What the Beige Book has to Say About North Texas

Here is some interesting info gathered from the Dallas Federal Reserve’s Beige Book which might be applicable to your business. Noted here are the four areas that are most applicable to our Real Estate and Construction arena.

The Beige Book is not something most of us follow but our “local branch” of the Federal Reserve is known to be one of the more conservative (and accurate) in their market analyses and projections.  This information, looked at in the right light, is not only helpful but also a wee bit encouraging.

The four key areas of our economy and their updates from the Beige Book:

• Manufacturing
• Retail Sales
• Financial services
• Construction and Real Estate

In manufacturing demand had increased because of an acceleration in private projects such as apartment and commercial buildings

Retail activity increased moderately over the reporting period. Looking at March and April and smoothing out fluctuations due to the Easter holiday, demand has increased in the low- to mid-single digits over the prior year. Texas continues to perform above the national average, according to one large retailer, and the outlook for 2011 remains positive.

Financial firms reported steady overall loan demand. Real estate activity has shown recent improvement as well. Optimism persists for pockets of homebuilding and some lending across the state. Outlooks are generally positive in light of better outstanding loan quality and continued slow improvement in lending conditions.

Housing contacts said sales remain at low levels, but optimism has increased along with better traffic. Sales are expected to improve in the second half of 2011. Private nonresidential demand has improved. Leasing activity is growing and there are reports that industrial and office construction are increasing from previously  very low levels. Sales of commercial buildings are also picking up across the District.

As was said from the panel in a recent Real Estate Forum, “It’s good to be in Texas.”

The Sykes Team

Architects and Architecture

A news story and an anniversary this past week reminded us of just how special is the craft of architecture.

This past week marked the 144th anniversary of the birth of Frank Lloyd Wright, the father of organic architecture.  He designed more than 1,000 projects that resulted in nearly 500 finished works. Architect, designer, writer and educator, the "greatest architect of all time (according to the AIA), inspired many to become architects.

How many?  According to ArchSoc, a blog chronicallying architectural issues and ideas, there are nearly 200,000.  But that depends on how you count.

Truth is, most buildings and structures wouldn't be standing without the help of an architect.  That is also another reason why companies such as ours exist: pairing effective, buildable design with expert construction techniques and methods ensures success and sustainability.

For more information on architecture, contact Kevin Wallace at our offices 972-484-6855. He loves architecture.

The Sykes Team

Architecture as a Passion

Most of the time we think of architecture as a mechanical process that makes sure building stand up straight and work well.

It is more than that.  A lot more.

"Designing a building involves integrating form and function," Kevin Wallace said.  Kevin is the chief architect and COO of Sykes Construction/SCI Design.  "And these days, it also involves the inclusion of 'green' features and needs as well."

You also have to design something that can be built.  That's why the team of a construction company (general contractor) and an architect is ideal.  Choosing materials that fit the design and then creating a passable (from an inspection standpoint) structure complete the challenge.

There is also the aesthetic piece of the puzzle.

"Spaces that are inviting and comfortable make people more productive and happy," Kevin continued.  "No matter how you look at it, this is a multi-faceted process."

"From the time I was a kid and making my first sketches," Kevin said,"making spaces that people can use AND like has always been a goal. My passion for the work as an art has always driven me to see the finished product."

To learn more about the design/build process and architecture as a passion, contact Kevin Wallace at www.sykesconstruction.com.

The Sykes Team

Why a Smaller ICSC RECon Show is Better

In a recent article from Globe St.com, Ian Ritter wrote that the International Council of Shopping Centers (ICSC) annual RECon trade show and conference's attendance would "come in around 30,000 as opposed to upwards of (the) 50,000 in 2007."

That's a huge reduction in the number of attendees to a show that has suffered through the last couple of years' recession.  But that's okay.

From our perspective as designers and builders, the more deals that can be done, the better.  What's that? More deals with fewer attendees?  Yes, really.

The truth is, if a company is sending someone to a show, they have a good business reason to send them.  If they don't they are wasting money. That's also true of the people staffing the exhibits, the suppliers.  If they can only be there if they have a deal closing, then it makes more sense that the ROI of the whole event will go up.  More deals between fewer people equals more qualified business.

"It's called the dealmaking show for a reason," Dave Sykes said.  Dave is president of Sykes Construction, a design/build firm based in North Texas.  "It's more important for us to meet the person who has a closed deal than it is for us to watch the deal being made," Dave continued. "Otherwise, we would attend the show. But that doesn't make the show any less important."

