Commercial Construction Primer: An Overview of Construction Stages

If you’re new to commercial construction, or even if you’ve been part of a build a time or two before, it often comes as a surprise to owners to learn how many steps are involved in the evolution of a construction project. While project scope, complexity and various other factors influence the chain of events during each stage, the following primer walks you through the high-level steps of what happens when during a build.

Planning and Design

At the outset, you will begin working with your general contractor to define the project scope, budget, and schedule. What is the desired design? What materials will be used to execute the design? What is the project budget? Where will the building site be located? Are you looking to build in Miami-Dade or Broward County. Are you going to be on-site or are you based outside of the area?


Once general plans have been discussed, pre-construction begins. The critical step is essential to a build as it details exact materials needed, permits to be acquired and the strict budget and schedule to follow.


While we’ve discussed it more than a time or two on this blog, navigating the South Florida permitting process can cause more than just a headache. While it’s complicated to say the least, it is absolutely essential to moving forward with a build.

Site Preparation

This is where the fun begins when the construction project can finally get underway. Site preparation involves clearing and excavating the land to remove trees, boulders, and other obstacles, as well as grading the land and preparing for power, water, utilities, etc.


Pouring the foundation, completing the framing, installing the roof, and preparing electrical, plumbing, and HVAC system needs keep the project moving forward. Finishing up the interior, exterior and landscaping rounds out the build. Near the end of the project, contractors will walk through the site and create a “punch list,” which addresses parts of construction that still need additional attention.

Final Touches

Once all the final touches have been added to the building, including paint, flooring, and finishing up countertops and faucets, the building is ready for you to enjoy.

At Seacoast Construction, we take pride in our ability to follow through on-time and on-schedule with all of our builds. If you’re looking for a general contractor for your next job in South Florida, give us a call.

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