What is Construction Phasing and Why is it Important?
Tips from REDCOM Design and Construction
How to maintain operational efficiency and service customers during a facility upgrade
Dealership renovations excite auto consumers and tend to drive up sales. That said, a major challenge that auto dealers face is managing brand-upgrade requirements while keeping customer needs met. Organizing customers, employees, and construction crews in a limited area is not without challenges. After years of designing, building, and renovating dealerships, REDCOM has a few tips for managing construction while keeping business operating onsite.
Redcom Project
Maxon Hyundai pre-construction
Phase Strategically
Renovating a dealership while keeping it open is logistically complex. REDCOM found that phasing the project – conducting work sequentially in well-defined stages and areas – is a successful approach.
Currently, REDCOM is working on a phased auto project to renovate and expand a dealership showroom and its service area while fostering business continuity. To complete the work, REDCOM is building the new service area and service drive-through first. Next, the service and sales staff will be moved to the new service area. Then, the showroom will be renovated and the sales staff will move back into the space. The project also includes renovating spaces for the service writers and office staff who will be moved and resettled during the process.
Phasing can also occur within a specific area of a dealership. In another project, REDCOM completed the renovation of a busy service center while keeping it operational. The construction crews worked nights and weekends to minimize disruption. All electrical wiring needed to be replaced, so REDCOM provided backup power and performed work at off-peak times. The team also worked in discrete steps with a narrow scope, such as moving and installing only four lifts at a time so the dealer could maintain adequate service capacity.
Keep traffic flowing
Construction sites are busy, dangerous places and crews need space to work and store materials while customer traffic continues. Inventory arrives and heavy equipment needs to move around the site. A well-planned traffic scheme minimizes the risk of accidents and ensures that the dealership functions smoothly. The construction superintendent, project manager, and dealership managers collaborate to develop a traffic flow plan that meets the needs of the dealership and that helps direct customers where to park while accommodating the construction.
Communicate constantly
Communication is the key for a project to run smoothly. At a recent ground-up dealership project, REDCOM’s site superintendent kept all dealership employees informed of what was happening on-site regularly. He also kept other businesses in the back of the property informed of what would be happening so that their operations were not negatively impacted by the construction. His daily check-ins ensured that there were never surprises, and his transparency strengthened the partnership between the dealership staff and construction team.
Redcom Project
Maxon Hyundai completed
To Wrap it Up
Keeping dealerships running while renovating or undergoing ground-up construction is a must. Phasing construction is an effective approach. It is an art mastered with experience and supported by consistent communication and careful consideration. While phasing has the potential to extend project duration and costs, careful project management can mitigate these impacts. Have a big project? Find a commercial construction company experienced in auto construction, like REDCOM Design and Construction, and move ahead with confidence.