to decide on the ideal location for your church building to meet all of the needs of your community. Here are a few tips for helping you to choose a location.

Surrounding Buildings in the Area

The buildings that are located close to your property will significantly change the overall aesthetic of the area. You will need to consider the needs of your building when you are choosing what surrounding buildings should be present in the area. For many church buildings, you will want to choose a convenient location that is near a residential community. However, this will depend primarily on the requirements of your church.  

Your Image

The image that you want your building to portray will often be impacted by the location of your building. The surrounding community will influence the image that your building portrays. Picture your building on the site and see if you like the image that it will convey. This can often help you to choose the right location to meet your needs.

Physical Characteristics of the Property

You will also need to consider the physical characteristics that are present on the property. These can have a substantial impact on many parts of the project, including the difficulty level. One of the most important considerations are the dimensions of the property. This will help you to ensure that the property will meet all of your requirements. Topographical features will impact both the final appearance, as well as the difficulty level of the construction project. In addition, you will want to look at environmental factors that may be present in the area.

Traffic Flow in the Area

The traffic that is around your building may impact the convenience factor of your members, as well as the environment that is present inside of the building. Taking a few moments to consider the traffic flow may help you to choose a better location.

Legal Considerations

Various areas will often have differing regulations and building codes. This can be an important thing to consider when you are trying to choose the right site for your project. You will want to familiarize yourself with the laws that are present in that specific area. Our team can help you to take these factors into consideration so that you can choose a better location for your church building.

Cost

Cost is usually a consideration when it comes to your construction project. You will also want to be aware of this when it comes to choosing a site for your project. Awareness of cost will help you to budget accordingly and make a better decision.

Accessibility

The right location for your building will depend on the accessibility surrounding the area. For example, you will want to ensure that modifications can be made to ensure easy accessibility for the area. In addition to this, you will want to look at the roads and highways that connect to the area, as these will impact how easy it is for your members to get to the building.

Crime Rates in the Neighborhood

You want your church to be located in a safe area, where your members can feel relaxed and peaceful. In order to accomplish this, it is often useful to look at crime rates that are present in the area. This can help you to make a better decision for the location of your project.

These tips can often help you to choose a location for your church construction project. When you choose a great location, you will be able to create a better environment and aesthetic for your building. Our thorough planning and design services can help to ensure that all of your specific expectations can be met, which can greatly improve your final product. For more information about the best strategies to help you choose a location for your construction project, contact us at BGW today!  

Working with a professional is a critical component for your church construction project. When you work our expert team, you will find that your project can be completed more quickly and effectively. These projects tend to be a rather large investment, so they certainly fall beyond the scope of a DIY project. Here are a few of the reasons why you need to work with the professionals at BGW for your church construction project.

Saves you Time

Construction projects tend to be rather significant undertakings. When you attempt to complete the process yourself, you will likely be investing a great deal of your time and energy into the project. This project will also take much longer than it will otherwise require. By working with a professional, you will be able to ensure that the project is completed more quickly. This is also much more convenient on your part because you won’t have to invest as much time in the process.

Completes Project more Quickly

Not only will a professional save you your own personal time, but it will also ensure that your construction project can be completed more quickly. A professional team is used to working according to a timeline and they will have modified their strategies to be as efficient as possible. This is just one of the major benefits that you can obtain when you work with a professional for your church construction project.

A Safer Process

Construction ultimately involves working with heavy equipment and materials. It is essential to ensure that safe processes are followed during your construction project. Otherwise, serious issues can arise on the site. A professional has the experience necessary to help ensure that safe protocols are followed to reduce potential risk on the construction site.

The Necessary Equipment

There is specific equipment that will be necessary in your church construction project. When you implement this equipment, you will be able to ensure that your project is completed appropriately. Since the company will already have this equipment available, you will be able to avoid rental expenses, which can further help you to reduce your costs.

High-Quality Work

You want a high-quality building for your church construction project. By working with a professional, you will ensure that you have the highest quality of product, which can greatly improve the value of the finished product. This can be extremely useful for your project and ensuring that you have the outcome that you desire.

Comprehensive Services

At BGW, we offer a full array of services, including designing and constructing your church building. This helps to ensure that the process is completed with everyone on the same page throughout your project. These comprehensive services are critical in expediting the process and ensuring that your project is completed as efficiently as possible.

Work Inside your Budget

A professional team has a vast amount of experience working within a designated budget. This also enables them to determine a realistic budget to help you plan carefully for your project. They will be able to identify potential expenses that you should plan for, as well. This can go a long way toward preventing problems and ensuring that you have planned appropriately for the scope of the project.

Reduce Expenses

The efficiency that comes along with professional services goes a long way toward reducing your overall expenses for the project. By working with our team, you can help to minimize expenses for the project, which helps you to stick to your designated budget.

Offers Guidance

The appropriate guidance can go a long way toward improving each step of your project. By working with a professional, you can obtain thorough guidance throughout the project. This will ensure that the best decisions are made and that you are happy with the finished product.

