5 Things to Consider Before Starting a New School Construction Project
Hindsight is 20/20. Or so the saying goes. Why? Some things can only be learned through experience and by making mistakes. But what if the stakes are high? What if the future of many human beings is on the line? Embarking on a new school construction project is an exciting endeavor that promises to create a conducive learning environment for students and provide educational opportunities for generations to come. However, before breaking ground and diving into the construction process, it is crucial to take a step back and consider several key factors that can significantly impact the project's success. Proper [...]
5 Common Communication Mistakes in Construction Projects
Have you ever hit “send” on a text message without double-checking it? And has the “autocorrect” function ever failed you so miserably that what you sent completely confused the message? Communication is as basic and essential to humanity as breathing. Unlike breathing, though, sending and receiving messages can get complicated. When it does, progress of all kinds can grind to a halt, including construction projects. Effective communication is the backbone of a well-executed construction project, from coordinating tasks and ensuring safety to managing timelines and budgets. With over 17 years of experience and roughly 45 projects completed each year, we [...]
5 Reasons to Host a Groundbreaking Ceremony
When it comes to throwing a party, what events immediately spring to mind? Birthdays, weddings, graduations - they all come with a sense of excitement and anticipation. But have you ever considered hosting a groundbreaking ceremony as the ultimate celebration? While grand openings often steal the limelight, it's time to shine a spotlight on the opportunity to host a groundbreaking ceremony. These remarkable events don’t often receive the same level of attention, but they deserve it! Imagine this: a once-in-a-lifetime experience where you witness the symbolic act of breaking ground on a new construction project. It's a milestone that only [...]
The Importance of Having an Effective Church Building Committee
While your pastor and ministry leadership team may take the lead in your church building project or renovation endeavor, it shouldn’t be left solely to them to communicate with all the parties involved. The building committee is critical to ensuring the building of your new facility runs much more smoothly. Building committees have many responsibilities and duties, but their importance lies in these three critical aspects of construction projects: Identifying your needs: Effective building committees evaluate the needs for new construction, renovation, or remodeling projects and how these align with the church's vision and mission. Planning to address these needs: [...]
The Successful Groundbreaking Ceremony & How To Plan It
The atmosphere was electric as the groundbreaking ceremony got underway. The warm sun beamed down on the group, illuminating the glimmering shovels they held in their hands. The team members stood shoulder to shoulder in front of a sea of excited faces, ready to start the next chapter of this long-awaited project. There was a palpable sense of anticipation and possibility in the air as they began digging into the ground, marking the beginning of something truly special. As the dirt was lifted and moved aside, the group felt a swell of pride and accomplishment wash over them. It was [...]
Trimming Down Your Commercial Construction Budget
Catalyst Construction has completed projects for some of the Midwest’s most affluent, financially stalwart clients but we have yet to take on a project with an unlimited budget. When it comes to commercial construction projects, saving money and cutting costs is something everyone can get on board with regardless of the size of the numbers involved. Arguably the best way to ensure your budget maximizes cost efficiency and you’re getting the absolute most for every construction dollar spent is to partner with the amazing people at Catalyst and let us use our expertise, insight, and long-standing industry relationships to find [...]
3 Great Ways To Get Your Congregation Engaged With Your Next Church Construction Project
In Chapter 12 of the first letter from Paul to the Corinthians, the Holy Spirit of God speaks through his prophet about the myriad spiritual gifts that He has given His people in order for them to perform tasks and produce fruit that please and glorify Him and which edifies His Church and His coming Kingdom. The quintessence of this chapter is God’s desire for His people to amalgamate these varied gifts, talents, and abilities that He has given to us in collaboration with each other toward the production of great things. For your congregation, your next church construction project [...]
4 Tips For Creating The Perfect Floorplan For Your Commercial Space
The work that goes into designing and constructing a commercial building involves a litany of complex and multifaceted plans, processes, and protocols carried out in carefully managed synchronicity to produce a practical and, hopefully, an aesthetically pleasing structure. One of the plans that stands out as among the most important in terms of life-after-construction is the floorplan that you use for the new commercial space you, your colleagues, your employees, and your customers will occupy for the foreseeable future. But how do you create the ideal floorplan for your space and your needs? You want to create a smart floorplan [...]
3 Ways to Hire the Wrong Commercial Construction Firm
"In the construction sector, hiring the right company is easy, but hiring the wrong one is even easier..." Anonymous So you and your staff have made the decision to build a new facility for your organization or to renovate or add onto your existing one. That in itself is a significant accomplishment and is a decision that, once made, marks the commencement of several months (and possibly years, depending on the scale and scope of your project) of concerns that will need to be addressed and questions that will need to be answered. The very first question that needs to [...]
Decisions, Decisions: Knowing Your Options For Your Mass Timber Construction Project
After some brief initial skepticism across the industry, mass timber framing is quickly becoming the new gold standard in building systems technology for the commercial construction sector throughout North America. Reasons for this are many and varied but some of the most advantageous features for mass timber’s ever-increasing popularity including improved construction speed, labor and noise reduction, and of course, sustainability. Mass timber projects have seen a roughly 25% reduction in superstructure completion time as compared with concrete, steel, or light wood framing systems. Such a substantial improvement in the overall project completion time is almost invariably accompanied by a [...]
