Services

We eagerly compete with other firms on quality, reliability, and cost.

What is commonly referred to as general contracting can take on many different forms. Some project owners prefer to obtain prices from two, or more, construction firms and award the project to the firm providing the lowest price or the lowest-qualified price. We eagerly accept those opportunities, because we are confident that we can offer a very competitive price for any type of project, and also provide the level of attention and service needed to complete the project with the utmost quality.

Smaller projects, such as exterior and interior renovations to an existing building, also usually fall under the heading of general contracting. We routinely complete projects of this type all over the midwest region of the country, and beyond, for some of the most well-known brands and businesses in the United States. Typically, price is established either through a competitive process or, in many instances, project owners negotiate a price with us, confident they will receive a price that meets their budget requirements while also receiving full service.

An increasingly popular form of general contracting is Job Order Contracting or JOC. Pioneered by the United States Department of Defense, this method is especially useful for accomplishing small projects, emergency repairs, or completing work that must be done within a very short time frame due to the scheduled use of a facility. Price is based on agreed-to unit costs and a competitively established cost coefficient. We provide JOC services to public sector clients directly and through purchasing cooperatives that serve public schools, colleges and universities, and municipalities.

A team approach for a superior project.

Whether for a public-sector project, such as a new school building, or a private-sector project, like a medical office building, the project delivery method known as Construction Management is a proven way to maximize the value obtained for every dollar spent to design and build a new facility or repurpose an existing building.

In the role of Construction Manager, we work in close collaboration with you and your architect throughout the design phase of your project to control the cost and enhance the quality of the project. We do that by providing cost estimates at key stages of the design process, to verify what has been designed can be constructed within your budget. We also offer ideas that can allow the actual construction process to proceed more efficiently and safely. Frequently, our input during the design process also results in a building that is more economical to operate and easier to maintain.

We also serve as your advocate in the subcontractor and supplier market. We solicit competitive bids from the marketplace, carefully review those bids for conformance to specifications, and then compile those bids in a price that is contractually guaranteed, often referred to as the Guaranteed Maximum Price. During construction, we serve as your on-site manager, providing cost control, schedule management, quality control, and enforcement of safe work practices. 

Even after the work on the project site has been completed, our work for you is not. In the event there is a need to address an issue covered by our warranty, we have the ability and commitment to you to respond quickly, and our financial stability means we will be here to take care of you long after your project is finished.

The CMAR delivery method gives owners the flexibility to select a contractor based on several factors other than solely on price: project-specific expertise, performance history, and financial stability. Owners contract design and construction services separately under the CMAR delivery method. As an advocate on behalf of the owner, we hold trade partner and vendor contracts, taking on the financial risk of the project by providing a guaranteed maximum price (GMP) for construction and a set date for completion.

Wurzel Builders improves quality, saves time, and reduces change orders through our approach to construction management.

Construction Management at Risk (CMAR) provides initial estimates based on Design Development documents (DDs) provided by the architect. The GMP is finalized during preconstruction after the CMAR and architect have worked together to consider and confirm design alternatives while selecting material and building systems, which leads to a higher quality product. The CMAR process also helps reduce changes once the project is underway through early, ongoing collaboration.

A contracting method gaining popularity is Design-Build construction. Design-Build can save cost and time for business owners. Whereas the traditional Design-Bid-Build process separates design and construction, Design-Build provides a single point of responsibility for an entire project.

Instead of the owner contracting separately with the architect and the contractor, Design-Build typically ties the architect contractually to the builder. The contractor then enters into a Design-Build contract with the owner. The owner now deals with just one entity, the Design-Build team, and not each one separately.

Design-Build enhances the opportunity for improved coordination between the designers and contractors, more efficient and constructible designs, economies of time and cost, and a potentially greater overall team approach.

Value analysis and constructability review are enhanced and utilized continuously throughout the project duration. The early involvement of the design-build team is essential in maximizing the full potential of the design-build delivery system. Decisions that can be made during the programming, concept, and design phases will impact the schedule and costs of the project more than any other phase of construction.

With a Design-Build project, design and construction for a project can easily overlap, allowing for fast-track construction. The owner benefits from this shortened time frame because construction costs can be reduced and the new building will be available for use sooner.