When you work with a professional for your church construction project, you can be confident that you are receiving the appropriate guidance and services to make the most of your project. Our experienced team at BGW can help to make your design into a reality and ensure you get the church building that meets all of your needs. To learn more about why you need to work with a professional for your church construction, contact us at BGW today!

When you plan on starting a construction project, it can be useful to thoroughly plan for the project and understand the various considerations that can impact the project. Our team at BGW can help you to plan effectively for your construction project. Here are a few of the most important considerations before starting a construction project to ensure that your project can be completed effectively.

Choose a Construction Company

It is essential to work with an experienced construction company when you are starting a construction project. The company that you work with will have a large impact on the quality of your finished product. You likely should focus on choosing a construction company that is experienced in the type of construction project that you intend to undertake. For example, our experts at BGW can help to construct superior churches to meet the needs of your religious institution.

Hire a Project Manager

A project manager helps to keep your project organized and effective. When you implement the right project manager, you can reduce an array of issues with your project. The use of a project manager helps to streamline your construction project, which can greatly benefit your project and the final outcome.

Plan for Possible Problems

It is common for problems to arise throughout the construction project. When you are starting a construction project, it is important to ensure that you consider the problems that you may experience throughout your construction project. Planning for various problems can help to ensure that you are able to more effectively handle them when they arise.

Decide on Problem Resolution

Implementing effective resolution for a problem can help you to prevent them from causing delays with your construction project. When you plan appropriately for your project, you can help to identify problem resolution strategies that will streamline your project. This strategy can minimize significant issues.

Choose your Priorities

When you identify your priorities, you will be able to obtain the best possible outcome for your construction project. This can help to guide you through making the best decisions for your project, because you will be able to identify the most important components of your construction project.

Outline a Schedule

Ensuring that you implement a schedule for your construction project can help you to plan effectively for your project. It will also help you to determine when you should begin your construction project, as well as provides you with a measure to gauge the progress of your project.

Identify your Budget

To ensure that your construction project is completed according to plan, you will need to craft a budget. This budget will enable you to plan accordingly for the various components of your construction project. The right budget helps you to save money and minimize substantial problems throughout the construction process.

The Scope of the Project

It is essential to understand the scope of the project prior to starting the project. This will help you to plan for various aspects of the project, such as the necessary budget and a realistic schedule. Identifying the scope of the project will go a long way toward helping you to decide on the other factors of your construction project.

Insurance and Licensing

Consider any insurance, licensing, and permits that may be required for the completion of the construction project. When you think about this before starting a construction project, you will be able to plan accordingly for your project. This can help to minimize issues that can cause delays in your construction project.

Thorough Design

The design of your construction project will help to ensure that all of the needs of your construction project are met. When you work with a company that provides both design and construction services, you can prevent miscommunication and create a streamlined construction process. By implementing top-notch design, like that offered by our experts at BGW, you can obtain the best finished product.

A construction project is a substantial undertaking. When you keep these considerations in mind before starting a construction project, you will be able to ensure a better finished product. Our team at BGW can help you to plan for your construction project and ensure that it can be completed as efficiently as possible. To learn more about the services that we offer and how to plan for your construction project, contact us at BGW today!

Your construction project has to have a budget in order to be completed efficiently. Not only do budgets greatly benefit your construction project, but they serve an essential role in the completion of your construction project. At BGW, we offer the full array of construction services for your church building to ensure that your construction project can be completed as effectively as possible. Here are a few of the reasons why your construction project needs a budget.

Thorough, Efficient Planning

When you take the time to construct a budget, you will have to plan for every aspect of your construction project. This helps you to identify where problems may arise and how you can resolve those problems. These steps help to reduce the possibility of problems that can have a substantial impact on your project. This planning helps to ensure that your construction project can be completed according to plan and as efficiently as possible.

Prevents the Project from Getting De-Railed

With a construction project budget, you have a way to measure the progress of your construction project. This will help you to ensure that your project is continuing to stay on track. It can also help you to identify when substantial problems arise that can otherwise cause your budget to go off its intended track. This is a major reason why your construction project needs a budget. Without this step, it is far more likely that the project will be interrupted partway through.

Saves Time

The right budget can help to save you time and money on your construction project. With the effective planning that comes with your construction project, you will be able to ensure that the construction project is being completed as intended. This can also help you to save money over the long run, because you will be able to account for various expenses that may impact your construction project.

Sets Priorities

Throughout the process of pre-planning and constructing a budget, you will identify the most important components of the construction project. By having set priorities, you will be better equipped to make the ideal decisions for your construction project. This will also help to ensure that the project can be managed far more effectively. When we identify the priorities for your church construction project, we will be able to ensure that your finished building meets all of your specific requirements, without compromising any efficiency in the construction process.

