North Carolina is one of many states seeing rapid expansion to accommodate the growing population, developers are responding by building new residential developments. When envisioning new site developments, experienced professionals can help foresee and mitigate issues that may come up as the project progresses.

Robert Memory, CPM, Survey Department Manager at Colliers Engineering & Design, has seen the market shifting to accommodate this growth firsthand. As a Utility Coordinator with nearly 40 years of experience in this region, Robert has seen development costs balloon due to issues that could be avoided if you are working with the right team.

“North Carolina has been a hot spot for development, especially around the Triangle area,” said Robert. “I will get calls from my developer connections asking me to come out and assist due to an issue during construction that could have been avoided if they were teamed up with experts.”

From his experience, here are three reasons to partner with local experts before breaking ground on new ground.

One: Hidden Utilities

Working as a utility coordinator for NCDOT for 30 years, with his expertise in Utility Coordination, Robert knows the issues that can pop up when a utility line is discovered in the middle of a project site. Either the entire site must move due to the utility’s location, or a costly relocation bill is on the way.

“Working around utilities both known and unknown can cost developers and contractors valuable time and money,” explained Robert. “If we are brought in from project conception, we can conduct surveys to see if there are any hidden utilities underneath the surface. If we spot something early on, we can relocate where the project stands to avoid the cost of relocation.”

Design avoidance strategies by utility experts such as Robert understand that utility relocation costs can eat up budgets and can cause long delays. Bringing in professionals with utilities experience helps the project progress smoothly and can save costs in the long run.

Two: Environmental Studies

The landscapes of North Carolina are very diverse and knowing the land the project will be on is a vital step in the process. Making sure you are following the local zoning and permitting laws when it comes to wetlands can help developers with unexpected costs.

George Buchholz, Environmental Services Geographic Discipline Leader has been involved in development projects throughout North Carolina and has seen unexpected costs eat through developer’s budgets.

“Mitigating cost issues can quickly add up for developers,” explained George. “As a full-service firm, we can connect with our peers to give our clients clear answers to issues and potential costs associated with mitigation. We also are familiar with all the permits that are required locally, statewide, and federally. Knowing the area’s requirements and their costs up front can help avoid costly mistakes in the future.”

Wetlands aren’t the only environmental concern, as endangered species and unknown cultural resource items can be laying underneath a project site. Partnering with a firm or environmental expert can help avoid wasted time mitigating an issue.

Three: Bureaucratic Red Tape

Any project can face issues with local regulations. From traffic and transportation to municipal regulations on how far or close a development can be to certain roadways or sewer lines, local zoning, permitting and more can cause delays in breaking ground, or complete rerouting of construction.

Robert’s long-time experience working alongside the NCDOT and knows that new traffic patterns by developments can be an issue with new communities.

“Each district can require different roadway layouts to keep traffic flowing in certain areas,” explained Robert. Adding, “If someone on the project team has experience with the local DOT, especially the local districts, they can foresee some possible expansions or road relocations that may come around.

Andy Mills, Civil/Site Senior Project Manager, has worked on many land development projects throughout the state and has seen local rules and regulations surprise developers with unexpected delays.

“Following the written rules and regulations as found in a municipality’s UDO does not always prepare the developer for issues which can arise from local town boards and councils,” says Andy. “I have seen projects have delays due to a request by board members that are over and above what is required in the municipality’s documents. Experienced partners with land developers who are knowledgeable with such issues can help make sure delays are avoided and projects can continue to move forward.”