Before You Build: 5 Things Every Church Must Consider

So, your church has decided to build a new facility, or maybe expand your current facility. Exciting news! But before you start, there are some things you need to consider—and questions you need to ask.

Below, we’ll explore the five things every church must consider before beginning the new church construction process. If you don’t, it’s going to cost you in the long run.

Your Church’s DNA

This is really at the heart of the process. If you don’t know your church’s DNA backwards and forwards, it’s time to take a step back. Before you start building a new facility or renovating a vacant property, you need to know your church and your community. Who is it you are looking to connect with? What is it that your current space is lacking and keeping you from your vision or mission? It’s also essential to know your strengths and where God is blessing the vision of your church. You’ll need that knowledge as you begin to prioritize the design of your new space.

A Building Partner

Embarking on building a new church (or repurposing an existing one) is a huge undertaking. If you don’t have the right building partner guiding you through the project from the very beginning through the end, you’re setting yourself up for failure. The right church construction partner can be the difference between a successful project and one that goes over budget, takes too long, doesn’t end up being what you had originally dreamed, or stalls out altogether.
When digging deeper into what it really means to bring in the right church-building partner, you must investigate and ask the right questions. Is this partner company going to help you throughout the process and engage with you early, before the design begins? Are they able to help you find the right architect, the right financing partner, and help with raising funds? Do they have a history of completing church construction projects on time, on budget, and at a high standard and level of quality? Will they bring to you all the church projects they have built, and allow you to choose whom you call for a reference? If not, you’re wasting your time. Just call Catalyst.

Project Timing

Do you understand the full extent of your new church construction project, including how long it’s going to take from start (gathering resources, getting buy-in, financing, etc.) to completion? Will they consider your schedule, the ebb and flow of a church calendar and accommodate you with accurate projections? The timing of a new build can be just as important as the physical building itself and knowing a specific timeline will be crucial as you start the construction process for your congregation.

Needs vs Wants

Often when a church works with an architect first, and goes through a design process without us, we see clients dreaming big as they share the vision in the design process. The highest-quality materials, expensive interior finishes, architecturally stunning exterior designs, state-of-the-art technology, etc. And when the build estimate comes back, sticker shock sets in; and everything goes on the chopping block of affordability. It pains us to see the disappointment on leadership faces when brought back to the reality of the budget number. We want to build you a beautiful new facility that you are excited to go into the future with. To avoid the painful task of deciding where the cost savings cuts are going to come from, it is imperative to that you understand cost differences early in design phase and provided options to choose from. Getting the design right the first time, will help keep the project on budget and on schedule.

The Numbers

Financing and fundraising for a church construction project can be complicated. You need to make sure you have the funding necessary to start and complete the project, while also being held accountable to your congregation to not waste time and money. Knowing the numbers is a crucial step that needs to be well understood early in the process. Knowing your budget is what sets you up for success and helps you avoid disappointment. We can help you in this process.

You need to be confident this is the right decision for your church, and know that everything is in place in order to make it happen. If you require a church construction partner, look no further than Catalyst. Our team has many years of experience building new churches and renovating existing commercial spaces for new worship centers. Contact our team today to get started.