STEPS TO BUILDING
At B FREE Construction, we understand that the building process can be intricate, with various approaches to achieve your goals. Our experienced team is here to guide you through every stage of B FREE Construction's approach, ensuring a smooth and efficient experience tailored to your unique needs. We are dedicated to helping you bring your vision to life with professionalism and care.
Below are B FREE Construction's typical steps to construction, start to finish.
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DON'T FORGET ABOUT OUR OTHER OPTIONS
IDEA OR DESIRE
This is the place where you are exploring your dreams, desires, and aspirations related to your property. Likely, you are seeking to achieve more or elevate the quality of your space. You are beginning to embrace the opportunity to transform your vision into reality and make your property truly shine.
CONTRACTING
Contracting is where a client requests B FREE Construction to relieve them of the stresses involved in construction. Just tell us what you want. Let B FREE Construction take any concerns of:
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Code requirements
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Multiple bid complications
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Hiring and coordinating with an architect or engineer
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Unresponsive trades
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And, much more
With B FREE Construction, you are provided a direct cost, continuous updates, high tech data, and the product you want.
SITE WALK / REVIEW
Once you've decided your desired products and added them to your cart, you can choose to pay the full amount upfront or enter the code "SITE WALK" to make your payment after the site walk.
FOLLOWING UP TO THE SITE WALK
When the items are purchased, B FREE Construction immediately begins working on your personally catered construction needs.
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City, state, and local codes requirements are reviewed
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Constructability options are identified
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Customized building plans & suggestions are generated
DURING THE SITE WALK
B FREE Construction will:
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Review all products requested to ensure anything required to complete a product is not missing
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Work one-on-one with you to determine the right building options to best align you with and city and state requirements
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Discuss schedule durations and B FREE Construction's payment plan
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Provide a typical list of standard suggestions for you to consider
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Identify onsite obstacles and clear red tape i.e. utilities or access
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Coordinate next steps
PRE CONSTRUCTION DESIGN PHASE
Some clients may have purchased plans/designs or have smaller projects that don't require an extensive process. If this doesn't apply to you, or if you’re beginning from scratch, then the design phase of construction is ideal for your needs.
In the design phase, the design team expertly captures your vision through the products selected, and your aspirations expressed during the site walk. This ensures that every detail, from the correct products to precise measurements, is confidently translated into written and visual formats, uniquely tailored to you.
PROCUREMENT
Prior to starting any construction, it is essential that all products are available and on-site. To ensure a successful final outcome, it is crucial to place orders as soon as possible based on your specific requests and the needs of B FREE Construction. Unlike some online suppliers, certain construction materials and high-end products can take up to a year to arrive, and this lead time remains uncertain until a request is made. Custom and rare items are particularly prone to this delay.
B FREE Construction utilizes advanced technology and extensive experience to effectively mitigate long lead times and monitor materials or products.
FEILD LAYOUT
B FREE Construction is now on your site to guarantee accurate measurements, assess any obstacles, or construction requirements, we perform a detailed field layout. Our team identifies and marks utilities or key features, whether hidden or exposed. By using spray paint, caulk, string lines, or stakes, we outline the work, ensuring clarity on the project and giving you a preview of the final outcome.
DEMOLITION AND
CLEAR & GRUB
Per your request or as observed during the site walk, some materials or structures may need to be removed before we can proceed with the new construction.
Demolition will be the initial step, and it is likely to be noisy and messy as we clear out unwanted elements from the area.
Additionally, we will need to clear and grub soil in the construction zone. Topsoil is located above the frost line, is considered non-yielding, and may contain organic material and other debris. It is essential to remove it before any construction activities. At your discretion, B FREE Construction can either leave the extra soil on-site remove it.
SOIL EXCAVATION / GRADING
Once the topsoil has been removed, the next step is to adjust the soil to the required elevation and achieve a level surface. For structural elements, it's essential to excavate and compact the earth below the designated frost line, which can vary from one foot to several feet deep. This process is critical to ensure proper settlement of the structure.
