How to Stay Open for Business When Putting Piles Around Your Commercial Building
Posted on: 11 March 2019
If you own a brick-and-mortar business, you have to maintain the quality of your building, and if your foundation is struggling, you may need to contact a piling contractor. However, you may be wondering how you can keep your shop open whilst getting the work done. Check out these tips.
1. Talk with Contractors About the Process
Before selecting a contractor, talk with them about their work process. Let them know that you don't want to close down shop, and ask them how they can minimise disruption and work around your business. If they have done other piling jobs for commercial shops that have stayed open during the process, you may even want to talk with those clients to get an idea of how everything is going to play out.
2. Map Out the Process
So that you know what to expect, talk with your contractor and map out the process as much as possible before you get started. Then you know what to expect and can plan for closures as necessary.
3. Consider Helical Piles
Piles can be a variety of shapes and materials, but if you're trying to minimise disruption, you may want to consider helical piles. They can be screwed into the ground by relatively compact machinery. Then the contractors connect steel plates to your structure, and finally, they weld the plates to your piles.
4. Ask If Contractors Can Work at Night
If your business is primarily open during the day, you may want to ask the contractors if they can work at night. They may have floodlights if they often work at night, or they may be open to the idea of you hiring lights. Alternatively, see if you can set up the work so that they are putting piles in on the sides and back of the building during open hours. Then, when it's time to put the piles in the front of the structure, you can close or a day or two during that process.
5. Communicate with Customers
Whether you're putting in foundation piles or doing other construction work, you should try to keep open lines of communication with your customers. Put up signs saying that you are still open for business, in spite of the construction happening around or under your building. Share posts on your social media pages reminding customers that you are open. If it works with your industry, you may even want to consider setting up online services during the construction work. With a boutique, for instance, you can create an online catalog, and with a restaurant, you may want to offer to-go orders during this time.
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