Frequently Asked Questions
Answers to the questions owners, developers and property managers ask before starting a commercial project with Carlson Construction.
Service-specific questions
Each service page answers the questions specific to that type of work.
Getting started
What types of commercial projects does Carlson Construction take on?
We build offices and tenant improvements, industrial and flex space, restaurants, medical offices and clinics, and multifamily and mixed-use properties. That includes interior build-outs, renovations of occupied buildings and ground-up commercial construction.
Which areas do you serve?
Our office is in Vienna, Virginia. We work across Northern Virginia, including Fairfax, Arlington, Loudoun and Prince William counties and the City of Alexandria, and take on commercial projects throughout the Washington, DC metro.
How do I get a proposal for my project?
Send the project basics through our proposal request form or call (202) 559-4774. A project lead will schedule a site walk, review your drawings and send a written proposal with line-item pricing, clear exclusions and a baseline schedule.
What is included in a Carlson proposal?
Every proposal includes line-item pricing, stated assumptions, allowances and exclusions, and a baseline schedule. Where they can save cost or time, we also include priced value engineering options.
During construction
How do you keep commercial projects on schedule?
We build the schedule backward from your opening or occupancy date, release long-lead materials early and update a three-week look-ahead every week. When a risk appears, you hear about it with options, not after the date has slipped.
Can you work in an occupied building?
Yes. Many tenant improvement and renovation projects happen while the rest of the building stays open. We plan phasing, after-hours work, dust and noise control and access with your landlord or property manager before mobilizing.
How will we know how our project is progressing?
You receive a written progress report with photos every week, a three-week look-ahead schedule, and a change order log that is updated with every change. Your project lead is available by phone throughout.
Working with Carlson
Do you work with our architect, or can you bring a design team?
We work alongside your architect and engineers from preconstruction onward and respond to RFIs quickly to protect design intent. If you do not have a design team yet, we can introduce qualified design professionals and coordinate the process.
Who will be our point of contact?
One project lead manages your job from proposal to closeout and is your single point of contact. A superintendent runs the site day to day under the project lead's direction.
Which services do you offer?
Commercial construction and commercial general contracting, for offices, industrial facilities, restaurants, medical offices and clinics, and multifamily properties.
Have a question that is not listed here?
Call our office or send the details of your project and a project lead will respond within one business day.