If the soil is too low or has been over-excavated, fill material will be brought in and compacted in layers until the desired elevation is reached.
CONCRETE
FOUNDATIONS & FOOTINGS
Footings serve as the support element of a structure, aimed at preventing catastrophic failure. They are built on a compacted, or native material located beneath the frost line. After the structure is completed, the footings will most likely remain out of sight, as they are positioned well below the standard soil grade.
CONCRETE
STEM WALLS & RETAINING WALLS
Stem walls are typically constructed on footings or foundations to raise the starting elevation for materials.
For example: It is crucial to avoid using wood for structures that will be backfilled with soil, as this can accelerate wood deterioration. A stem wall is designed to endure soil exposure while offering structural support the to the wood-framed structure down to the footings. Moreover, it can have a secondary function as a retaining wall, allowing for a crawlspace under the house.
SOIL BACKFILL
After the structural elements are in place and the moisture or insulation applications are complete it's time to backfill. This process brings the soil back to a level that can adequately support the remaining construction products.
UNDERGROUND UTILITY INSTALL
After the structural elements are finished, underground utilities are installed concurrently with the soil backfill. It is crucial for the backfill to be at an elevation that keeps the utilities beneath the soil surface, avoiding any floating while preventing excessive burial that could cause timely over-excavation. Furthermore, certain utilities need specific underlay and surrounding materials before the backfilling process is completed.
Generally, these utilities connect to city services and are buried underground, with stubs brought up only as needed for aesthetics, ease of construction, and compliance with required elevations and slopes.
CONCRETE
SLAB ON GRADE PREP
Once the utilities are installed the soil is backfilled to the required grade, we begin preparing for the concrete. This process involves shaping the edges, placing a vapor barrier, installing rebar, adding embeds, and incorporating heating elements along with other utilities that get poured into the concrete.
PAVER
GRADE PREP
Once the utilities are installed and the soil is backfilled to the required grade, we begin preparing for the pavers. This process involves shaping the edges, placing a vapor barrier and or weed barrier, adding a rat slab, leveling sand, and incorporating heating elements along with other utilities requested.
INSPECTIONS
Inspections are essential for progressing with construction. They occur at various stages of the project, as mandated by the city inspector's discretion. Generally, any structural elements or connections to city services and life safety systems will necessitate an inspection.
Additionally, third-party inspections may be conducted by companies that utilize standardized testing methods to verify that installations meet required standards for your assurance.
Typical inspections at this point include:
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Soils compaction
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Rebar
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Concrete pour check
CONCRETE
SLAB ON GRADE POUR
Concrete pours usually occur in the early morning. To combat cold temperatures, the soil and materials are covered the day before.
During the pour, you may see a concrete truck along with various pumps; for smaller pours, wheelbarrows can be used for transportation instead of pump trucks. In even smaller pours, an onsite concrete mixer and wheel barrows may be utilized.
Depending on various factors, the concrete becomes hard enough to walk on within a few hours of pouring. With the work typically completed by the end of the day or early the next. Remember, this process can be quite messy, often leaving concrete splatters on the ground and walls at both the pour site and delivery location. These are cleaned up the best we can and remainder disappears over time.
PAVER
PAVER PLACING
Pavers are installed once the base, usually sand, is properly leveled and compacted.
Various colors, materials, shapes, and sizes of pavers are used to achieve the desired look.
To enhance the aesthetics and secure the pavers, a gap filler like polymeric sand, grout, or, for larger gaps, sod and turf can be applied.
CONCRETE-WOOD-METAL
COLUMN INSTALLATION
Columns are essential structural elements that rest on a footing, stem wall, or aggregate pile.
They provide support for the upper parts of a building, including floors and roofing systems. Additionally, columns can enhance the visual appeal of a structure with features like wraps or storefronts.
FRAMING WALLS
Made with metal stud or wood, framing walls may support the loads from above and separate the building into the desired rooms, support window and door openings, support insulation & MEP's, and may act as a sound barrier.