Cost Estimation

In order to plan for your construction project, it is essential to have an estimate for the overall cost of the project. Without an effective budget, you will be unable to obtain an accurate cost estimation. This can make it difficult to procure funding and even get your project started. By ensuring that you have an effective budget, you will be able to minimize issues and ensure that you can plan for the total cost of the construction project.

Important Considerations for a Construction Project Budget

There are many factors that come into play regarding a construction project’s total cost. Taking all of these factors into consideration is an important part of ensuring that the construction project budget is created effectively. For one thing, you will need to consider the costs of constructing various components, such as the HVAC system, exterior, and foundation of the building. You will also need to account for costs that come along with insurance, permits, and fees. A construction project budget needs to have room for unseen costs. These costs are generally accounted for by adding a “contingency allowance” into the budget. This contingency allowance will help to prevent unexpected costs from derailing your project.

Hard and Soft Considerations

The factors of a construction project generally fall into two different categories. One category is called the “soft” expenses. These expenses can be difficult to predict because they are not as tangible as other expense categories. A soft expense includes aspects such as design fees, legal fees, insurance, taxes, and interest. The other category includes what are called “hard” expenses. These include the expenses of the physical construction, including labor, equipment rental or repair expenses, and materials for the project.  

Reasons Projects Often Go Over Budget

Understanding why many construction projects ultimately go over their budget can help you to prevent this from happening with your project. There are many reasons that this may occur. For one thing, an inaccurate project estimate will result in an unsustainable budget. Due to this, it is extremely important to ensure that you carefully create a budget that accounts for the expenses of the construction project. Other common reasons that a project goes over budget include errors in design, poor project management, and inadequate communication on the construction site.

At BGW, we are passionate about providing you with the superior services to complete your church construction project. It is important to devise an appropriate construction budget in order to ensure that your project can be completed according to plan. To learn more about why your construction project needs a budget, contact our team at BGW today!

It can be difficult to know the best possible time to start your construction project. There are many different factors and considerations that will impact when you should start a construction project. You will need to consider the specific project that you intend to complete in order to help you decide on the best time to start your construction project. If you are unsure when you should start your church construction or renovation project, you should consult with our experienced team at BGW today!

Considerations for when you Should Start a Construction Project

The specific location that your construction project will be completed in will have a substantial impact on the best time for starting the project. For example, in areas with harsh climates, you will need to cater to the needs of the region. The weather that is common in your area will also impact when the best time is to start a construction project. If you live in an area affected by hurricanes, you may want to avoid starting your construction project in the summer months, when it may be interrupted. You will also want to consider the costs that are associated with the project. At certain times of the year, materials will be in higher demand and will ultimately cost more than at other times of the year.

The amount of time that your project will take will be another important consideration, along with the overall scope of the project. There are some seasons that you may want to complete exterior construction projects in, while other seasons that are better suited for interior projects. Understanding these various aspects will help you to make the best decision about when you should start a construction project.  

Autumn

Depending on your area, the autumn is often the ideal time to begin a construction project that has exterior elements. When you begin a project in autumn, it is common for the exterior parts to be completed before the winter arrives. This will then allow you to have the interior components worked on during the winter. In the autumn months, the soil of the ground isn’t frozen yet. This will still allow your contractors with the opportunity to do exterior work, such as pouring concrete foundations or other processes. It is also cool enough in the autumn to allow contractors to be comfortable and safe during the project. This often results in a far more efficient project.

Winter

Winter may be the last time that you think of when it comes to ideal times to complete your construction project. However, winter may very well be the best time to complete the interior aspects of your construction project. The winter can make it difficult to complete exterior projects, because the ground will often become frozen. Since the majority of people aren’t completing significant outdoor work during the winter season, the demand for building materials will go down during this time. This often results in the costs for these materials dropping a significant amount. When your building material costs are reduced, it is likely to save you a substantial amount of money on your project. In addition to the financial benefits, the cooler winter temperatures can make it more comfortable for contractors to work on the construction project.

Spring

It is common for weather to become much rainier in the spring. This can prevent exterior work from being accomplished. In addition to this, it is possible that the ground will take some time to thaw after the winter. When this happens, you will need to start the project in the later portion of spring to complete exterior work on your construction project. However, it is still common to complete interior construction projects during the spring months. With interior projects, you likely don’t have to worry about the inclement weather.

Summer

The summer results in much hotter temperatures. In severe climates, the excessive heat can potentially be uncomfortable or even dangerous for contractors. This can cause disruption to the project. Not only can this impact the project, but the summer months are often when outdoor construction projects are completed. This causes the demand for materials to grow upward. When the demand increases, so will the prices. When material costs increase, it can have a substantial impact on your bottom line, so it is important to consider this when you decide on the best time for your construction project.

When you need to complete a church-related construction project, you need not look any further than BGW in order to complete all of your specific needs. Our team can help you to identify the best possible time to begin your project. We can help to guide you through the superior planning process and provide a church building that will meet all of your expectations. To learn more about the best time of year to start your church construction project, contact us at BGW today!