EXPERIENCE. INTEGRITY. ARTISINAL.
Welcome to the Suermann Contracting Experience.
The Suermann Contracting Experience can be felt through every level of our process. We've designed this company to be different because we are different.
We have rescued many projects in the Greater St. Louis, Missouri area mid-construction, and through those painstaking interactions, we have come to understand the toll in-home construction can have on homeowners. We've taken the time to learn what our clients want and need, invest in great employees, built solid processes, and commit to continuous improvement.
Suermann Contracting has been improving homes, businesses, and lives throughout St. Louis County, St. Charles County, and Franklin County since 2005. I was introduced to construction at a very young age through my father's construction business. At only 19 years old I began freelancing for other St. Louis, Missouri contractors, and the business grew steadily from there. I've served as a project manager on large-scale projects and as a construction consultant for developers. My passion for business processes, continuous improvement, and educating others in the construction industry have proven to be the foundation upon which Suermann Contracting continues to grow, improve, and serve. With over 50 years of combined construction experience in our leadership alone, our team of professionals has the expertise and knowledge to ensure your project is done right - beautifully.
We believe that for any project to run smoothly, transparent communication is the keystone. The information here will help prepare you for the various stages of the construction process and inform you about other factors that may come into play as we go through the process of transforming your space.
We are honored to welcome you to our family of clients and are excited to create a one-of-a-kind space with you.
Sincerely,
- Tommy Suermann, Founder & Owner, Suermann Contracting
What to Expect
Welcome to Suermann Contracting's Project Guide. The intention of this guide is to help you navigate through the phases of construction and know what to expect. Here are the 5 phases we will work on together over the course of your project.
The Phases of Construction
O1 / Project Initiation
02 / Designing & Planning
03 / Pre-Construction
04 / Construction
05 / Close of Project
The first three phases of your project constitute various stages of planning. We want to emphasize the importance of proper planning, as this will ultimately affect the results, overall cost, and timeline of your project. In order to get accurate estimates it is important to have all plans finalized and finish materials selected before construction begins. The following goes deeper into each phase so you know what to expect.
PHASES 1, 2, & 3 / THE PLANNING PROCESS
Concepts and ideas
Budget
Timeframe
Scope of work
Survey the space
Plans and designs
Material selections
Contract & Permits
Schedule the project
COMMUNICATION
As we begin the planning process, we want to stress that, first and foremost, communication is KEY.
We do our best to keep you informed on each step of the process. We encourage you to ask questions about anything and everything - we have decades of experience and are happy to discuss them with you.
Email is our primary and preferred form of communication. We ask that you keep text and phone communication with owners, managers, and staff within our business hours of 7:00am - 4:30pm, Monday through Friday. Calls or texts received outside of business hours will be answered the following business day.
Depending on what St. Louis or Missouri municipality you live in will affect what information or possible permits are required. This process can take several weeks, sometimes months, and will usually need several revisions before plans are approved. Please take this into consideration when planning the overall timeline. We do our best to keep you informed every step of the way.
PLANNING
Anything outside of a basic floor plan may require an architect, designer, or engineer. After discussing your concepts we will guide you in the right direction on what your project may require. Pre-construction phases, such as finalizing plans, material selections, and construction permits, can take several months. In some cases, they can take over a year to accomplish. Some materials are currently backlogged and may be on order for months.
PERMITS
Getting a permit for your project can sometimes be a timely process. We ask for your patience, and please know we will do everything we can to keep the process moving as timely as possible and keep you informed every step of the way.
SCHEDULING
During the scheduling phase, we will provide an estimated window for the project's start date.
With unforeseen circumstances, such as weather or additional work on jobs scheduled prior to yours, we cannot give an exact start date until we are closer to the estimated timeframe. We will keep you informed of your place in line.
PHASE 4 / CONSTRUCTION
Work begins
Reference Plans
THE CONSTRUCTION ZONE - What to Expect
Construction is noisy, smelly, and messy. Although we do our best to keep the workspace clean, expect dust and dirt to make its way outside of the construction area.
We recommend replacing the air filter in your HVAC system after construction is completed.
It is important to stay clear of the construction zone during active construction. Workers need to stay focused for their safety, your family's safety, and the integrity of your space and project. We ask that you leave the construction zone while work is in progress.
DELAYS
Materials - It is common for delays in shipping on material orders, and in some cases materials arrive incorrect or damaged. It is important to build a buffer into our timeline for such delays
Change of Plans - Construction documents and concepts do not always work structurally when implemented in the field. Many factors can force us to change plans on the fly, like a hidden pipe or line, etc. Please be prepared for this possibility, and for making field changes for the overall plan to work
Delays - It is good to leave margins in the schedule for unforeseen delays, such as delivery trucks not fitting down streets, parked cars in the way, or even something minor such as our contractors accidentally being locked out.
Gaps in the Schedule - Construction projects have many different people involved with different schedules. Considering so many different factors, it is common for scheduling conflicts to leave gaps in the schedule. We want you to know that this is common, and we will not abandon you. We will do our best to communicate these situations to you as we find out, and that we put a lot of focus on communicating and working with our contractors to minimize delays.
Minds Change - It is very common for there to be changes in your plan during the process. You may change your mind on the layout, color, or function of your space. These changes usually affect the overall cost of the project and can cause delays.
We want to be sure that plans are as far along as possible before construction begins. Choosing colors, materials, design and styles, function, etc. should be carefully and thoughtfully considered in the pre-construction phase. We are here to assist you in the decision making process any way we can, with drawings, design input, or mockups. In some cases other steps, such as demolition, may need to take place before finalizing a plan.
PHASE 5 / THE FINALE
Touch ups
Final walkthrough
TOUCH-UPS AND IMPERFECTIONS
Touch-Ups - Because the home goes through a settling and drying period, especially over the first heating season, you should note that it isn't unusual for the shrinking and expanding of materials to occur, especially for wood products. This normal process may cause gaps that expose unpainted or unstained surfaces. Suermann Contracting takes responsibility to caulk, paint, or stain exposed areas due to this stabilization period within one year of the completion date.
Imperfections - Many construction materials are made from natural substances, like wood and stone. During the process of your project, you may notice minor natural imperfections in some materials. This is common. These materials are imperfect by nature and will have color and pattern variations.
Some imperfections may happen during installation - the nature of construction is both destructive and productive - and it is standard in this industry for minor touch-ups to happen during the proper phase of the project.
Any damage that is beyond a minor touch-up will be addressed and handled according to industry standards.
Existing Materials - Matching existing materials, colors, or patterns is a very difficult task. Materials that have been installed over a period of time, exposed to all sorts of elements (sunlight, cleaning chemicals, normal wear, etc.), may cause the original look to fade. We do our very best to match these items as closely as possible, but the new materials will never match perfectly with your well-loved existing materials.
and finally... THE CLOSE OF THE PROJECT
Until all touch-ups and finishes are completed, expect your project to appear unfinished. It is in these details, near the close of the project, that the magic of your design comes together. It can feel like it won't happen, but we promise, it all comes together beautifully at the end.
We ask that you please avoid marking anything that appears unfinished with tape or creating a punch list. Your Project Manager will perform a final walk through to ensure that everything is completed to your satisfaction.
