Virginia is one of the fastest growing states, with new businesses moving into hotspots like Virginia Beach, Norfolk, Chesapeake, and Hampton each month. To compete, many businesses are updating their commercial storefronts to better reflect their brand–and to bring in more customers. Embarking on a commercial renovation project is an exciting step toward business growth–but it can also be terrifying. Between navigating Virginia laws and finding a contractor who won’t ghost you in the middle of the project, there’s a lot to consider. To help, we’ve already done the research for you. Here’s everything you should consider before starting a commercial renovation project in Virginia.
Commercial construction in Virginia
To start, what exactly is commercial construction? Basically, it’s any construction project, whether a new build or renovating an old space, that is done for commercial purposes. That means single-family homes and other private projects would not fall under this category. To reduce headaches during a commercial construction project, you’ll want to partner with a commercial contractor.
Virginia defines a commercial contractor as, “”Commercial building contractors means those individuals whose contracts include construction, remodeling, repair, improvement, removal, or demolition on real property owned, controlled, or leased by another person of commercial, industrial, institutional, governmental, and accessory use buildings or structures. The CBC classification does not provide for electrical, plumbing, HVAC, or gas fitting services.”
Within commercial construction, you have new projects and renovations. Renovations are any update to an old space, even if you bought a space previously used by another business. Since they are different from a new build, you’ll want to partner with a contractor who specializes in commercial renovation projects in Virginia.
Starting a Commercial Renovation Project in Virginia
Each state has different regulations for commercial renovation projects–and reading Virginia’s policies around commercial construction isn’t an easy feat for someone in the industry, much less an outsider. That’s why it’s more effective (and time-saving) to partner with a commercial contractor who already understands Virginia’s construction regulations.
A good way to ensure a contractor understands these policies is to look at the size and origin of the company. A large, multi-state construction company that wasn’t founded in Virginia might not know as much as a local contractor who got their start in your city. You also want to make sure that they aren’t too small. While your brother-in-law starting a construction company might mean well, he probably doesn’t know local and state regulations like a seasoned contractor.
Commercial Renovation Projects in Your Local Area
Along with finding someone who understands your state’s regulations, you want someone who understands local regulations. This person is better equipped to work with local building officials. They also can source high quality subcontractors, as needed, and understand the process for getting permits in your city or county.
The It-Factor For Your Project
Now that we’ve covered the basics a contractor must bring to the table (knowledge of local and state commercial renovation policies), it’s time to add in the final ingredient for the right commercial contractor: a ton of green flags.
Often, we think of the red flags some contractors have, such as not doing the job properly, taking longer than expected, or going over-budget. In Virginia, there are many high quality commercial contractors who not only lack red flags, but also have that it-factor which makes working with them easy and ensures your renovation project lasts for years to come.
The it-factor in a Virginia-based commercial contractor is made up of a variety of factors, such as:
- Their communication skills
- Their ability to accurately predict a project’s budget, instead of giving you a number way under that they cannot meet
- A track-record of high quality past projects
At the end of the day, you want a contractor who understands state and local regulations, and commercial renovation–and someone who is easy to work with. A contractor who has all three will make sure your business’ physical space can compete in the Virginia economy.
Carlton Building Services in Hampton Roads Virginia
Carlton Building Services specializes in repairs, maintenance, renovations, remodelings and build-outs for a variety of clients in Hampton Roads, Virginia Beach, and Chesapeake areas. We have years of experience handling projects in the retail, office, and healthcare space and would love to work with you on your next project!
To learn more about our services, check out past project highlights or contact Carlton Building Services to see how we can help with your next project.
