There’s no such thing as plug-and-play with new construction. Every development has its own unique attributes and challenges to navigate, and RealtyCom Partners is here to help. To kick off 2023, we sat down with Phil Veletzos, who leads our new construction team. This diligent team of 16 experts serves property developers nationwide. From designing low voltage plans and negotiating with service providers to monitoring current and emerging technology and conducting thorough inspections, RealtyCom’s diligence throughout all stages of a development project ensures a strong foundation for success.
Taking it from the beginning: the design stage
Before development teams break ground, our new construction division is engaged with the Client and their design team (architect/electrical engineer) to develop or peer review the low-voltage design plan and confirm the owner’s design intent. AV, Security, Access Control systems are examined along with resident services, IoT capabilities, and common area WI-Fi so that Owner’s telecom/technology strategy is sound at all levels. Budgets, software and a building’s physical limitations can impact design plans, which is why being there from the very beginning of the process (either as the designer of recordor as a peer review partner) is crucial to optimizing space, equipment and infrastructure for seamless connectivity.
Dealing with the negotiation process
The Owner’s design intent informs not only the RFP that is created by RealtyCom on behalf of an Owner, but also the suitable telecom providers we’ll include in the bidding process. Typically, franchised providers will be included along with any local/regional internet providers to ensure a strong competitive mix each with unique amenity service contributions. Should a property wide Managed Wi-Fi deployment be desired, then providers that specialize in that type of deployment will be included. Using the history of proposals nationally on our 180 active projects combined with the 200+ deployments we’ve seen through to activation over the years give us a unique vantage point to advocate on behalf of our clients so that they secure the best possible contract terms for their project. We then collaboratively work with the client’s team to get feedback and guide them in making their decision.
The construction process … and what’s next?
During construction Phil’s team provides ongoing guidance through team and service provider calls buttressed with on-site verification during critical telecom milestones such as telecom room readiness, installation of low voltage wiring and amenity space and resident service activations. Once the rollout of the planned services is complete the project is transitioned to one of RealtyCom’ dedicated Client Account Manager for continued support as the project is stabilized.
The impact of continuously increasing demand
Most residents are used to having the world at their fingertips through smartphones. Combine that with the steady release of more streaming services, more work-from- home, more smart home devices, and more tech-centric amenity spaces, and the result is a 24/7 demand for robust and seamless connectivity. That’s why RealtyCom is involved at the earliest stages of development to let our Client’s know what’s possible and then provide support from low voltage design, to service provider negotiation all the way through to system installation. Our established end to end processes ensure that every detail is covered, and tracked so that the desired resident experience and positioning the property are aligned with current technology trends.
If there is one crucial bit of information for developers to take away, it’s this …
Technology is changing incredibly quickly. Find a team of experts who can guide you through the process. Our team is uniquely positioned to leverage our telecom industry expertise and relationships at every stage of the project to help you realize the vision of your new development.
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