Goodlettsville, Tennessee
Allied Modular Holdings
Expanding into this area of the country, Allied Modular wanted a large new space for the fabrication and distribution of the components to their modular construction systems. They contracted with the Carden Company for the design-build construction project in Goodlettsville, TN.
Every project has challenges, but this one had two with the potential for completely derailing both the schedule and the budget. First, the site proved to have more rock and unstable soils than tests had indicated. Then, consistently wet weather set in.
We had the good fortune to be working with an owner who is in the business himself and understood the pitfalls of construction, but he was still impressed with how well we handled the unexpected. Good communication was key: for keeping the owner informed on progress, potential issues and suggested solutions; for collaborating with the architect; for effectively scheduling sub-contractors.
“They were always responsive, always on target… They kept the subs lined up. Any window of opportunity to do anything between rainstorms they did,” said owner Kevin Peithman. “Every time I called, I got a hold of someone instantly or they got back to me quickly.”
Peithman was also impressed with their recommendations for cost-effective construction alternatives. “It’s a combination of tilt-up and steel building both. The whole front of it looks like a tilt-up building and they made some great recommendations about putting the steel building about 2/3 of the way down the sides and across the back and a steel building roof, which cut a ton of cost.”
An architect needs to have confidence in their contractor to take on a design-build project, since their fees are incorporated into the contractor’s budget. Architect Tom Kippenberger of Kippenberger and Associates explained his willingness to take on the project with Carden, “I knew their reputation, I knew I wasn’t going to have to worry about cutting corners, or worry about the quality of the construction or the quality of the material they used… And as it turned out, it worked out great.”
“We collaborated,” Kippenberger continued. “Rather than one person saying this is the way we’re going to do it, we kind of knocked heads to figure out what the best solution was, most cost-effective, made the most sense – and we didn’t waste a whole lot of time. I appreciate the decisiveness. It was just right.”
“They all know how to do it – they’re all really good at what they do,” said owner Peithman, summing up his experience working with Carden Company. “I made a good call in choosing them.”