While Dave and his team didn't attend the national event in Las Vegas last week, they do plan to connect with those makers of deals at the regional shows.

"We will be in San Antonio later this year," Dave said. "At the local level, we can be more visible and be more active in the process."

Sykes Construction is a full-service design and build general contractor, specializing in the build out and fitting of retail space.  Sykes takes tenants to an open store.


The Sykes Team

US Green Buildings Council

The US Green Buildings Council (USGBC) is an organization aimed at ensuring that being green is a part of the design and construction of buildings in the US.

Environmental concerns and choices, governmental relations and support of key social causes drive the organization.  For example, this week in Washington, DC, is their annual government summit. At this meeting, key members of the building industry and government will meet to discuss legislation, business initiatives and network with each other to improve relations between the various factions.

"We're proud to affiliated with this organization," Kevin Wallace said. "The USGBC is a great forum for us in the design-build segment that allows us to be heard," Kevin said.

For more information on the USGBC, design-build processes and Sykes Construction/SCI Design, please visit www.sykesconstruction.com or call Kevin Wallace at 214-774-1146.

The Sykes Team

Attending Our Industry's Premier Event

The retail industry can be very complex and hard to navigate at times.  In the shopping center industry, it can get downright confusing--unless you try and keep up.

Here at Sykes, we are constantly trying to keep up with trends and topics that impact the industry, our clients and the business in general. One way we do this is to attend industry conferences and trade shows.  When you visit one of these events you get to do things few people get to experience sitting back at their desk in the office.

1. Walking the trade show floor allows you to see the state of the industry, trends happening in your markets.
2. You get to rub shoulders with your competitors and partners--the people you do business with and against, one-on-one and direct.
3. Management, field sales and home-office marketing are all in the same place at the same time and get to talk on both a formal and informal basis. You get to know one another again.
4. Listening to the latest from the thought leaders in your industry in sessions is better than reading a magazine article.
5. Speaking of magazines--where else do you get to talk with in person to the writers and editors of your industry's trade publications.  They are great sources and are always looking for the next thought leader in people like you.

Our own Dave Sykes will be heading out to the ICSC trade show and conference in May.  He will report on the shopping center industry event in in this space around that time.  Stay tuned.

What's your industry event like and do you attend it?

The Sykes Team

The Needs and Wants Calculator

Balancing what we need versus what we want in a building needs to be considered carefully.

Somewhere between the triangle of budget, scope and time is reality.

Increase the scope of your building project--larger spaces, more details, more expensive materials--and your budget and schedule will have to grow.

Shorten your schedule because you want to move up your grand opening and that compression results in either a higher budget or a change in scope.

Reduce your budget and schedule either grows to compensate for time spent or the scope has to be reduced.

It is a balance.  To learn more about balancing these three criteria, visit www.sykesconstruction.com.

The Sykes Team

What's on the Boards? Madera Brookside

A regular feature of this space, "What's on the Boards?" tells the latest stories about work we have in process at Sykes.

This week we are talking about the 25-year-old clubhouse at Brookside Country Club in Dallas.  The Madera building is in need of refurbishment and updating.

This challenge will be updated over the coming weeks and months so check back.

The Sykes Team

www.sykesconstruction.com

The Significance of Building Codes

Recently we had a disturbing – but interesting challenge on a project. During a remodel of a commercial building we discovered previously performed work (by others) that was not up to code. As a matter of course the city “red tagged” the project and notified us that the work – even though not part of our scope – or even impacting our work – had to be brought up to code before we could proceed and get a green tag. So far this story sounds pretty normal, right? Enter a surprise. The owner objected!

Object or not, as we informed him, the city is demanding that work be brought into compliance with the current code. Some of the items were life safety issues – not just the inspector’s whim as the owner protested: Wiring not connected at J boxes, PVC pipe in the plenum, and sprinkler heads that did not drop far enough below the face of the ceiling tile to allow correct coverage.

Code compliance is a significant issue to us and to (most) of our clients. But have you ever really given thought to how the code impacts us? Why we have it? What difference it makes? (Other than those occasions when it becomes a pain because it might cost us a few extra dollars?)

Can you imagine?

