You've chosen a new building for your corporate offices, negotiated your lease terms—including Tenant Improvement Allowances—and partnered with an Architectural firm to refine your program requirements. Now, it's time to select a General Contractor (GC).
The GC and their subcontractors will be responsible for turning the vision you and your Architect developed into reality. Fortunately, you have a knowledgeable advocate in your corner—your Architect. Architectural firms work with a range of General Contractors and understand their strengths, weaknesses, and areas of expertise. As mentioned in previous posts (“Using Your Tenant Improvement Allowance Dollars to Your Best Advantage” and “Selecting an Architect”), in some cases, your Architect may have already engaged a GC to obtain budget estimates based on the Design Intent Plans. If so, that GC may be a strong candidate for consideration.
Identifying Potential General Contractors
It’s generally recommended to solicit bids from 3-4 GCs. So, where do you find additional candidates? A good starting point is referrals from colleagues who have gone through similar build-outs. If you receive recommendations, ask:
Some GCs maintain ongoing relationships with landlords or specific buildings, which can be beneficial. Their familiarity with a building’s infrastructure may help avoid unexpected costs. An existing rapport can streamline communication and expedite issue resolution if your Architect has previously worked with a GC and the landlord on other projects.
If you’re still searching for another GC to complete your bid list, consider additional factors such as:
The Bidding Process
Once you and your architect finalize the list of GCs to invite to bid, your Architect or project manager will assemble a bid package. This includes construction drawings, specifications detailing quality and materials, and bidding instructions outlining deadlines and required formats.
At Interplan, if an unfamiliar GC is being considered, we may recommend an in-person interview to assess their qualifications and determine how our teams will collaborate. Strong relationships and seamless integration between firms are critical to project success.
According to Principal Matthew Duncan:
"We take pride in the accuracy and thoroughness of the drawings and bid documents that Interplan produces. We have found that putting extra work into this phase of our design process is ultimately key to successfully designing projects within budget. We put our efforts into value designing, not value engineering."
Our bid instructions are comprehensive and built upon industry standards that we have refined over time. They incorporate lessons learned from previous projects to address potential challenges preemptively. In most cases, we invite all bidding GCs to a pre-bid walkthrough of the site, providing an opportunity to clarify site-specific conditions and enhance bid accuracy.
Evaluating Bids
Once all bids are received, the Architect undertakes a detailed evaluation. While some subjective factors are involved, the initial step is a direct cost comparison. Ensuring an “apples-to-apples” analysis can be complex, as pricing structures may vary.
At Interplan, we use a proprietary cost comparison spreadsheet to break down pricing across standard construction divisions, such as:
We also evaluate the proposed project phasing to help in the development of overall project costs and inform the client of various levels of funds that will be required across the timeline of the project process. If there are significant pricing discrepancies between bidders, we engage in discussions to understand the reasoning behind the variations. Identifying potential issues early helps mitigate budget overruns and costly change orders.
Making the Final Selection
Once the analysis is complete, your architect will review the findings with you:
Ultimately, your Architect will likely have a recommendation based on their expertise and familiarity with your project’s needs. Choosing a GC should mark the beginning of a collaborative and successful partnership—one that results in a high-quality, cost-effective build-out of your new corporate space.
