Going National: Best Practices for Multi-Location Build-outs

Todd Sachse

DETROIT—When brands and businesses decide to expand across the country, real estate decision makers require a nimble and experienced construction manager they can rely on to build-out their spaces quickly, efficiently, and with a high level of quality that accurately reflects the brand.

While construction management professionals exist in every market, the process of identifying and vetting a local partner can be time consuming—and comes with a host of potential pitfalls. As national brands have discovered (some of them the hard way), any theoretical benefits of working with a series of local construction partners who “know the market” are overshadowed by the efficiencies, consistency, communication, resources and trust that comes when working with a national partner. Understanding the value of a national partner, and familiarizing yourself with the general best practices for successful build-outs or renovations, is an essential skill for any commercial real estate professional. This includes hiring the build-out team, leveraging knowledge of labor, material necessities, availability, project problem solving and on-time delivery.