Commercial project management in Fort Lauderdale

A normal week on one of our Broward projects

Project management is mostly the unglamorous work of keeping a hundred small things moving at the same time. Here is what a typical week looks like once construction is underway on a Fort Lauderdale job.

• Site meeting. Once a week, on site, with the superintendent and key subcontractors. We walk the work, review the three-week look-ahead schedule and log open issues with an owner and a due date.
• Requests for information. When the field finds a conflict in the drawings, it goes to the architect as an RFI. We track every one and push for answers so crews do not stand around.
• Submittals. Shop drawings and product data go through the design team for approval. We watch the long-lead items closely, because a late submittal becomes a late delivery.
• Inspections. We keep a calendar of required inspections with the city, and we confirm the work is actually ready before an inspector shows up. A failed inspection can cost days.
• Money. Change requests are reviewed as they come in, not saved up for month end. Pay applications are checked against work in place.
• Owner report. A written update with photos, schedule status, budget status and any decisions we need from you.

The point is simple: problems get found on Tuesday and solved by Friday, instead of discovered at the end of the month when they are expensive.

The substantial improvement rule near the coast

Much of eastern Broward sits in FEMA special flood hazard areas. In those areas, federal floodplain rules adopted by local governments say that if the cost of improvements or repairs to a building reaches half of the building’s market value, the whole building may have to be brought into compliance with current flood requirements. That can mean elevating the floor, floodproofing a commercial building, or moving equipment above flood level. People in the trade call it the 50 percent rule.

It catches owners off guard, especially on older one- and two-story buildings near the Intracoastal, the New River and the beach. A renovation that starts as new finishes, a new roof and new HVAC can cross the line, and then the project changes completely. Some jurisdictions also count improvements cumulatively over a period of years.

We raise this at the very start. We get a sense of the building’s value (often from an appraisal or the property appraiser’s figures, depending on what the city accepts), estimate the project cost the way the floodplain reviewer will, and decide whether to phase work, reduce scope or plan for full compliance. The rules and how each city applies them vary; confirm with the city’s floodplain administrator before you commit to a design.

Long-lead items and HVHZ product approvals

The schedule on a Broward project is often set by what has to be ordered, not by what has to be built. We identify long-lead items in design and push to release orders as soon as submittals are approved.

The inspection sequence on a typical Broward interior build-out

Inspections are the checkpoints that decide whether a project moves forward. Missing one, or calling one before the work is ready, costs time. For a typical interior office or retail build-out, the sequence usually runs roughly like this, though each city has its own list and names.

1. Underground plumbing, if floors are cut for new restrooms or sinks.
2. Framing, once walls are up and before they are closed.
3. Rough electrical, plumbing and mechanical, inspected in the open walls and ceilings.
4. Fire sprinkler and fire alarm rough work, often under separate permits.
5. Insulation and above-ceiling inspections before the ceiling grid is closed.
6. Final inspections by trade, then the fire department final.
7. Building final and the certificate of completion or occupancy.

On larger structures, Florida requires a special inspector for threshold buildings, and engineers may need to certify certain work. We build those into the schedule and make sure the reports reach the building department on time. Sal’s general and plumbing contractor licenses mean we understand what inspectors look for in the field, which helps us catch problems before the inspector does.

What actually drives the schedule in Broward

Working inside occupied towers and condos

Downtown Fort Lauderdale and Las Olas projects are often inside working buildings. Office towers have rules about when demolition and drilling can happen, how the freight elevator is booked, where debris goes and who can be on the loading dock. Condominium buildings along the beach and the Intracoastal add association approvals, insurance certificates naming the association, and residents who notice every noise.

We get the building’s contractor rules in writing before bidding so the contractor prices after-hours work, elevator protection and parking for crews. Then we meet the property manager before work starts and keep them in the loop every week. A cooperative building manager can save days on a project; an unhappy one can stop work.

Controlling change orders

Every project has changes. The question is whether they are priced fairly and approved before work, or presented as a surprise invoice later. Our rules are simple and written into the contract: no change proceeds without a written price and time impact; pricing shows labor, material and markup separately; and we check each request against the original scope and drawings. We keep a running log so you always know what has been approved, what is pending and how much contingency remains.

A hypothetical: a medical office build-out in Plantation

This example is hypothetical. It shows how we would run a project of this type, not a job we have done.

Imagine a physician group leasing second-generation office space in Plantation to open a new clinic. The space was general office. The group needs exam rooms with hand sinks, a procedure room, a lab area, a larger waiting room, accessible restrooms and dedicated HVAC for longer hours.

Plumbing drives this job. Every exam room sink needs supply, waste and venting, often run through a slab that has to be cut and patched. We would confirm where the building’s waste lines run and how deep before design is finished, because that decides how many rooms can have sinks and where. Next, electrical: medical equipment and extended hours can exceed what the existing panel supports. Then the HVAC: a separate unit or a supplemental system for after-hours use, with the landlord’s approval for roof penetrations.

We would order long-lead items, like any new rooftop equipment and the electrical gear, as soon as the design allows, and schedule the slab work early so inspections of underground plumbing happen before framing. The group would get a weekly report, a budget tracker showing the allowance against actual cost, and an opening date tied to the final inspections and certificate, not to wishful thinking.

Closeout: the part most projects rush

The last five percent of a project is where owners lose leverage. The contractor wants final payment, the tenant wants to move in, and the punch list gets forgotten. We hold the line on closeout because problems found after final payment are much harder to fix.