• A fire in your building – if you didn’t have the code compliant sprinkler system? Or the code compliant fire walls?
• Raw sewage cascading down your walls because you didn’t have code compliant plumbing.
• Cooking odors from the restaurant next door wafting through your HVAC system because you didn’t have a code compliant ventilation system?
• How about this one: Your building swaying as much as 6-10 feet due to an 8.9 earthquake – and yet it still stands and is safe – because it was code compliant.

Strict building codes have been credited with saving hundreds of thousands of lives and literally billions of dollars worth of property in this week’s earth quake and ensuing tsunami in Japan. By now, you will have seen the pictures from Japan of huge skyscrapers swaying with the movement of the earth – and yet not falling. Compare this with what we saw in Haiti last year and in China in the earthquake in 2008 where building codes are woefully inadequate or inconsistently applied. Many of us have traveled overseas and have observed some pretty scary “code violations” – and we’re not even code experts. Compare that with our code compliant building practices here in our country. I don’t know about you, but knowing the building practices and codes that we have, I always feel safe in the buildings I live and work in. I’m confident and you’re confident because our buildings have to meet some pretty strict codes.

So – on your next project, if you hear someone whining about having to correct something so it will meet the code – be proud – it’s keeping you and your people safe, it’s protecting your property and it’s part of what makes this country the best in the world.

Oh – and that client that was fighting with the city – He finally had to agree that his tenants were at risk and for their sake and his, the few dollars he was going to need to spend to correct the code violations were nothing to the risks he was running should any one of them get injured. Sometimes the profit motive works as well as the moral motive.

The Sykes Team

www.sykesconstruction.com

Community Involvement: Sykes & the North Dallas Chamber

Today's post is a bit of a departure.  Sykes, as a company, is proud to be involved in our community as volunteers and supporters of a number of orgnaizations.

One key organization is the North Dallas Chamber of Commerce.

Recently, our own Kevin Wallace presented a business seminar to the Chamber with his wife, HR consultant Amy Wallace. Kevin and Amy are knowledgeable business people and their presentation, given as a part of the Chamber's Business Toolbox Series, allowed them to share their knowledge while giving visibility to our company.

Kevin and Amy's presentation on business etiquette in the workplace, gave tips and ideas to business owners on everything from acceptable language and dress to how to formulate an employee manual or policy.

"As a business person you not only need to think outside the box, you need to refold that box into an employee manual," Kevin said in the presentation. the value of creating and maintaining a workable company culture is invaluable.

"If you don't work to create your company culture," Amy said, "your employees will do it for you."

The value of sharing your business expertise with your fellow business owners in the community through a chamber or other group is tremendously valuable to both the giver as well as the receiver. Sykes has made many friends and learned a lot from our fellow business owners and operators in North Texas.

The Sykes Team

www.sykesconstruction.com
www.ndcc.org 

The People Who Work Here: Sandy Watson, Senior Construction Coordinator

Managing a building project is a lot like managing a lesson plan. And Sandy Watson should know.

“I was a career educator until I got into the construction and contracting business,” Sandy said.

Sandy is Senior Construction Coordinator for Sykes Construction/SCI Design in Dallas. What that means is that she coordinates the teams of designers, project managers and field team members in the design and build out of retail and other projects.

“My nickname around here is ‘The Glue’,” Sandy added.

And glue she is. She is known to stick to a project until completion and to attach herself to a project to make sure it stays on track.

“I stamp out problems before they become problems,” Sandy said.

Raised around the world as a Navy brat, Sandy studied education and was a track athlete at Texas A&M. Near the end of her 27-year career in education and administration for a number of Texas school districts, she found herself on a different career path with a move to Colorado.

“My first job in the construction industry was as a temporary,” she said. “Within three years I was regional director of construction for the company.” Work for general contractors, electrical subcontractors and excavating companies gave her a broad understanding and experience in the industry.

“What can I say? I like variety,” Sandy said.

“Sandy is an incredible asset to our company,” Dave Sykes, President and CEO, said. “Versatile talent is hard to come by,” he continued. “And you can’t be much more versatile than Sandy.”

You can reach Sandy, Dave and the other members of the Sykes team at 972-484-6855 or www.sykesconstruction.com.

The Sykes Team

Choosing Subcontractors

Most design/build firms are at the top of the building "food chain." That puts us in a position to choose and work with a variety of subcontractors to get a job done. 

