How To Choose: Experience Vs. Credentials In Commercial Construction

You want the best when you’re looking for a commercial construction partner. But how do you find them and what criteria do you use? Experience and credentials are both used by many companies to figure out who to work with, but finding the right mix and ensuring the experience or credentials are legitimate can also be tricky.

Let’s take a look at how to spot great experience and credentials in commercial construction, and which might be more influential for your needs.

Commercial Construction Credentials

Looking at the leadership team at i2 Construction as an example, many of us prepared for our commercial construction careers with formal education, whether that was a degree in construction management, engineering, architecture or another related field.

Many of our project managers and staff also have construction degrees, MBAs and other formal education they utilize in their daily work. The varied backgrounds are a strength of our company, allowing us to draw from many different disciplines.

LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) accreditation is another credential you can use to see if a commercial construction company is qualified. Certification in LEED is supplied through the U.S. Green Building Council, where a member must pass an exam on green building practices with various exams offered in different disciplines. Multiple members of our leadership team are LEED certified.

Safety certifications and training are another great credential for a commercial construction firm to have. OSHA (Occupational Safety and Health Administration) training requirements are very important to ensuring our job sites are safe. Our superintendents have to ensure all of our staff stay in compliance and follow the best safety and general construction practices, not only to follow the law but also to provide the best value for our clients. If a commercial construction company isn’t worried about keeping up or getting certified through OSHA, that’s definitely a cause for concern.

Commercial Construction Experience

Meanwhile, many of the best commercial construction companies can be found based on experience alone. The names of their project partners, their photo galleries and more can show you the quality of work they do and caliber of client they typically work with. For an example, check out some of our portfolio to see how a commercial construction company should showcase their projects.

At i2 Construction, we strive to create a culture where our team members learn something new every day, and we encourage team members to pursue certifications or attend workshops which will benefit their experience or credentials on the job site. As the industry continuously evolves, technology and techniques will change and our team needs to have the skills to stay relevant.
Both experience and credentials are extremely important in choosing a contractor to work with, and i2 Construction has both in spades. Get in touch today to start partnering with us on your next commercial construction project.