Preconstruction

Decisions made during the preconstruction phase have a tremendous impact on the overall project. The earlier our team can engage in this process, the more value we can bring to our clients.

During preconstruction, we draw from all of our resources. From our experienced estimating department, to our long-tenured superintendents and assistant superintendents, our entire team is heavily involved in all phases of preconstruction. Each one of us started out wearing tool belts and working in the field, building things by hand from the ground up. 

All aspects of the project are addressed and planned during the preconstruction phase including cost estimating, scheduling, logistics, safety, value management and constructability reviews, BIM/VDC, sustainability, and M/WBE participation. Our estimators implement On-Screen Takeoff, an effective visual tool to graphically represent project components to the project team.

Preconstruction is about trust. Our seasoned professionals will leave no stone unturned, providing for the best value for every client.

Procurement

Agostini implements a centralized purchasing program with the purchasing department and acts as a liaison between the estimating and operations teams to ensure a seamless transition from preconstruction into construction. 

Once we move into GMP development and construction, the purchasing agent works hand-in-hand with the estimating and operations teams to develop clear, concise bid packages that incorporate detailed scopes of work, schedules and site utilization plans that allow for the most competitive pricing from the subcontractors. 

Our procurement process, along with all of our services, is entirely transparent and we encourage participation from all project shareholders including clients, architects and consultants.

Our seasoned professionals have long-standing and excellent relationships with the local subcontractor community and have a reputation for fairness and honesty. They have both estimating and operations experience and possess exceptional negotiating skills, assuring the best value for the client while maintaining the integrity of the buyout process. We have an extensive database of over 5,000 subcontractors and vendors, including a vast M/WBE database.

Our Director of Purchasing focuses on subcontractor prequalification and ensures that work is evenly distributed throughout the subcontractor community.

BIM/VDC

Building Information Modeling (BIM) and Virtual Design and Construction (VDC) are not simply clever buzzwords. They're very powerful tools that help the team to visualize the design intent, pre-plan system installations, and avoid conflicts during construction. Collectively, they are the proverbial one thousand word pictures and they are essential in the success of every construction project. BIM/VDC allows each respective trade to not only envision their own discipline more easily, but allows all parties to fully understand the overall project and the impact of their own decision making.

The BIM/VDC process begins as soon as we are brought on board, with our Director of VDC spearheading the initial planning process. The process continues throughout all phases of construction and culminates at commissioning and closeout, streamlining all stages of the project.

As with all of our services, we encourage participation from all project shareholders. The power of these ever evolving visualization and communication tools cannot be understated. 

Lean Construction

We have been committed to increasing productivity and reducing waste on projects since our inception. As a member of the Lean Construction Institute, all of our staff are trained in Lean Construction practices including the Last Planner System. 

Our goal in implementing Lean Construction on a project is to create a truly integrated project delivery (IPD) process. This IPD process improves workflow and safety on site, reduces changes, provides higher quality construction, and better risk management. Learning to collaboratively plan together is key to the team improving their success. Successful pull-planning requires that the project team make clear, complete “requests and promises” and continuously assess how the team is doing vs. the plan through a “plan-do-check-act” cycle. This process allows all project participants from owner down to subcontractor to plan the project work flow and provide clear accountability across the board.

Sustainability 

We are fully committed to sustainability as part of our corporate culture and demonstrate this commitment in all that we do. We promote green building practices by recycling paper and plastics in our field offices and through the use of compact fluorescent lamps in our temp lighting during construction, but that's just the beginning. From preconstruction through final commissioning, we are involved in all aspects of providing a sustainable building and environment for our clients. 

Our portfolio of completed projects includes Massachusetts Green Schools, projects constructed under MA- or RI-CHPS, and LEED Certified projects, including LEED Gold, incorporating features such as geothermal wells, photovoltaic arrays, solar hot water systems and green roofs. By utilizing aggressive and focused waste management practices, our projects consistently recycle concrete, masonry, wood, metal, cardboard and drywall waste to divert in excess of 95% of our construction waste from landfills.

We believe that Green Building practices are not only good for the environment but provide a cost conscious program with direct benefits for our clients. 

Self-Perform

Unique to Agostini is our self-perform capability. We truly are builders. This not only allows us to thoroughly understand pricing and scheduling, but also provides for overall project cost and schedule control. Our clients realize considerable cost savings when we self-perform certain trades and we assure on-time completion.

We assign dedicated foremen and key trades professionals to each self-perform assignment, providing for direct oversight and continuity of workforce. Additionally, this capability allows us to supplement subcontractors if necessary.

Trades we self-perform:

• Selective demolition
• Concrete
• Rough carpentry
• Installation of doors and specialties