Sub-Contractors Are Locked In On Huntsman Hall

By Ken Snyder

Normally, major building projects such as Huntsman Hall involve a general contractor plus several sub-contractors. Over the past few weeks, we have selected the three major subcontractors that will partner with us on Huntsman Hall. One will deal with the electrical, one will deal with the mechanical, and the other will deal with structural steel.

By locking in these key sub-contractors, we locked in the price we will pay for the work those three contractors do. 

There are two common ways that major public building projects are tackled in Utah. The first is a design-bid-build process in which the architectural firm creates a final design, and then the contractors submit a final bid to those specifications. The second way is a Construction Management General Contractor (CMGC) process in which the architects create a general design, and then the contractor and key sub-contractors suggest ways to save money without sacrificing quality. That’s the approach we have taken.

This strategy has paid off. Not only did these sub-contractors submit bids offering the best pricing, they also came in with many good ideas on how to save additional costs. We are excited to have them on board.