Why Engage a Professional Early?

When planning a new building or facility upgrade, many project owners focus first on budgeting, preliminary floor plans, or even contractor selection. But one critical move that can shape the project’s entire trajectory is often overlooked: engaging an architecture/engineering (A/E) professional from the very beginning.

At The JDI Group, we’ve seen firsthand how early involvement leads to smarter design decisions, streamlined approvals, and long-term project success. Here’s why it matters:

1. Site Feasibility and Property Assessments

Before you buy land or commit to retrofitting an existing facility, an A/E team can provide valuable insight into what’s possible and what’s not. For new sites, that means evaluating zoning restrictions, utility access, and environmental constraints. For existing buildings, it often includes assessing whether a change of use is feasible under current codes and how it might impact occupancy, fire barrier separations, automatic sprinkler systems, and other life safety requirements. Trees, landscaping, and parking requirements may be affected as well. Early professional input ensures you fully understand the opportunities and limitations of a site before investing, saving time, money, and costly revisions down the line.

2. Informed Planning and Budgeting

Too often, projects begin with a budget built on assumptions. An A/E professional helps define the scope, identify potential risks, and provide realistic cost and schedule projections. This sets clear expectations and prevents surprises later in the design or construction phases.

3. Integrated Design That Supports Long-Term Goals

Whether you’re focused on energy efficiency, operational workflow, or future expansion, early design conversations ensure your facility supports your objectives from day one. Architecture and engineering are most effective when developed in tandem, with each discipline informing the other. That’s why integrated teams that include all design disciplines are invaluable and why their input is so critical early on.

4. Streamlined Permitting and Approvals

Navigating municipal requirements and securing permits can become a major hurdle if not addressed proactively. A seasoned A/E professional understands what local jurisdictions expect and can guide you through the process efficiently, sometimes even helping you avoid needing variances or special approvals altogether.

5. Avoiding Rework and Scope Creep

When design starts late or decisions are made without input from the full project team, the risk of rework grows. A clear roadmap, developed collaboratively with an A/E team, prevents misalignment and reduces the likelihood of costly design changes once construction is underway.

Start Smart: Engage Early

The earlier you bring in an A/E professional, the more value they can deliver. From feasibility to final walkthrough, their expertise can help shape a smarter, more cost-effective, and better-performing project.

Whether you’re evaluating a greenfield site, planning to retrofit a decades-old facility, or simply exploring what’s possible, engaging the right partner early ensures your vision is supported by sound strategy and integrated design.

Let’s talk – The JDI Group is here to guide you every step of the way.

Metal Fabrication Company

• General scope
  • The client was preparing to develop a new site along an extension of a new drive. The project included adding utilities and creating a suitable building pad for future development. The goal was to prepare the land to support new construction while managing site challenges economically.
• What was the challenge?
  • As development began, the team discovered that both the extended utilities and the site itself were at nearly the same elevation, rendering the utilities unusable unless the site was raised. This required a significant investment in grading and fill. The issue was not apparent until late in the process and created a domino effect of challenges:
    • The entire site needed to be built up approximately 6 feet to allow gravity flow for storm and sanitary systems.
    • Without elevation change, the alternative would have been a costly stormwater pumping system.
    • Additional site-specific requirements, including substantial landscaping costs (approx. $300,000), further impacted the budget.
• How did JDI address it?
  • Designed a deep detention pond on-site, strategically located to serve a dual purpose: meet stormwater management requirements and provide fill dirt to raise the site elevation.
  • Coordinated with the township to source additional fill from roadwork happening on a nearby road, reducing material costs.
  • Provided long-term site planning flexibility by designing the fill strategy to accommodate future building pad expansion.
  • Explored utility coordination, including the potential upsizing of the sanitary line on the drive to meet future site demands.
• Pros of those who got us involved early vs. cons of those who did not
  • What went wrong:
    • While JDI was engaged early to assist with zoning review, the full building and site-specific details were not yet available, limiting the ability to foresee key grading and utility conflicts.
    • The unexpected elevation issue added significant cost to the project, and could have triggered even greater expense if a pump system had been required.
  • What could have gone right:
    • Full early-site analysis by an engineering team could have uncovered the elevation conflict earlier, giving the client more time to evaluate the financial feasibility of the site.
    • Professional guidance could have helped the client weigh options such as site selection, fill sourcing, and long-term infrastructure planning more strategically.

