Project Management of Medical Office Building

‍From Conceptual Estimate to Project Closeout

Before founding Tate Construction Company, Justin Tate gained valuable commercial construction management experience working on projects throughout Southern California. One of those early projects was the Tri-City Wellness project in Oceanside, California, completed while working with Lusardi Construction.

The project was built for a private developer and consisted of (2) two-story tilt-up buildings, a wellness facility and medical office building. The completed wellness facility included physical rehabilitation offices, therapy and exercise areas, specialized medical equipment spaces, an aquatic therapy pool. The completed medical office building included a shell/core designed for future tenant improvements.

While Justin served as a junior project manager on the project, it provided hands-on experience across nearly every phase of commercial construction management — from early conceptual budgeting through estimating, bidding, subcontractor buyout, document control, owner coordination, and project administration.

Early Conceptual Estimating

The project began with early budgeting based on limited design information. Using a single conceptual site plan, Justin prepared an initial conceptual estimate to help evaluate project feasibility, anticipated scope, and early construction cost expectations.

As the design progressed, the estimate was further developed using the permit set of construction documents. This included reviewing drawings, identifying scopes of work, quantifying materials, coordinating pricing input, and preparing a more detailed project estimate suitable for bidding and subcontractor procurement.

This early estimating experience became an important foundation for the way Tate Construction Company approaches project planning today: understanding the cost impact of decisions early, identifying missing information, and helping clients make informed choices before construction begins.

Bidding and Subcontractor Buyout

Once the project documents were developed, the work was bid to the subcontractor market. This included coordinating bid invitations, reviewing subcontractor proposals, comparing scopes, identifying exclusions or gaps, and assisting with subcontractor selection.

Following bidding, Justin helped manage subcontractor buyout, turning bid pricing into scope specific contract commitments. This process required careful review of scopes of work, contract documents, schedule expectations, and coordination between trades.

For a project involving tilt-up construction, medical office spaces, rehabilitation areas, specialty equipment, and an aquatic therapy pool, clear subcontractor coordination was critical. Each trade needed to understand not only its own scope, but how that scope affected the larger project.

Construction Management and Project Administration

During construction, Justin supported the project management team with many of the responsibilities required to keep a commercial project organized and moving forward. His role included RFI management, submittal tracking, change order coordination, subcontractor communication, monthly profit projections, and participation in owner/architect/contractor meetings.

These responsibilities provided practical experience in the systems that support successful construction execution:

• Reviewing and managing RFIs to resolve design and field coordination questions
• Processing submittals to confirm materials, equipment, and systems met project requirements
• Coordinating change orders and documenting cost or scope impacts
• Supporting subcontractor communication and project documentation
• Assisting with monthly cost projections and financial reporting
• Participating in meetings between the owner, architect, contractor, and project team

For a young construction manager, this project provided early exposure to the discipline required to manage construction professionally. It was not just about building the structure; it was about tracking decisions, communicating clearly, protecting the budget, managing documentation, and keeping the project team aligned.

Project Type and Construction Scope

The Tri-City Wellness project included several construction features that required strong coordination between design, trades, and ownership.

The building was constructed using two-story tilt-up concrete construction, a common commercial building method in Southern California. The wellness and rehabilitation portions of the project included office areas, therapy spaces, medical and exercise equipment areas, and an aquatic therapy pool. The project also included a shell/core medical office building component intended for future leasing and tenant improvements.

This mix of completed medical wellness space and future tenant-ready shell space created a project with multiple priorities: finish out the active wellness areas, coordinate specialty systems and equipment, and deliver flexible medical office space for future users.

Lessons Carried Forward

Although this project was completed before Tate Construction Company was founded, the experience continues to influence how we approach construction today.

Commercial construction management requires organization, documentation, communication, and accountability. Budgets must be tracked. Questions must be answered. Submittals must be reviewed. Changes must be documented. Owners, architects, subcontractors, and field teams must stay aligned.

Those same principles apply to residential construction as well.

Whether managing a commercial project, a tenant improvement, a home addition, or a major remodel, the fundamentals remain the same: plan carefully, communicate clearly, coordinate the work, manage the budget, and finish the project with accountability.

Bringing Commercial Discipline to Residential and Commercial Projects

Tate Construction Company was founded on the belief that clients deserve a more professional construction experience. Justin’s early commercial construction management experience, including projects like Tri-City Wellness, helped shape that belief.

Today, Tate Construction Company brings together hands-on field experience, formal construction education, commercial project management discipline, and residential construction expertise to serve homeowners and business owners throughout the Albuquerque area.

From early conceptual estimating to project execution and closeout, our goal is to bring structure, communication, and accountability to every project we manage. If you have a commercial project you are considering or is underway and you need some assitance in managing it to the finish, contact us today or visit our Commercial Construction Management services page to learn more.