ASPE Conference in Indy

Written By Matt Burress, Aspen Group Estimator

You might have heard the exciting news about the 2012 Super Bowl being hosted here in Indianapolis, but what you might not have heard is that the American Society of Professional Estimators (ASPE) has also chosen Indy for their 2014 annual conference! For those of us in the local construction and construction estimating community, this is very exciting. Being part of the team responsible for bringing this event to Indy, I am especially thrilled.

Now I do realize it isn’t the same as the Super Bowl, but to me, this is a pretty big deal.  First, the conference has been held in many great cities.  It’s great to see Indianapolis recognized for what it has to offer.   And marquis projects in our area like Lucas Oil Stadium, the new Midfield Terminal, JW Marriott and the Convention Center provide some great case studies and tours for construction estimators.  But more importantly, I gain a great deal from attending the ASPE Convention and other ASPE events. 

This year, I went to both the convention and the Estimating Academy.  It was good to affirm many of the processes I use every day at Aspen Group.   Some new tools and technologies were introduced that will enhance the way estimation is done.  One that I plan to use immediately is the ability to pull in existing site topography from Google Earth for use in preliminary site estimates.

Being able to continue developing job skills, network with other estimators and seeing the newest technology related to BIM, IPD and cloud management (all very important in the life of an estimator) define what the ASPE Conference is all about.  Aspen sent both Dave Westfalland me, so we can continue to learn best practices for our company and for the churches we serve.  

I have been on the board of the local chapter for eight years and greatly value all that has come from that experience.  So what professional organizations are you a part of?  Do you go to their national conferences?   

And for you Indy locals….you’ve been warned….look out for the pocket-protector brigade in 2014!

Construction Site = Ministry Site

By Lynn Noe, Customer Relations Coordinator

To the average eye, it looks like a construction project.  But to people with a big heart for outreach, that church construction project looks like a huge opportunity to reach out and show the love of Christ.  Here are some examples of outreach that our construction teams have experienced from churches over the years:

CARE KITS - When those cold winter winds started blowing, one church put together bags of goodies for each worker on the site.  The kits had lip balm, hand warmers to fit inside of gloves, beef jerky and other items to help them endure the freezing temperatures.

LUNCH - Enough can’t be said about the impact of feeding the “troops”.  Whether it is a cook-out on site, a sit-down catered meal, or a bunch of pizzas, we haven’t met anyone yet who didn’t appreciate the church providing a meal.  Recently at a catered lunch put on by a church, one of the construction workers remarked “he had never had anyone serve him before.”  What a great opportunity to show love and appreciation.

FELLOWSHIP - Either during meals or at other times on the jobsite, take time to talk to the people building your church.  Do they have family?  What’s going on in their lives?  Let them know you are praying for them.  Tell them you appreciate the gifts they bring to the project.

PRAYER  - There is nothing more powerful than prayer.  Regardless of beliefs, we’ve heard many stories of workers who were moved by knowing they were being prayed for.

TREATS - Simple things like a cooler of Gatorade on a hot summer day or donuts dropped off one morning are great ways to acknowledge the hard work of the construction team.

PICNIC TABLES - One church plans to put a couple of picnic tables on their construction site so the workers have a place to sit, eat and take a break. It sure beats sitting in their cars or using a cooler as a chair!  And even more special is the church plans to have prayers, blessings and messages written on the tables when they are delivered to the site.

We would love to hear your stories or ideas with regards to using construction as an opportunity to share the love of Christ.

(One word of caution---Always talk with your Construction Manager about what you would like to do.  He/she can partner with you while assuring jobsite safety is maintained.)

Creating Unique Construction Solutions

Creativity and “thinking outside the box” doesn’t just apply to design, it also applies to construction methods. At Aspen Group, we enjoy finding new, creative ways to accomplish a ministry's facility needs. Through careful research and collaboration with various construction partners, we often arrive at construction solutions that are of higher quality and more cost effective than traditional methods. Check out these project examples: 

Good Shepherd Lutheran Church

Timing was essential on this renovation and addition project. Aspen Group collaborated with Syntheon Inc. and decided to replace conventional framing and insulation with pre-engineered accel-E® panels. This non-traditional solution met the ministry needs of the church and fit the aggressive project schedule by providing speed and efficiency.

