In public projects, every decision carries a heightened responsibility.
Materials, market volatility, schedule strategy, design assumptions, and trade partner availability all influence the budget long before construction begins and continue to impact it as work progresses, highlighting the importance of a proactive approach and collaboration to avoid unnecessary costs and drive value.
In our construction management partnership on the Pottawattamie County Public Health Building project, Boyd Jones delivered more than $900,000 in savings through early analysis, collaborative planning, and strategic design adjustments. These savings reflect our commitment to acting as stewards of our client and community resources, prioritizing transparency, and pursuing every opportunity to drive value.
Our team worked side by side with Pottawattamie County and the design team, analyzing the evolving design and exploring opportunities to maintain function while reducing unnecessary costs.
A significant portion of the savings came from innovative mechanical strategies. By combining mechanical zones and optimizing equipment placement, we simplified the system while maintaining comfort and control. This refinement reduced both equipment needs and installation complexity, delivering immediate construction cost savings and long-term operational efficiency.
These adjustments required a thorough understanding of the building’s use, energy demands, and maintenance expectations. Our mechanical preconstruction team modeled several variations, ensuring the County could make an informed decision rooted in clarity, not guesswork.
In a collaborative value engineering strategy, we worked closely with the architect to make refinements, preserving design intent while ensuring constructability, resulting in additional savings. Layout adjustments reduced material quantities and streamlined trade sequencing, while strategic alternatives that maintained the same functionality drove value for the County.
These shifts supported the County’s goals while ensuring a smooth user experience and preserving the intended character of the space. In many areas, the final solution improved durability and reduced long-term maintenance demands.
As the project progressed, Boyd Jones ensured consistent communication with the County, empowering them to make informed decisions at every step.
As part of our comprehensive preconstruction services, our team provided real-time estimating, transparent cost comparisons, and precise documentation that showed exactly how each design decision influenced the budget. This open communication allowed the owner to weigh options confidently and make decisions that aligned with their priorities and goals for this space, ensuring it best serves the public.
Through transparent construction management, collaboration, and strategic value engineering, more than $917,000 was redirected back to the County.
The project stands as an example of how proactive, collaborative, and aligned preconstruction services drive value and deliver construction cost savings, strengthening outcomes for the public.
