How to Choose the Best Among Commercial Construction Companies: 2022 Guide by Fortress Home

How to choose the best commercial construction firm?

Commercial construction is a big world with its own players, rules, and specifics. But for making your construction projects come true you do not necessarily need to hire industry leaders that brought to life — or have rebuilt multiple times — iconic projects such as Madison Square Garden.

When looking for the best commercial builder, you have to choose construction services, provided by it, that best suit you. Every company has a specialization on the market, the same as for the residential projects — some build modernist houses, the others have skyscrapers in their portfolio.

Learn the sector of the construction industry that suits your project the most — and try to go local or choose companies that have experience in your area.

Top commercial construction companies in the US

According to the Finance Yahoo latest data, the top commercial construction companies in the US in 2021 are:

Bechtel Corporation

Revenue in 2020: $17.6 Billion.

The largest privately-owned commercial construction company in the US with headquarters in Virginia. Specializes in the infrastructure sector (transport, power lines, grids).

Fluor Corporation

Revenue in 2020: $15.7 Billion. Specializes in commercial construction and provides engineering services. Headquarters in Texas.

AECOM

Revenue in 2020: $13.2 Billion. Provides a wide spectrum of services through a vast web of subsidiaries. About 90,000 employers. Headquarters in Los Angeles.

Lendlease Group

Revenue in 2020: $10.3 Billion. With headquarters in New York, this commercial construction company is currently working in our hometown Chicago, redeveloping urban areas of the city.

Skanska USA

Revenue in 2020: $6.5 Billion. Publicly traded Swedish firm — a commercial construction company, one of the largest in the industrial sector in the US.

Residential general contractor is a company that provides a full spectrum of services in the sphere of the residential construction.

4 main steps to finding the best commercial general contracting firm for your project

1. Perform a preliminary online and offline research: cruise through the top commercial construction companies' sites in your area and talk to their previous clients. How many successful projects had this company completed? Have they won any industry awards? Has it made any impact in the construction industry in general? What is the honest opinion of their clients on the finished projects?
2. Talk in person to the construction manager that has been assigned for your project. It is a very important step that cannot be underestimated. Personal contact and the adequacy of communication is one of the key elements of any successful commercial real estate project. Do you feel like all your questions are answered? Can the company's assignee provide you with the clear and transparent description of the process? Is it obvious that the construction management would be up to scale? If all of the answers are "Yes", then you can proceed to the next step.
3. Go through all the legal paperwork, provided by the construction company, with your lawyer. Let your lawyer study and double-check all the licenses, insurances, court cases that this firm has ever obtained. Double-check doubtful documents and cases. Have all the insurance expenses been covered? Have all the projects been completed in time? This step is super important — as multinational industry leaders might have impeccable reputation, not so well-known companies are not always as transparent. Check everything out to a ti — and only proceed to the next step if you are 100% sure.
4. Request the contract draft for your project. And, again, — go through it with your lawyer. The contract absolutely must contain:
   
   
   • All legal information about both parties
   • Responsibilities of both parties regarding this project
   • Detailed description of the project
   • Detailed description of the milestones of the project with accurately dated distinct stages
   • Total budget of the project and description of each stage of the payments (deposit, payments after completion of particular sages, deal closure)
   • System of fines (with detailed description) in case of terms of contract violations by one of the parties.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is commercial construction work?

They can function as multinational corporations or independent construction companies. Scope of work? Everything from large international projects to local real estate development.

Who is the largest construction company?

As you might have already seen in our list, Bechtel Corporation is the largest construction company in the US. It is a big player of the industry — that specializes in the infrastructure sector (transport, power lines, grids).

What are the different types of commercial construction?

The list can be very long, but the most popular commercial construction projects types belong to theses sectors:

• Retail — supermarkets, grocery stores, shopping malls, etc.
• Restaurants, coffee shops
• Business and office centers
• Medical facilities
• Sport facilities
• Entertainment facilities
• Industrial sector (plants, factories, warehouses)
• Infrastructure (transportation system)
• Institutional facilities (universities, schools, government offices)
• Accommodation facilities — hotels, apartments etc.

No matter what kind of a commercial construction project you are aiming to bring to life, Fortress Home is there to assist you. Give us a call at 773-770-8607 and we will share our 20-year experience during a free consultation.