CONCRETE-WOOD-METAL
ROOFING STRUCTURE INSTALLATION
Roofing structures rely on walls and columns for support, while also supporting materials like plywood, OSB and roofing finishes.
Although roofing systems are created with aesthetics in mind, they must also be engineered to bear significant loads, distribute moisture, and withstand uplift. This guarantees that your roof stays firmly in place during a windstorm.
ROOFING FINISH INSTALLATION
Roofing finish installation is essential to prevent moisture intrusion and complete the building's exterior envelope. Protecting the interior from the elements, vegetation, and insects.
Roofing systems can be made of thermoplastic polyolefin rubber (TPO), asphalt shingles, clay, steel, tin, aluminum, etc.
IN-WALL UTILITIES
Wall utilities must meet specific code requirements to gain city approval and function correctly. They should be installed before any insulation or drywall is applied. This common method of installation is designed to hide utilities for a more aesthetically pleasing appearance.
INSPECTIONS
Inspections are essential for progressing with construction. They occur at various stages of the project, as mandated by the city inspector's discretion. Generally, any structural elements or connections to city services and life safety systems will necessitate an inspection.
Additionally, third-party inspections may be conducted by companies that utilize standardized testing methods to verify that installations meet required standards for your assurance.
Typical inspections at this point include:
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Framing
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Mechanical
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Electrical
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Plumbing
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Insulation
DRYWALL & MUD
Drywall, based on the exposure types i.e. exterior, showers, standard interior, are installed and "mud" is added to removed the imperfections.
Wall finishes have levels of finish.
LEVEL 1
LEVEL 2
LEVEL 3
LEVEL 4
LEVEL 5
FINISHES
At this point of construction, the walls are painted and the site is cleaned to prepare for finishes.
Some finishes are:
Carpet/Wood/Tile Flooring
Glazing and Storefront
Millwork
FIXTURE & APPLIANCE INSTALLATION
Fixtures and appliances are installed in the latest portion of the project for two main reasons;
1. Material and products are required to be installed prior to it i.e. fitting a sink in a counter sometimes requires the counter to be installed first.
2. These items are the final project and therefore to protect them from damage and keep clean they are installed at the end to mitigate any opportunity
B FREE PUNCH LIST
All work has been completed at this time. B FREE Construction will now conduct an internal review of the project. Standards held in the company regarding the quality of a product provided to a client are incredibly high. Before informing a client the work is complete, all work is inspected, marked for deficiency, then corrected.
SUBSTANTIAL COMPLETION
Substantial completion is the date B FREE Construction notifies the client that work is complete and the project is able to be utilized.
This notification is required to be in a written format.
OWNER PUNCH LIST
The purpose of our work is to provide a product desired by a client. If deficiencies exists and a client is unsatisfied with the quality of the product, then B FREE Construction wants to give an opportunity to note and mark the concerns. They will then be discussed and corrected at the best of our ability.
Misunderstandings of what is able to be provided is common. To best ensure the product outcome will be as intended, see terms/definitions/industry standards pages on this website.
DEMOBILIZATION & CLEAN UP
The project has been completed. The work is done. Another client is beyond satisfied and currently utilizing the product. B FREE Construction removes any product, material, equipment, or tool owned by the company and cleans to as near the original state as possible.
PROJECT "TURN OVER"
If there are any keys, attic stock, or products needing to be provided to the client, then this is the time they will be turned over to the client.
All installed product information will also be included at this time. This includes items such as how to maintain the product, any restrictions and durations, contact information should anything happen or should the client have questions, etc.
WARRANTY CONCERNS ARE REPORTED AFTER SUBSTANTIAL COMPLETION
Warranties happen. As much as people would like to believe all projects are perfect, the truth is we are all human and make mistakes or unforeseen circumstances may occur.
When this happens do not worry. B FREE Construction provides a workmanship warranty that will cover products installed by B FREE Construction and will even follow up eleven months following substantial completion to ensure the product has met the client's expectations.
