Most residential construction projects have to be completed on a budget. However, construction projects are subject to uncertainty and risk. Unexpected conditions with respect to the site or existing construction are common and can greatly increase the cost of construction. If these conditions are encountered during construction, the homeowner, architect and contractor may have few options available to address the problems without compromising the budget, schedule or quality of the finished project. The most cost-effective way of mitigating the impact of unexpected conditions is to anticipate them in advance develop strategies to increase certainty and plan for contingencies.
Many problems that are encountered during design and construction are the result of damaged or deteriorated existing construction, the impact of natural hazards and subsurface conditions. RJD Residential can help. For a modest fee, RJD Residential can perform a due diligence study for your project consisting of:
- Site reconnaissance visit.
- Identification of applicable codes and standards.
- Assessment of natural hazards, potential subsurface conditions and need for geotechnical exploration.
- Construction considerations for likely site conditions and impacts on existing construction.
- A brief letter report, sealed by a professional engineer describing the above.
A due diligence study will allow you to address several of the significant budget and schedule risks common in residential construction. In addition, if you engage RJD Residential to perform structural and foundation engineering for your project, the availability of a recent due diligence study by RJD Residential may reduce the cost of design services.