Some of those subcontractors could include:

• Electricians
• Plumbers
• Inspectors
• Dry wall specialists
• Concrete providers
• Interior designers
• Glass specialists
• Door and door frame professionals
• Painters

Many of these trades are unionized and most are licensed or regulated in some way by the state or municipalities.  Knowing what to look for and then matching the partner to the job is a critical process.  Things to look for and consider as you choose a partner:

• Are they licensed or trained?
• How financially stable are they?
• Have you seen any of their work?
• Do you have any references for them for whom they have done work?
• How long have they been in business?

These basic questions will get you started.  If you need further help in choosing a subcontractor or need help with a recommendation, please contact us at www.sykesconstruction.com.

The Sykes Team

Build Out Timeline

When you choose the design/build team for your enxt project, consider the processes they use.  Here is a simple guide of what to look for in the way of steps in a process:

1. Do they have a preliminary agreement that spells out the details of who does what by when and for how much? How much of a deposit do they require?
2. Is there a step for approval of the design and preliminary construction  budget?
3. When will the architectural and engineering documents be complete? What are they comprised of and who signs off on them?
4. Have they established a construction budget and schedule? Have you approved any contracts?
5. When will the project be 100% complete?

These are five basic steps--obvious, there are more.  However, these are the basics and a framework on which you can build your agreement, plan and finished project.

The Sykes Team



www.sykesconstruction.com

The Finished Product: Northern Tool & Equipment's Plano, Texas, Store

After months of planning and hard work the Plano, Texas, Northern Tool and Equipment store opened.  Here are some photos of the finished store.

The front entrance is typical of their stores. wide, welcoming front power doors and large, prominent logo signage.

Lot planning assures adequate and comfortable parking.

Once you come in the front door, gondolas and cash wraps are place strategically to take advantage of the space.

The aisles are wide and accessible, meeting all local and national code requirements.  Floor coverings are uniform and to the specifications of Northern Tool.

Lighting is uniform and meets both company and code requirements.Power and communications cable routing is convenient and compliant.

On the exterior, dock areas are open and accessible for deliveries and carefully placed so as to not inconvenience customers.

Exterior power requirements take advantage of the shape and location of the building and are compliant.

Come visit this store on North Central Expressway (US 75) in Plano, Texas.  We're proud of our partnership with Northern Tool and Equipment.

The Sykes Team

Construction Costs: Price Increases are Already Here

The much ballyhooed threats of price increases for construction materials are finally arriving. We’ve seen two price increases on steel in the last 4 weeks – and we’re being told to expect at least one more within a short period.

For example, steel studs for light gauge framing has gone up 10% in the last 30 days.

Other costs are going up as well:

• Copper pipe and wiring, rental equipment, diesel fuel and gasoline. 
• Lumber is up 3.4%.
• Ceramic tile 2.3%.
• Diesel 2.3%.
• Structural steel 2.1%. 
• Concrete, on the other hand, seems to be holding.

What’s happening? Well, several things appear to be finally coming home to roost:

• Steel prices are going up due to increase costs of iron ore as well as coking coal (affected by the floods in Australia of all things.)
• Crude oil is approaching $100 per barrel is affecting everything. From the cost of production to the cost of delivery. Get ready: $4.00 per gallon gasoline is going to be here before you know it, and some are predicting $5.00 per gallon sometime within the next 12 months.
• Rapid inflation is an ongoing and now an ever-looming threat. According to Reed Construction Data, the Construction Materials Price Index jumped by 9% in December. This represented a 5.4% increase from a year ago. It appears that everyone is predicting this for the near and foreseeable future. This inflation is being driven by (1) higher world demand, (2) raw materials costing more (see above); (3) delayed response by the suppliers to this stronger demand. We’ve talked about inventories being depleted – this is a reflection of that.

• Shrinking contractor margins which have pretty much absorbed construction cost increases for the last year are now coming to an end. The contractors (that remain) are now beginning to raise margins and demand better payment terms.

All this being said – now what? We’re not seeing many inquiries to look at new construction. We are beginning to see an increased interest for remodels and reconstruction. Older retail centers and commercial buildings in established neighborhoods are starting to get more interest. The cost of gasoline is going to start putting a lot of pressure on the cost to commute – from the far, far new neighborhoods (which there are fewer of currently) back to the established business centers.

