Value Engineering Ideas for Senior Living Facilities

 

Below are some value engineering ideas for senior living facilities to try to lower project costs. 

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Concrete

• Opt for stamped and stained concrete instead of pavers.

• Consider less expensive asphalt paving over concrete paving.

 

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Fencing

• Minimize or eliminate fencing where possible.

• Seek less expensive fencing types: lower in height, less ornate, less gates.

 

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Steel

• Instruct your structural engineer to develop a cost efficient design to minimize steel and lumber usage.  It is easy to design a structurally sound building if you throw a ton of lumber and steel at it.  But that drives up construction costs.  Your structural engineer is typically going to design what he is going to design.  But your mere comment to him that you want him to do the hard work of creating a smart and efficient design that is mindful of construction costs may influence him to put forth the extra effort to help achieve this goal.   

• Have the steel subcontractor provide early feedback on the structural design to see if he has recommendations on how to reduce the steel tonnage, or knows of other ways to save costs.  Many steel contractors have in-house licensed structural engineers on their staff, and they usually know of ways to achieve the the objectives and requirements of the the project's structural engineer, but at a cheaper cost.  

• Consider using less expensive wood as an alternative to steel - if allowed by code

• Remove grand staircases in the lobby and opt for simpler designs.

• Replace cantilevering covered vehicle drop-off canopies at the main entrance with post-supported porte cocheres.  A cantilevering structure looks cool, but is usually very expensive because of all the structural support needed to achieve the cantilever. 

• Choose prefabricated canopies, like Avadek, over custom steel canopies.

 

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Wood Framing

• Replace cantilevering unit balconies with post supported balconies.  Post supported balconies might not look as good, but they are simpler to build and require less expensive structural lumbar.

• Have the framing subcontractor give input to the structural engineer about using standard truss depths and standard stud lengths to minimize cutting and customization. 

• Tell architect and structural engineer to make floor heights that can use standard, off-the-shelf, stud lengths.  For example, don't let the architect specify 11' ceilings, which would require the framing sub to buy 12' studs, and have to cut them all to 11'.  This extra cutting would increase labor costs, and create a lot of wasted material. 

 

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Drywall

• Lower ceiling (and wall) heights to save on drywall sheathing (and paint) costs.

• Have the GC make a recommendation on a comparable, but less expensive ceiling tile, than the one the architect selected. 

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Millwork

• Use FF&E cabinets instead of built in millwork where possible, if it is less expensive.  This also gives the space more flexibility. 

• Eliminate crown molding.

• Decrease size of base molding (e.g, from 8" to 6")

• Remove cabinets above refrigerators in units.  These cabinets are seldomly used because they are hard for residents to reach.

• Select less expensive countertop material.  The price variation on countertop material is significant, and you can usually find a material that is similar to the one the architect or interior designer specified, for a less expensive cost.  When you multiply this by all of the units in a senior living facility, the savings can add up to a big total dollar amount. 

 

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Doors/Frames/Hardware

• Select cheaper hardware.  Many times another hardware manufacturer can offer similar looking hardware for less cost. 

• Convert glass doors to wood doors with a glass insert. 

• Change pocket doors to swing doors.

• Use fixed shelving in closets instead of more expensive adjustable systems.  Also, although adjustable systems are more flexible, they are usually uglier than fixed wood shelves. 

 

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Flooring

• Select a comparable, but less expensive flooring material.  This goes for all flooring types - LVT, carpet, tile.

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Electrical

• Instruct your electrical engineer to try to place the transformer as close to the electrical room as possible to reduce the secondary service line run.

• Consider downsizing or removing backup generators (if generators are not required for licensing in your state).

• Use aluminum feeder wires instead of copper.

• For electrical wires inside of the building, instead of expensive metal conduit, use MC cable - if allowed per code.  

• Select cheaper light fixtures.  To do this, you have to start early during the design phase and tell your electrical engineer and/or interior designer that you don't want a lighting distributor they are friendly with selecting all the light fixtures.  That lighting distributor is incentivized to maximize his profit so he may recommend expensive lights to the designer, when a more cost effective but comparable light my be available by a different manufacturer or distributor. 

  • Non-decorative lights: Tell the designer you want basis of design fixture selected for the non-decorative lights, and the specification for that fixture should be open so the electrical subcontractor can offer up a cost competitive light fixture package that is different from the basis of design. 

  • Decorative lights: For the decorative lights, you have to give your interior designer a good amount of control on what the decorative lights will look like to ensure they work with the overall look she is trying to achieve for the space.  However, decorative lights can be very expensive, so have the designer select two or more options for each type of decorative light fixture (by different manufactures) so that the electrical subcontractor can assemble a lighting package that is cost competitive. 

• Consider deleting ceiling fans in units and have residents pay for them if they want them added. 

 

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Landscaping

• Reduce landscape lighting (conduit and light fixtures).

• Reduce hardscape.

• Use smaller and less trees, bushes, and plants.

• Reduce/delete water features.

• Install real grass at dog parks instead of artificial turf. 

 

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Appliances

• Pick cheaper appliances.  You can easily save $50,000 by picking less expensive appliances, but look similar to and have similar quality/functionality to the ones the architect specified. 

• Delete ceiling fans in units.  Or make future residents pay for them if they want them.

 

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Masonry

• Reduce wall heights by one or two courses of brick. 

• Reduce or eliminate decorative stone water tables around building exteriors.

 

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Fire Sprinkler

• Change expensive concealed fire sprinklers to less expensive semi-recessed.

 

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Plumbing

• Use prefabricated shower pans instead of tile.

• Use prefabricated shower enclosures.

• Use shower curtains instead of glass shower doors.

• Switch from copper water lines to PEX or CPVC.

• Switch from cast iron drain and vent lines to PVC.

• Instead of interior roof drains, use scuppers and downspouts.

 

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Specialties

• Use unframed mirrors instead of framed ones.

 

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Thermal/Moisture

• Reduce wall insulation to code minimum (R-19).

 

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Mechanical (HVAC)

• Use duct-board instead of metal ducting. 

• Consider PTACs (packaged thermal air conditioner) to heat and cool units instead of more expensive centralized systems like VRF (variable refrigerant flow) systems.