School Construction
common sense construction excellence
“Shireman makes every effort possible to satisfy the customer.
They take great pride in their work. They do it correctly, on time, and under budget.”
Monty Schneider, Superintendent
West Clark Schools
Our Focus on School Construction Projects
Our Philosophy
Our philosophy on construction is to balance excellent design with the Owner’s budget – every time, on time, and at high quality.
Shireman works diligently on our school clients’ behalf to provide quality, long-lasting structures designed for potential future expansion. Whether new construction, additions, or renovating existing structures, we’ve got the experience. We’re pros at phasing the construction process to ensure safety and minimize construction interference during in-school instruction and after-school activities. Check out our school projects and read what our clients have to say about their projects and their Shireman construction experience.
Phasing
If the project is an addition or renovation, we create detailed phasing plans which provide the most safety, and least amount of interruption, all while providing the highest quality work. The phasing plans must provide site detail planning and building detail planning. We’re good at this. But it’s not our word that counts. Please read through the testimonials under “Our Advantage” tab to see what our clients say.
Construction
We plan and deliver (with experienced project managers) high-quality, on-time results in concert with the Owners, Staff Teachers, Administration, and Architects. We use clear, timely communication, common-sense experience, and tight financial controls to deliver outstanding projects that will last for the long run.
Safety
Every progress meeting leads off with a safety discussion. All prime contractors and the Shireman team maintain a written safety plan on site. In addition, our project managers are 10-hours or more OSHA certified, meaning they have been independently trained on construction safety and federal regulations. The Shireman team also has CPR and first aid training annually. We also require prime contractors to have background checks on all their workers and to have an independent drug-testing system.
Things To Consider
We assist Architects during the design phase to create the optimum learning environment for the student.
- HVAC: systems need to be both efficient and as quiet as possible—equal air distribution to all areas of the classroom. Humidity control and comfort controlled.
- Acoustics:
Shireman promises design input and construction oversite to ensure that every student in that classroom can hear the teacher and the presentation clearly – no matter their desk location. - Electrical: the design and construction will ensure electrical devices are on the proper location and provisions are made for new technology. Lighting will be uniform and equal no matter the desk location.
- Natural Lighting: will be located to provide a balance of natural lighting as budget will allow
Additional Considerations:
A prime consideration when choosing a CM is that they should be able to consult with the School Superintendent and keep them up to date on the latest school designs and available technologies. This allows the Administration to choose, or not choose the latest processes/systems they feel will work best for them.
Design separate car riders and bus traffic to maintain efficient flow of traffic. Also, consider future expansion and needs.
Have you considered how to prepare parking lots for overflow crowds?
Consider the distance and how long it will take students to move from class to class, to sports, vocational and bus areas. We work with these decisions daily and know how to apply processes and design elements to improve student flow. Although it may not seem like a big issue, increased passing times can cause significant issues over the course of the school day.
Do not locate major utility access points in the way of possible expansion areas.
Have you purchased enough land so your school can grow?
Work closely with your financial advisors to plan many years in advance in terms of your tax revenues and debt structures.
Bringing a CM into the pre-design stage allows them to develop key criteria and help you evaluate your Architect selection process.
Shireman as CM is here for you from the design phase to post-construction, putting our excellence and down-to-earth common sense to work on your behalf.