Commercial Construction Projects are the process providing construction services for commercial properties such as offices, retail, hotel, storage units, light industrial, and more. In addition, this process begins with a business owner or property manager to hire the right commercial contractor to provide construction services on their commercial space.

Commercial contractors oversee construction projects that are specifically for commercial businesses. The ultimate difference between a general contractor and a commercial contractor is, that the commercial contractor focuses on a specific industry, versus a general contractor on a broader scale. In addition, commercial contractors should be more ready and experienced in handling commercial projects.

There are many types of commercial construction projects. However, to first understand the scope of the different types of projects, it is important to recognize the size and complexity of the commercial construction industry. Commercial construction accounts for about $120 billion or 7.1% of the construction industry which is about a $1,370 billion (revenue). The complexity of the commercial construction involves.

Everyone labels construction projects differently. However, it is generally based off the client’s type of business, the trade or service provided, and the scale of the project. For example – a commercial project can be called a small medical office remodel.

Types of Businesses

In general, it is best to find a contractor that is more experienced working with similar businesses than your own. Each contractor specializes in specific projects to improve efficiency and outcome of project results. Therefore, they focus on specific businesses for their projects. Below is a list of different types of client’s businesses that are considered construction projects:

• Hospitality (Hotel, Motel, and Restaurant)
• Retail (stores & malls)
• Medical Facilities
• Offices
• Light Industrial (Manufactures and Warehouses)
• Sports Facilities – (Gyms and Recreational Centers)
• Storage Units

Different Types of Services

There are many different types of services, which depend on the client’s needs. Here is a list of common services commercial contractors provide clients.

• Remodeling
• Renovation
• Tenant Improvement
• Design Build
• Restoration
• ADA Compliance
• Painting
• Concrete
• Turnkey
• Roofing
• Plumbing
• Electrical
• HVAC
• Flooring
• Drywall

The Scale of Commercial Construction Projects

Commercial projects vary in size and complexity. When a contractor first meets with the client to get an idea of the project, they consider what subcontractors they will need, the materials, equipment, permits, inspections, the duration, and other key factors. After this, they develop an estimate for the project and determine whether this will be a small, medium, large project. It is important to note that a project size is subjective to a construction company or business owner/property manager due to what scale projects they can handle. For example, a large construction corporation may find a $200,000 project to be small project compared to small construction company. Below is our interpretation of small, medium, and large scale.

Small Scale

Small scale projects are more specific and limited to the services needed. For example, a client could ask a contractor to paint the interior of their office building for $8,000 project. The commercial contractor does not “typically” need to get subcontractors, permits, or an inspection. However, they will need to get some equipment and materials if they do not have it on hand. In addition, the contractor can use his own construction team of laborers to perform the painting. This type of project is low in cost and requires minimum attention and effort from a project manager. The duration of this project is considered short as well (days or weeks).

Medium Scale

A medium scale project is a mix of large- and small-scale projects. They require more services, subcontractors, permits, labor, inspections, materials, and equipment. This type of project is costly and requires the attention and effort from a contractor or project manager. In addition, the timeline for the project is moderate (months). For example, a contractor may be required to do a remodel of a medium size retail tile store for about $300,000 project.

Large Scale

Large scale projects require much more subcontractors, permits, labor, inspections, materials, and equipment. In addition, the timeline for this type of project is longer than a year. This type of project is very costly and requires a lot of effort and attention. For example, a project that requires a complete remodel of a large church could be about $800,000 project.

Summary of Different Types of Commercial Construction Projects

In conclusion, there are many types of commercial construction project. Types of commercial projects can be determined by the type of business, services, and scale of the project. However, the scale of the project is subjective based off the contractors or owners/manager’s experience. The type of business and service/trade plays a role in the contractors experience and expertise in that type of project.