Over the past year, we’ve shared how Sun State Builders consistently delivers projects while successfully managing costs, maintaining timelines and minimizing surprises. Achieving all three is a direct reflection of our approach to construction. Before a single shovel moves dirt, incorporating a combination of value engineering, design-build and due diligence methodologies is integral to the Sun State Builders’ process. We begin with thoughtful planning and rigorous diligence.
Here is a look at a few recent projects to demonstrate our best practices at work:
WorkBay — Surprise
WorkBay — Surprise is a 93,010-square-foot light industrial campus spread across seven pre-engineered metal buildings in Surprise, AZ. The light industrial rental units are designed to serve up-and-coming businesses looking for flexible, right-sized space to grow, accommodating light industrial, warehouse and office uses.
Through the design-build method, Sun State Builders shaved four months off the initial project timeline for WorkBay Surprise. Here’s how the design-build process was integrated across four distinct workstreams:
- Concurrent engineering
Concrete structural engineering was performed at the same time as metal building structural engineering instead of after it, compressing what is traditionally a linear process.
- Earlier procurement
Enlisting construction subject matter experts (SMEs) in the design process from the start helps prevent late-stage design changes. This allows material orders to be placed significantly earlier than traditional delivery methods.
- Pre-approval bidding
With design and construction under one roof, subcontractor bidding can kick off before city approval comes through rather than after. That shift in sequence meaningfully reduced the project schedule.
- Streamlined document review
Another benefit of involving SMEs early is that the final review of construction documents (CDs) happens much faster, with fewer comments and revisions. Conventional delivery methods involve the hand-off of CDs to SMEs for review much later in the process, generating more comments and revisions, which directly impacts timelines and construction costs.
The design-build method doesn’t just speed up individual steps; it restructures the entire sequence so that work happens in parallel wherever possible, and hand-off delays can be minimized at every stage.
Avion Square
Avion Square is a 39,620-square-foot industrial flex development designed for manufacturing, industrial, warehouse and office use near Chandler Airpark. The ground-up spec building is divisible for up to four tenants and features roll-up doors and reinforced slabs for private truck area parking.
Through due diligence, we reduced project costs for Avion Square by more than $450,000. Sun State Builders was contracted to conduct value engineering on plans originally prepared by another firm. By taking a fresh, construction-expert eye to the documents, our team identified substantial cost savings across three key areas: the roofing system, site drainage and exterior masonry elements.
- Specifying an alternative structural roofing system and materials reduced cost without compromising performance
- Developing and implementing a different approach to site stormwater drainage provided a better operating solution
- Substituting masonry elements with equivalent alternatives lowered costs
Value engineering is most powerful when applied during the original design phase but it still delivers significant savings when applied to plans already prepared. The earlier it’s incorporated, the less time and money is spent on revising plans, engineering, and specifications.
Import Glass Corp
Import Glass Corp’s new 44,100-square-foot office/warehouse in Phoenix is purpose-built to expand the wholesale glass distributor’s existing operations. The upgraded pre-engineered metal building combines structural efficiency with added functionality for the growing business.
Initial due diligence on this site raised three significant red flags that, on the surface, suggested the parcel might be too costly or too complicated to develop:
- The site carried a Superfund designation, indicating potential ground contamination.
- An archaeologically sensitive classification meant the site was flagged as potentially containing historical or culturally significant artifacts.
- Existing street lighting and power lines appeared to require undergrounding — a notoriously expensive scope addition.
Rather than stopping at the initial findings, SSB pursued additional investigation into each concern. The outcome changed the project’s viability entirely:
- The Superfund designation related to groundwater contamination more than 100 feet below grade. Because the development will never disturb, use, or surface that water, the contamination presents no danger to the project. Testing confirmed this conclusion.
- Neighboring sites in the same area had already undergone archaeological testing, where a known ancient irrigation system was located and found to contain nothing of historical significance. Phase 1 Archaeological Testing at this site confirmed the same.
- The project scope was designed to specifically avoid impacting on the existing streetlight and power infrastructure, eliminating the need for underground entirely.
What first appeared to be a deal-breaker became a manageable, well-understood site through disciplined investigation. Replacing assumptions with facts and strategy allowed the team to make informed decisions and develop a clear plan.
The Sun State Builders Difference
The most valuable work often happens before we break ground. Getting the design right, integrating construction expertise early and thoroughly understanding a site before committing to a plan provide the foundation for every project we take on.
If you’re planning a project and want to understand how our approach can save time, money and help eliminate uncertainty, let’s talk.