While this may give you a negative impression, the reality is that even with these cost increases coming, we’re seeing an increase in interest from developers and property owners. We’re hearing optimism from the leasing agents. There is money and interest in rebuild/remodel projects. Interest and money for the newest center out in the newest mega neighborhood is out there but not at the feverish pitch we all grew to love. A fresh face on an older center in a close-in neighborhood to attract those cherished new tenants seems to be the focus right now.

Well, that’s what we’re seeing. How about you? I’d like to hear your opinion on this. Call me or email me. Let me know what you think.

Be Blessed.

Dave and the Sykes Team

The People Who Work Here: Dominic Crespo, Project Manager

Dominic Crespo is one of Sykes’ “go-to” guys. Dominic has a decade of wide-ranging construction and real estate experience. He has established a reputation as a problem solver and one of those special people that bring the project in on time and on budget.

At Sykes, Dominic’s management efforts are crucial to the on-going success of the Toys R Us and Northern Tool and Equipment projects. His continued application of Sykes’ project management principles has allowed Dominic to routinely start more projects like two most recent ones located in Austin, Texas. These two projects are Texas Bright Ideas and ITT Technical Institute. While these projects are underway, he has also successfully completed a Toys R Us located in San Antonio, Texas.

A graduate of Michigan State University with a degree in Building Construction Management, Dominic was President of the Student Builders and Contractors Association (SBCA) . Dominic loved the time he spent in East Lansing, Michigan, while studying at MSU, and is an avid Spartan fan.

His experience ranges from single-family housing, office, retail, industrial and beyond. Dominic’s sales and field management positions with Ryland Homes and Centex Homes prepared him for his commercial career with CASCO as an architectural project manager. Dominic came on board with Sykes right after his time with CASCO, and has brought to the table a special skill set that allows him to effectively communicate with subcontractors, inspectors, owners and architects alike.


The Sykes Team

Employing a Design-Build Team to Build Your New Office

Traditionally, armed with a preliminary equipment plan, a small business professional will approach several general contractors for a fee and schedule proposal. The contractor applies his past experiences to the drawings to flesh out the actual scope of work from which to develop an estimate.

The professional and the general contractor are already at a disadvantage. The preliminary equipment layout or technical drawings that the professional is working from are, at best, a general guide to lay out walls and cabinets so the equipment ordered will fit. These drawings will not get a permit for your tradesmen, nor will they ensure that all of the trades are coordinated properly so the equipment will be easy to hook up once installed. For that, you, the professional, are relying on the general contractor’s ability to coordinate (wing it) in the field. Unfortunately, field coordination usually leads to confusion and confusion always leads to delays and cost overruns.

With a design-build team, however, confidence that your project is in the hands of professionals begins at the first stage. Design-build firms are construction management specialists and an integral part of the design team.  That means construction time and expense implications are assessed and addressed early in the process. The design-build team works together to decide the most cost-effective materials and methods of delivery before the design is finalized. This enables the team to provide accurate scheduling and costs. And, because the same group is responsible for drawings and functional performance (construction), the possibility of expensive surprises in the construction phase are virtually eliminated.

New office construction is one of the greatest areas of expense for most businesses; so it’s imperative to reduce the margin for error in this process. The greatest advantage of the design-build team approach is the potential for reducing this risk in your new office development. Single-source responsibility for quality, cost and schedule adherence clearly makes this the superior delivery mechanism for your new office. Because the design build team is accountable for design, construction and installation, you can enjoy the certainty of a well-executed plan from your committed design build team.

The integrated nature of the design-build team approach also eliminates project delay due to miscommunication between the parties on project in the areas of scope and responsibility. Bidding periods and redesign time are eliminated. Materials and equipment procurement and construction work can begin earlier (in some cases, before the construction documents are fully completed). Since total design construction time is reduced, you enjoy less stress and are in your new office doing business sooner.

The design-build team approach ensures high quality in your finished office because the team is contractually responsible to you from design through complete build-out and into operation. All too often, the professional plays the middleman distributing the work of design, construction and installation to various parties and becoming experienced on the fly. This is not necessary. Just as expanding your business to add a complete range of services allows you to create coordinated services with your clients , a design-build team does the same for you by coordinating office design, construction management and equipment installation to move you into your office faster and create a quicker revenue flow.

