New Construction for Commercial Clients
Most Rubicon clients start with a tenant improvement project because leasing is faster and lower-risk than building. But for clients with the right combination of use requirements, site opportunity, and long-term real estate strategy, new construction makes sense. Dental groups that need a building sized and configured exactly for dental use, veterinary practices that want to own their facility and control the property over time, and medical groups building out a campus are all examples where new construction is the right call.
Early Planning and Budget Alignment
New construction budgets are harder to hold than tenant improvement budgets because the decisions that affect cost happen earlier in the process, before there are drawings to price from. Rubicon provides early-stage budget input based on the project program and site, giving the owner realistic cost expectations before design commitments are made. That input changes the design process in useful ways, making finish-level and scope decisions when they're still easy to change.
See preconstruction and budgeting for more on Rubicon's approach to pre-design cost planning.
Coordinating Scope, Schedule, and Partners
New commercial construction requires coordinating a larger group of partners than a typical tenant improvement: architect, civil engineer, structural engineer, MEP engineers, geotechnical consultant, land use attorney or permit expeditor, and the building department, in addition to the construction trades. Rubicon manages the construction side of that coordination, interfacing with the design team and reviewing documents for constructability from the beginning of design through permit approval and into the build.
Start A Project Conversation
Looking for a contractor with experience in your type of space? Call Rubicon at (509) 381-4198 or start a project inquiry.
Frequently Asked Questions
Have more questions?
Call the Rubicon team to discuss your project, or submit an inquiry.
Yes. Rubicon works in both new commercial construction and tenant improvement projects. New construction is a more involved process with more partners, a longer timeline, and different risk structure than a tenant improvement, but Rubicon applies the same practical approach to both: early budget transparency, direct communication, and construction management that keeps the project on schedule and within the scope the owner agreed to.
Rubicon provides early budget input based on the building program and site before design is complete, which gives the owner realistic cost expectations and helps shape design decisions. As design progresses, Rubicon updates the budget at each milestone so the owner can make informed decisions before commitments are made. This prevents the most common problem in new commercial construction, which is a design that significantly exceeds the budget by the time it's ready to price.
Yes. Rubicon participates in the design phase to provide constructability review, identify coordination issues between design disciplines, and flag items that will affect budget or schedule before they become problems during construction. This is most valuable during the design development and construction document phases, when changes are still inexpensive relative to what they would cost in the field.
New commercial construction timelines vary significantly by project size, site conditions, jurisdiction permitting timelines, and design complexity. From the start of design to certificate of occupancy, a mid-sized commercial building typically takes 18 to 36 months, with design and permitting accounting for roughly half of that. Rubicon will provide a project-specific schedule based on the program and site.