Building and maintaining relationships is central to how we conduct our business at Landis Construction. Since I first stepped into the Landis building more than seventeen years ago, that theme has served as more than a mere tag line. It guides us in every aspect of how we do what we do. Nowhere is that more evident than in Preconstruction. The relationships that we build and maintain with trade partners are critical to our process. As I’m writing this, I’m thinking back to some of the relationships that were forged early in my career at Landis that I still rely on today. It’s both humbling and gratifying to think of how profoundly those relationships have influenced me.
We rely on our partners to advise us and demonstrate what the key drivers are for their scope on a particular project. We work with them to develop solutions to complex problems long before a shovel hits the ground. Moreover, we view ourselves as an advocate for our subcontractors and suppliers.
As a general contractor, we acknowledge that our expertise often lacks the specialized and institutional knowledge required to fully evaluate and process the intricate details for every trade or scope. We are primarily tasked with identifying those factors in any given trade that most directly impact cost, constructability, and schedule. Having a good relationship with our trade partners and being able to involve them as early in the process as possible is pivotal. We rely on our partners to advise us and demonstrate what the key drivers are for their scope on a particular project. We work with them to develop solutions to complex problems long before a shovel hits the ground. Moreover, we view ourselves as an advocate for our subcontractors and suppliers. For example, because architects typically require general contractors to submit substitution requests for alternative materials, systems, or performance criteria, we often bear that responsibility. That process involves soliciting, understanding, and vetting each of those requests with our trade partners, and then advocating for their acceptance. Advocating for our partners in that way has a direct impact on our shared ability to gain a competitive advantage in a hard-bid situation or find value on a negotiated project.
Building and maintaining relationships is not without its challenges. Admittedly, we fall short at times. However, we are a company that is committed to continual improvement and this part of our process is no exception. Whether we are relying on a long-standing relationship with a trade partner or one that’s just beginning, developing those bonds is essential to our success as a company and as a team. As I look back at the many successes that we’ve celebrated as a company over the years, I realize that we would never have achieved those without our trade partners.