General Contractor

• General scope
  • The client purchased an older factory building with a small front office and planned to convert it into a multi-functional space, including a showroom, office, warehouse, and paint booth area. Their intent was to keep costs minimal and avoid major infrastructure upgrades, including installing a sprinkler system or full mechanical ventilation for the spray booth.
• What was the challenge?
  • Several building limitations quickly became apparent:
    • The facility had a double-gabled roof, leaving no viable route to run the spray booth ductwork internally.
    • A 30-inch grade elevation difference between the site and building floor required the addition of an accessible ramp to the showroom and office areas.
    • The building was unsprinklered and lacked exhaust capabilities, yet these systems are typically required when adding a spray booth.
    • The site had very limited parking, which could pose long-term operational constraints.
• How did JDI address it?
  • Redesigned the ductwork layout to run externally and over the roofline due to interior space limitations.
  • Designed the duct system with consideration for future wall construction and building expansions.
  • Integrated a ramp into the office/showroom entry to accommodate grade changes and maintain ADA compliance.
• Pros of those who got us involved early vs. cons of those who did not
  • What went wrong:
    • The client purchased the building without a full understanding of its limitations related to mechanical systems, occupancy use, and access.
    • The intended spray booth addition would require costly upgrades, such as sprinklers and ventilation, that the client had hoped to avoid.
    • Limitations of the existing structure (roof type, layout, and elevation) introduced unanticipated costs and design constraints.
  • What could have gone right:
    • A preliminary code and feasibility study could have flagged these constraints before the property was purchased.
    • JDI could have helped the client assess alternate buildings better suited to their intended use, potentially avoiding costly retrofits.
    • Early professional input could have led to a clearer understanding of code implications, giving the client the ability to negotiate with sellers or plan more realistically.

EMS Provider

• General scope
  • The client sought to repurpose an existing building, which was formerly a semi-truck maintenance shop, for ambulance storage. They assumed the facility was suitable for vehicle storage and that only minimal design work would be required, such as drafting plans and preparing a code summary. The space included a wash bay, vehicle storage area, and office space, and it was already tied into an exhaust and emissions monitoring system.
• What was the challenge?
  • Shortly after signing the lease, the client received a correction letter from the City of Toledo stating that the project constituted a change of use, triggering stricter building code requirements. Despite the building’s prior use for vehicles, the intended function, storing large ambulances exceeding 10,000 lbs., classified it as an S-2 occupancy, separate from its former S-1 use. This change required enhanced fire safety measures and separation between occupancy types. The wash bay, office space, and vehicle storage area needed fire barriers, and the large floor area exceeded thresholds that could mandate fire sprinklers. The client, leasing rather than owning the building, was also hesitant to invest heavily in modifications.
• How did JDI address it?
  • JDI helped reconfigure the interior to meet code without the added cost of a sprinkler system.
    • Introduced 2-hour fire barriers to divide the building into separate zones (office, wash bay, and vehicle storage), each under 5,000 SF, in compliance with S-2 occupancy limits.
    • Converted an existing block wall into a compliant fire barrier with rated doors and top-of-wall detailing to close the gap to the platform above.
    • Tied the emissions system into the existing mechanical exhaust to meet operational needs.
    • Supported the client through the permitting process and helped coordinate with contractors for implementation.
• Pros of those who got us involved early vs. cons of those who did not
  • What went wrong:
    • The client had already signed the lease and begun planning before involving design professionals.
    • The City’s correction letter delayed the project timeline and introduced unexpected code-driven construction costs.
    • Budget conversations became more complicated due to the lease structure and uncertainty around who was responsible for upgrades.
  • What could have gone right:
    • Early engagement could have prompted a pre-lease code and zoning review.
    • JDI could have evaluated the feasibility of the facility and advised the client on potential building code implications tied to vehicle size and occupancy use.
    • Advanced discussions with building officials might have streamlined the permit process and prevented project delays.