COLUMBUS CONSTRUCTION UPDATE

Written by: Sarah McNally

Sarah McNally is a Project Manager and Estimator for Tenby Construction. She effectively handles all aspects of the bid process from organization and clarification of bid documents (Plans, Schedules, Specifications, Requests for Proposal) to preparation of a written or computer based proposal. Sarah’s background includes working on student housing, assisted living, hotel and condo projects. She is a proven proactive problem-solver who effectively manages multiple projects. Keep reading for Sarah’s take on the current state of construction in Columbus.

In your opinion, what is the current state of construction throughout Columbus?

Construction is still booming, but we have a feeling that the demands will change. We think that after COVID-19, a lot of companies will realize they can work from home and do not need an office setting. We think medical and industrial will take off – but office spaces will slow down. We’re hoping that’s not the case, but it very well could happen.

What types of projects have you seen be put on hold, and do you think we’ll continue to see projects being put on hold?

We’ve have 1-2 projects put on hold for a month, but luckily our contracts are with the landlord and not the tenant. The landlord wants to continue construction so that the tenant will start paying the lease.

Do you see any softening in pricing?

Pricing has gone up due to lead time on materials and lack of manpower in the trades. Subcontractors are making more money staying at home collecting a stimulus check and unemployment. Also, there is a shortage of subcontractors as more and more kids are going to college and not to trade school. Sometimes we have to reach out to bigger MEP companies because they have the man power to do the job, but they are double the cost of our smaller companies.

Which industries do you think will see a boom in construction post-coronavirus and why?

We think medical and industrial/manufacturing/warehouses will take off – medical because doctors are limited to the number of patients they can see in a day. The Ohio State University has started to expand their hours, but they are also planning on building more locations and hiring more employees. Their employees do not want to work 6am-8pm because they can only see a limited number of patients – so they will continue to build more offices as the pandemic progresses. Warehouses and factories will take off due to lack of supplies. We think – fingers crossed.