The Sykes Team

Expectations Between Architect and Client

Anytime something new and exciting is undertaken - and your office design is just that to a designer or architect- some stress is involved. Unfortunately, stress generally flows to the team member who knows the least about the process. That’s why patients are stressed when sitting in an operating chair, and the dentist isn't. For the same reasons, this is why most clients will feel stress while an architect designs their space and the architect doesn't feel the same stress.

A successful office design requires that the client and the architect bring the following character traits to the process:

• Sense of humor
• Good self-image
• Patience
• Clear communication from the very beginning
• Planning
• Superior awareness
• Flexibility
• Good listening skills
• Positive attitude
• Personal integrity
• Strong desire to reach goals
• Authority and promptness in decision-making
• Attendance at all important meetings

 With these join expectations in place, let's look at what the client needs to bring to the process:

• Sufficient and prompt funding for quality job
• Space and access to it
• Responsibility for your own actions that affect the job

And by the same token, a good design group will bring to the table:

• Site verification visit and provide written report of findings
• Office layout
• Complete architecture and engineering design and construction documents
• Submit construction documents to governing jurisdiction(s) for plan review
• Forward construction documents to you for distribution to general contractors for final construction budget proposals

A common mistake is assuming your unique office design or remodel can be purchased “off the shelf.” The earlier you fully engage with your architect and dedicate the mental, emotional, and financial resources necessary to complete the project design, the more satisfied and, yes, even enjoyable, the total design and construction process will become.

The Sykes Team

Time + Scope + Budget: The Architect's Balancing Act

We all know time is money.  When it comes to the world of design/build, the relationship is all that more apparent.

An architect sells his time and expertise. As such, his fees will vary based on three elements:

• The time allowed by the client’s deadlines to complete the design and drawings;
• The scope of included services and design requirements requested by the client;
• The overall construction budget established by the client. 

Each of these three elements - time, scope and budget - affect how the architect approaches the project and the time, resources, and expertise he will need to apply to the project in order to keep the three elements in balance.

For example, a client engages an architect and his engineers to design and provide drawings for the client’s project. The project is a 2,500 square foot dental office. The dentist doesn’t want anything fancy: just a “starter” offi ce with a few special finishes concentrated in the reception/waiting area and the operatories functional and pleasant. Ordinarily, a project of this size takes six weeks for the architect to adequately design and coordinate the engineering with the appropriate level of quality control prior to submission for permit. Let’s say the fee for this project is $15,000.

Time
Circumstances beyond everyone’s control have compressed the deadline. Every possible day must be saved in the schedule. The dentist absolutely has to have the design completed and the drawings submitted for permit in four weeks instead of six. The number of hours needed to complete the project doesn’t change, just the deadline. The only way to complete the project by the new deadline is to make up that two weeks of schedule with overtime hours. The fee must go up.

Scope
In the above example the client has engaged the architect to provide a “base” level of service: space planning, engineering, and construction documents. Let’s say in addition to the base level the dentist wants interior decorating, furniture selections, and closer monitoring of the general contractor. All of these additional services increase the scope of work and the time needed by the architect to adequately provide the services requested by the client. The fee must go up.

Budget
Typically the budget set by the dentist for the overall project covers two significant expenditures: the cost of general construction and the purchase of the equipment. The architecture and engineering fees are influenced by this third element - the budget - in this way. The amount of money you set to construct your office dictates the level of detail and finish material you can expect to find in your design. The higher the level of detail (curved furr-downs, special trim and mouldings, varied ceiling heights and lighting levels), the greater the amount of time the designer must dedicate to the drawings to ensure the design is coordinated with all of the disciplines and that the drawings are complete enough to instruct the contractor how to install the increased level of finish details. The fee must go up.

This balancing act is not possible without a lot of cooperation and understanding between the parties involved. If any of these three elements changes, the fee goes up.

The Sykes Team

The Five Steps: Grand Opening

The day has finally arrived: all of the previous steps are complete and the store is ready to open for business.  It is time to count down to opening the doors for those first sales.

Before the doors swing open, we need to do the following for our owner/tenant:

• Provide a facility management handbook which includes:
• Warranties
• Operating manuals
• Service contact information
• Conduct a satisfaction survey with the owner about how the process (the previous steps) went for them.
• Hand over the keys to the owner.
• Install fixtures and stock merchandise--and ready the staff for the opening.

Now the owner is ready to do business.

For more information on the Five-Step Total Construction Solution, please visit http://www.sykesconstruction.com/images/sykes-5step-brochure.pdf

The Sykes Team