Three Keys to Successful Building Programs
By Mario Hodge

No amount of pre-planning can curtail the natural enemies and frustrations that arise during the construction process. Planning, process and prayer are three mainstays of the church building process that should never be abandoned. They have been the tools for successful building programs as far back as creation. Think about it—God used seven days to complete His work, when it could have taken a single day. He taught us planning and organization by detailing each action, and having infrastructure and support before placing man in the garden. Organizing your plans and procedures with the following guidelines will ease many of the difficulties that bog down the process.

1. Planning
Having a plan in place and understanding the stages of the building process will prepare you for familiar challenges, while keeping the process more exciting and rewarding.
 
Before you hire the architect or consider talking to a consultant that has fees attached, there are three planning purchases that, if made, will seriously reduce guesswork and billable research hours: a topographical and boundary survey, a soil engineering test, and a written building program. 

The boundary survey shows the recorded amount of property you own, location of setbacks, rights of way, utilities, and area available for construction. A topographic study establishes grades and elevations of the property, and how costly your parking, storm water, and grading requirements will be. Flat is best.

A soil test determines the integrity of the property. It lets you know if that property was a private dump 20 years ago, a graveyard for used cars, or a rock bed of boulders and stones. Civil and structural engineering will skyrocket if the soil is no good. These tests are worth the investment and can prevent unnecessary expenses.

Make sure you have enough property to support the master plan of the church. Your written plan should give directives on how much space the church will need and in what time period. Your site should be capable of handling future growth, additional auxiliary, administration, and parking. In some cases, churches are allotting space for commercial and residential developments.

The written building program is the most important tool for communicating the church’s vision to the architect, the builder, and the people who are funding the project. The written program pulls the vision together in a way that no other document used in the process will. It gives direction and perspective. 

This document lays out the plan for what the building is going to actually do, the inspirational elements the church wishes to express in the design, and the schedule and location of the building project. The team you have selected to plan your project should be a concise group that will carefully communicate the needs of the church and leadership in the written program.

Attendance records and growth patterns are necessary to determine the space required for the new sanctuary. This is when the details of classroom sizes, administrative spaces, and recreational areas should be decided. The written plan allows for all auxiliaries and ministries to look at the allotted budget and submit what they need from the building.  The church will then have a clear outline for what and where their money is being spent.

2. Process
Three fundamental elements for purchasing construction services are design, budget, and timeline. Because they depend on each other, they create an equal amount of constraint and freedom for the project.

Based on how much you have to spend and how quickly you want to build, your church’s program will determine how dynamic and architecturally detailed you make the design. Lesser details often result in lower cost and faster turnaround on construction. Handcrafted and artistic designs cost more to construct, and the installation periods are longer. Choosing between function and architecture is usually a tough decision; make sure your program outlines what is most important.

Before your construction documents are 50% complete, it is of the utmost importance that all major changes are resolved. Changes on drawings are, surprisingly, as costly (for the time it takes to do them) on drawings, as they are in actual construction.

When your construction documents are in place, be prepared to submit them to your local officials along with permitting and user fees. Permitting for the job is the major green light in the process. However, city officials can create delays and additional engineering costs to meet their standards. Diligence in your civil and architectural engineering can reduce the likelihood of additional expenses.

Your permits are in place, your construction loan is funded, and your builder is set to mobilize. Yet, there is a list of checks and balances that must be in place to start the project off on the right foot. Standard AIA documents are used for contracts and billing. Insurances, certificates, and financial security of your contractor should be verified.

AIA payment schedules prevent accelerated and overpayment that result in disparities between work in place and the budget spent. Verifying insurances will minimize the risks of injury lawsuits reaching back to the church. And, using AIA contracts will protect both the church and builder; they do not favor one party over the other.

When construction starts, your project architect and construction project manager are the two key administrators that make the project a success. Construction administration should be by the project architect; this keeps the builder accountable. Progress should be communicated to the church by the project manager on the project; this offers the opportunity for everyone to be involved and aware of all that is taking place.

Using these standards as a starting point for your building program is wise. Managing and planning the construction process is broader and more complicated the larger the costs and budgets are. However, having these basic principles in place before you hire anyone or move any dirt will make for a smoother transition into the project. 

3. Prayer
Finally, the most critical means of succeeding in your construction program is praying the project through. Prayer keeps everyone and everything in perspective. To quote Rev. Glen D. Cole, “Prayer helps your perspective. Things happen because of prayer, not just because of our expertise.” Prayer makes way for understanding and determination for the project, two strengths needed to see the project through. Building the church is exciting, not easy; it requires dedication. Dedication to the plan and process will produce the harvest of a blessed project.

Mario Hodge is a project developer for Commercial Builders & Architects, www.cba-rm.com. He works closely with churches to develop their building programs, facility floor plans, designs and budget.