• A punch list walked with the architect, the contractor and the owner, with every item signed off.
• Final inspections passed and the certificate of occupancy or completion issued.
• Warranties for the roof, HVAC, windows and other systems, with start dates recorded.
• Operation and maintenance manuals, and training for the owner’s staff on new equipment.
• As-built drawings showing what was actually installed, including hidden plumbing and electrical.
• Final lien waivers from the contractor and every party that sent a Notice to Owner, plus the contractor’s final affidavit.
• Attic stock: extra tile, paint and ceiling materials for future repairs.

Project management or owner’s representation?

The two services overlap, and owners often ask which they need. Owner’s representation is about advocacy: budgets, contracts, bids and protecting your interests at key decision points. Project management goes deeper into the daily work: running meetings, tracking RFIs and submittals, scheduling inspections and coordinating every party on site. Many Broward owners want both. Smaller projects may need only one. See owner’s representation in Fort Lauderdale to compare.

Project notes by Broward submarket

• Downtown Fort Lauderdale: tower build-outs with strict building rules, after-hours work and freight elevator schedules.
• Flagler Village: older buildings converted for restaurants, studios and offices, where existing conditions are often unknown.
• Pompano Beach: warehouse improvements, plus coastal work subject to flood rules.
• Hollywood: older retail and mixed-use buildings where the substantial improvement rule often comes into play.
• Dania Beach: industrial and marine facilities with heavy power and site work.

What we need to start

Send us the address, the lease or ownership situation, any drawings or proposals, your budget and your target date. We will tell you what a realistic schedule looks like in that jurisdiction and where the risks are. Our fee is set in writing before work begins, and we do not take payments from contractors or suppliers on your job. Contact us or call 239-256-5005.

Getting a permit through a Broward building department

Permitting is the step owners most underestimate. The drawings are done, the contractor is ready, and nothing can start. Here is how we manage it.

1. Pre-check. Before submittal, we confirm the drawings include everything the city’s checklist requires: product approvals for any exterior openings, energy calculations, fire and life safety plans, and the landlord’s signed authorization if the space is leased.
2. Submittal. Most Broward departments now take electronic submittals. We confirm which trades need separate permits and who is applying for each.
3. Review comments. Reviewers by discipline send comments. We get the design team to respond quickly and completely, because partial responses lead to another round.
4. Fire and other reviews. Fire plan review, and for restaurants and some medical uses, additional agency reviews, run alongside the building review.
5. Issuance. Permit fees paid, permit posted on site, Notice of Commencement recorded where required, and the first inspection scheduled.

If one jurisdiction is badly backed up, we discuss whether a private provider for plan review and inspections makes sense under Florida law. It is a tool, not a default.

Coordinating the owner’s own vendors

The general contractor is not the only party working in your space. Furniture installers, IT and cabling contractors, security and access control vendors, audiovisual installers, signage companies and moving companies all need access and time. When nobody coordinates them, they show up on the same day, block each other, or arrive before the ceiling is closed and the floor is clean.

We fold every owner vendor into the master schedule. Cabling goes in before ceilings close. Signage permits, which are separate in most Broward cities, get submitted early. Furniture arrives after final cleaning, not before. Moving day is booked only after the certificate is in hand.

Budget tracking and contingency

Every project we manage has a live budget with the same columns: original budget, approved changes, pending changes, committed costs, paid to date and projected final cost. Contingency is shown separately, with every draw explained. If the projected final cost starts creeping above budget, you hear it from us the same week, along with options: value engineering, deferring scope, or approving the increase. Owners should never learn about a budget overrun from the last pay application.

Terms you will hear on a Broward job site

Projects we manage in Broward

For larger ground-up projects, we often start earlier, during site selection and feasibility. Our development sites work can feed directly into the project schedule and budget, so the numbers you bought the land on are the numbers you build with.

Why a builder runs our projects

Plenty of project managers come from an office. Sal comes from job sites, with a Florida Certified General Contractor license, a Florida plumbing contractor license and hands-on construction in Southwest Florida and Brooklyn. That shows up in small ways every week: knowing when a superintendent’s schedule is optimistic, when a subcontractor’s price is missing something, and when an inspector’s comment can be solved in an hour instead of a redesign. For an owner, that practical judgment is the difference between a report that describes problems and a manager who solves them before they cost money.

Other markets we manage projects in

We also manage projects in Miami, Southwest Florida and New York. Owners with properties in more than one market can use the same reporting format and the same point of contact across all of them, which makes comparing budgets and schedules much simpler.

Old open permits and the property’s permit history

One of the most common surprises on a Broward project has nothing to do with the new work. When we apply for a permit, the building department may find an older permit on the same property that was never closed out: a roof replacement, a water heater, an interior alteration from a previous tenant. Some departments will not issue new permits, or will not close the new one, until the old ones are resolved.

Closing an old permit can mean finding the original contractor, scheduling inspections for work that is now behind finished walls, or opening a new permit to cover it. That takes time and sometimes money. It is far easier to deal with before the project schedule depends on it.

So before we price a project, we pull the permit history for the address and flag anything still open or expired. Buyers can do the same during due diligence; our investment sales team includes it in our acquisition checklist. Process differs by city, so the exact steps in Las Olas may not match Dania Beach.

Digging below grade where the water table is high

Much of coastal Broward sits close to groundwater, so trenching for plumbing, elevator pits, grease interceptors or new foundations can fill with water quickly. Contractors may need pumps and dewatering, and depending on the scope and location there can be permits and rules about where pumped water goes.

• Ask for a geotechnical report on any project with real below-grade work.
• Confirm whether dewatering needs approval before excavation starts; requirements change, so check current rules.
• Carry an allowance in the budget for unexpected soil or water conditions.
• Plan the work for drier weeks where the schedule allows.

Sal’s plumbing contractor background makes this part of the job familiar, and we review these risks with the owner before a contract is signed. See our owner’s representation page for the owner-side view.