Rock Prairie Baptist Church

The top priority on this project was to meet a conservative budget while achieving the desired design for the worship center addition. Several key decisions made early on in the project, including the choice of using a pre-engineered building, saved the church thousands of dollars by ordering the steel before major price increases hit the marketplace.  

And in the case of yet another church…an alternative roof solution reduced risk and provided significant cost savings. Rather than simply sending a low bid for the assumed correct solution, our roofing partner suggested a completely new roof system for the expansion project that would solve current roof issues, minimize the risk of future leaks in both the old and new roof, and at a lower cost than the original suggested approach.

These are just a couple examples of how working collaboratively with our partners and having up-to-date information on building technologies results cost savings and unique solutions church’s unique facility needs.

Building A Church of Foam

By Lynn Noe, Aspen Group Customer Relations Coordinator

What do you think of when you think about seating in a church?  Pews…moveable chairs…theatre style seating?  Would you believe foam? 

One of the newest technologies in seating for churches is the use of Stadium Savers, which incorporates Expanded Polystrene(EPS) Geofoam blocks into tiered seating platform.  In a time when most ministry leaders who have a large worship area really want it to “feel” small, creativity and great technologies are essential for our architects to design effective, dynamic ministry spaces.  The use of tiered seating allows every seat in an auditorium to be a good seat with an unobstructed view and the feeling of not being too far away from the platform.   Aspen Group most recently used this product at the new Northwest Campus of Eastern Star Church and in the new auditorium at College Park Church, both in Indianapolis.

This technology can be installed on the ground floor, or an upper level where the tiered seating will be above a classroom, storage area, restrooms or other spaces.  By incorporating this lightweight material which is then covered with concrete, the weight of the stadium seating platform is evenly distributed over the entire area covered by the tiered seating.  These risers take much less time to install than traditional steel stud framing systems which results in increased efficiency in costs and scheduling.

There are acoustical benefits of the EPS Geofoam blocks, which is not true for traditional construction methodologies.  This Stadium Savers technology is ideal for churches wanting exceptional acoustics or simply an enhanced worship experience for the audience.  When used on upper floors above meeting areas, it also greatly serves as a sound barrier between the two spaces.

Finally, this system offers important environmental benefits not inherent in traditional tiered stadium seating.  Stadium Savers meets many of the criteria set forward by the LEED rating system.

For more information, visit www.stadiumsavers.com

10 Permitting Considerations For Your Site

By Michelle Roberts, Aspen Group Project Management Coordinator

It’s an exciting time for your church.  You have purchased property with the dream of building a new church.  When budgeting and planning for your project, don’t forget the costs associated with permitting.  Here are some questions regarding permitting that you will need to consider with your building team in order to plan and execute your project smoothly:

1. Will your project need to be inspected by the municipality during construction? If so, find out the cost for those inspections and get to know the Building Code/Permit/Inspection staff. Ask them for advice and direction on getting started with your project.
2. Are there any significant drainage features on, through, or even near the property?  If so, check with the local municipality to see if additional regulations may apply to the site.
3. Is there a recent boundary survey for the property with an associated clear title?
4. Is the land properly zoned for your type of building? If a re-zoning is needed, plan for the time and costs associated with that lengthy process. Reach out to nearby residences to get to know their issues and concerns.  Taking a proactive approach with public outreach can help soften public outreach as required in the zoning process. 
5. Are there utilities (water, sewer, electric, gas, phone, cable) already on your property? If not, locate where they are and determine what it will cost to connect to them and bring them up to your property.
6. Are you allowed to have a sign on your property and if so what are the restrictions and cost?
7. Are there landscaping requirements for your municipality?
8. Are there restrictions on which subcontractors can work on your project in the municipality? In addition, be sure to research Builders Risk Insurance.  It is necessary for the protection of your project and may be provided by the owner or the contractor.
9. Have you met the local Fire Marshall? They can offer great advice and give you direction.
10. Have you selected your design and build team? Make sure you connect well with them and they understand your vision and communicate clearly.