Our step-by-step series about church design culminates with the process of church building. After nine posts on necessary preparations, we talk about what you need to do during the construction process.
Coordination Meetings
A regular coordination meeting between the general contractor and designated church leaders is a key component to successful church construction. This weekly meeting addresses logistics, especially if the new church building or renovation project occurs on a campus currently used for worship and ministry activities.
Topics from these meetings could include which entrances need to be available on Sundays (due to construction and safety concerns) and when water or particular restrooms might be shut off for hours, days, or weeks.
These meetings also provide an opportunity for church leaders to note what needs addressing or cleaning as work proceeds.
Finalizing Church Design Details
Many details from big to small need to be discussed and decided during the construction phase. These include interior design (including paint, flooring, and scheduling deliveries). Other important decisions revolve around keys: How many master keys will be available? How many different types of keys will be needed for different groups using different parts of the church building complex?
The Church Building Punch List and Move-In Process
The creation of a punch list (also known as the quality assurance walk-through) on your new or remodeled church building is a crucial indicator that your construction process nears completion. You and your general contractor will tour the church building, room by room, and identify anything that’s not correct, needs fixing, or is not yet installed. Those items are added to a list, and you will sign off as each item on the list is addressed and resolved.
The move-in period is a time when you and your team will learn how to operate the systems in your new church building. Some folks will need systems training in operating the thermostat and HVAC system, while other team members will learn about the audio-visual system. Your general contractor will give you all of the maintenance and operating manuals associated with the various systems in your building, as well as a set of marked up drawings of any changes to the initial building design as it has been constructed.
Finally, your general contractor will give you a warranty for the building construction that includes the builder’s commitment that they will address any issues that arise once you use the building. Although every general contractor intends to do their job perfectly, issues arise. The warranty is a critical component to the successful sign-off on a completed church building project.
Recapping the Church Building Steps from Start to Finish
Our long series on church building comes to an end, but if you would like to revisit each post, here are the steps in the process:
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· Funding · Permits
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In our next post, we’ll move beyond the steps and address the best timing for your church building project. Meanwhile, please visit our home page and register for our upcoming i3 webinars. As you can see, we share a wealth of information with you in these free webinars!