What's the first thing that comes to mind when you think of preconstruction? Is it cost estimating and bidding? Or maybe your mind goes to BIM and constructability reviews?
For our latest guests, the answer is all of the above (and so much more). J.D. King, VP of Preconstruction at LEMOINE, and Taimoor Khan, VP of Preconstruction at Satterfield & Pontikes, join me on the Digital Builder podcast to discuss all things preconstruction.
We touch on the evolution of preconstruction, the critical components involved in this phase, and how stakeholders can work better together.
You can also listen to this episode on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, and anywhere else you get your podcasts.
We discuss:
First things first—let's set the scene. Because preconstruction involves multiple stakeholders and components, its definition is multifaceted.
J.D. describes it as "everything that happens before construction starts."
"Preconstruction is pretty wide open and covers a wide gamut of things. One crucial component is estimating. It is our best effort to identify and put the cost to a set of construction documents for our teams to execute in the field."
He continues, "Then there's bidding, which is the solicitation to our trade partners and suppliers. This is about getting quotes and putting all of that together, culminating in a single bid day where all pricing is due."
Meanwhile, Taimoor highlights the strategic planning aspect of preconstruction, saying it's also about aligning cost, timeframes, and logistics to ensure project success before the first shovel hits the ground.
"Typically, when we mention the word preconstruction, a lot of focus goes to estimating and most cost-related activities. But preconstruction is not limited to just the cost part because some other pieces also go hand in hand with it."
"For example, scheduling a BIM VDC planning group, your constructability reviews, and any procurement planning you must do. Nowadays, procurement is getting more critical because of the supply chain issues."
All to say, preconstruction establishes the tone for the rest of the project and is crucial for setting up teams for success as they transition to the next phase.
Preconstruction has evolved quite a bit over the last decade, and according to Taimoor, the biggest change has been in the role of estimators.
"The mindset has changed within the preconstruction professionals. It used to be more of the project management team taking care of the preconstruction activities, and the estimators would work in the background. Now, those estimators are considered more of the preconstruction professionals."
Why the shift? Taimoor says it's all about placing the responsibility in the hands of those who develop the information and estimates. Estimators are closer to preconstruction processes, so it makes sense for them to take the lead in shaping early project decisions and outcomes.
For his part, J.D. likes that preconstruction processes have evolved to be more collaborative.
"Much of the industry has shifted into design assist or CMAR where you're working with an ownership team and a design team throughout the preconstruction process, which helps better define everything."
There are still a few areas in preconstruction that haven't evolved as much as he'd like, specifically regarding hierarchical structures and communication across disciplines.
"There's still a lot of old hierarchy out there, and we're not completely on the level field across the board between architects, trade partners, construction managers, and GCs. But it is moving in the right direction."
Taimoor and J.D. both agree that preconstruction success hinges on strong relationships. Collaboration and trust are essential for ensuring accurate information and smooth project execution.
As Taimoor puts it, "Relationships are the core of an effective preconstruction process. If you do not have strong relationships, you'll always have communication challenges, and whenever you have communication gaps, you'll always have unpredictable results."
He says this is especially true for subcontractors, who provide critical cost and project information that GCs, designers, and owners need to make informed decisions.
So, how do you build that trust? One word: consistency.
"Whatever you say, your actions should always consistently follow those words," remarks Taimoor.
"That's how you build authenticity, which develops trust. Trust is not built overnight—it's a process. And that's why the preconstruction process is so important. It gives you an opportunity to build those trusted relationships."
J.D. adds that without strong trade partner relationships, project estimates and execution could suffer.
"I would reiterate the importance of those relationships with your trade partners. As a construction manager and general contractor, our estimates are 90% of trade partner costs. So, that relationship and trust are vital."
Given the importance of trade partner relationships, it's crucial to have a structured approach for identifying and qualifying partners who are a good fit for each project.
Over at Satterfield & Pontikes, Taimoor says they use TradeTapp for prequalification and BuildingConnected to solicit bids. They've integrated these platforms with the firm's ERP to gain visibility into internal and external backlog.
"First, we set the projects up by breaking them into bid packages and then assigning trade partners and suppliers to those individual bid packages. Historically, that's done by trades we've worked with in the past."
He continues, "We aim to get at least three bids per trade. This lets us understand the market average. You'd be surprised at the range and quotes that we get for a specific bid package."
LEMOINE follows a similar process. J.D. says the first step is finding the right trade partners for a project. In many cases, this involves subcontractors they already have a relationship with.
And if they need to work with new subcontractors (e.g. when they're in a new market, they focus on outreach to build relationships and ensure alignment with project needs.
"Working in one specific market is typically not that problematic, but when you are trying to go into different markets, and you have reached out to subcontractors, you have never worked before—that's a bit challenging."
"So, we do subcontractor outreach events where we invite the subcontractors that we have never worked with. We get to know each other and have them on a prospect list for future projects or the markets we are trying to enter. So I think building those relationships in the background is a process."
Preconstruction will also be a vital component of construction projects, so we need capable people to drive these early-stage processes.
With that in mind, Taimoor says the best way to attract more interest in preconstruction roles is to highlight the dynamic and multifaceted nature of the job.
"We have to show the new picture of preconstruction. It's not just you working in the background, and you're not just an estimator or somebody working in a specific field. Your role is multidimensional because you have to approach things not only from a cost standpoint but also from a constructability review, from the side logistics, procurement, and more."
"We need to convey that it's a high-impact role because most financial decisions are made in the preconstruction phase."
In line with that, J.D. says he's had great success recruiting from non-traditional construction management degrees and even the accounting field.
"Each of those adds a bit more flavor and diversity from a different viewpoint to our preconstruction teams and projects. And look, if you're a PM and you're tired of the daily grind in the field, we need you in precon. If you're in a non-traditional role and want to get involved and learn something, this is a great career path."
Like Taimoor, J.D. believes in the value of communicating with potential recruits and ensuring they know that preconstruction offers many exciting and impactful opportunities.
"It's a great opportunity. It's not about old school sitting in the corner of an office doing takeoff or plugging out Excel spreadsheets. It's business development, it's recruiting, it's building relationships, it's site logistics, and scheduling. It is everything that sets our operations teams up for success in building great projects. It's an incredible career path for anyone that's interested."
Worker retention is just as important as recruitment. And getting people to stay in the industry starts with promoting job satisfaction and preventing burnout.
While it's true that construction careers involve hard work, ensuring that there's space for recovery and motivation is a must.
As J.D. points out, "The workload can be very demanding at times, and there's no shortcut to success. Our work takes effort, but that excites me. I'm excited about getting up and delivering the work that needs to be done.
That's why J.D. is a firm believer in empowering people to work on things that invigorate them while providing them with the freedom to recharge.
"What we've got to do as managers and leaders is empower our people to identify what excites or resets them and then give them the space to do that."
That could mean allowing flexibility based on individual preferences—like accommodating early risers or night owls—and encouraging time away from the grind so they can come back fresh.
As for Taimoor, he says teams and individuals must play to their strengths to promote healthy work environments and prevent burnout.
"Every individual has different strengths. So, if you let them play in their strength areas, they will feel less burned out. Often, when people do something they don't like to do, that task becomes a source of stress. But if they are doing things that they love to do, then it becomes their passion."
Another way to prevent burnout? Improve efficiency and optimize your workflows.
"I'm a big proponent of working smarter rather than harder," says Taimoor. Reflect on the way you are doing things. A lot of time, we follow the same process over and over again, even if it's inefficient. But you still continuously need that refinement in that process to improve."
Digital Builder is hosted by me, Eric Thomas. Remember, new episodes of Digital Builder go live every week.
