Our Process

The Framework

Five Phases.
Zero Gaps.

Every Urban Nova project follows the same five-phase delivery model — a system refined through 16 years and over 250 commercial builds. Each phase has defined deliverables, owner checkpoints, and a named project manager who stays with you from kickoff to keys.

Phase One · Weeks 1–3

Discovery & Feasibility

We invest heavily in understanding your project before a single drawing is produced. Our preconstruction team conducts a thorough site analysis, reviews regulatory constraints, and stress-tests your budget and schedule against real Phoenix market conditions.

Owner kickoff and program requirements workshop

Site feasibility, geotechnical review, utility survey

Preliminary cost model and schedule framework

Risk register and contingency strategy

Typical Duration: 2–4 Weeks

Phase Two · Weeks 4–14

Design & Engineering

Our team collaborates closely with the architect and all engineering disciplines using BIM-coordinated workflow. We run ongoing value engineering and constructability reviews to ensure the design is buildable, code-compliant, and within budget before permit submission.

Full 3D BIM coordination and clash detection

Structural, MEP, and civil engineering review

Value engineering — target 5–12% savings

Permit submission and city liaison management

Typical Duration: 8–14 Weeks

Phase Three · Weeks 10–18

Procurement & Buyout

Strategic procurement is where schedules are won or lost. We identify and order long-lead items early — structural steel, switchgear, elevators, curtainwall — and run a competitive subcontractor bidding process with pre-qualified Phoenix-area trades.

Long-lead material identification and PO issuance

Competitive bidding from 3+ pre-qualified subs per trade

GMP contract execution and owner sign-off

Subcontractor insurance and licensing verification

Typical Duration: 6–10 Weeks (overlaps design)

Phase Four · Varies by Project

Construction Execution

Precision field execution managed through three-week look-ahead scheduling, daily safety huddles, and a real-time owner dashboard. Our OSHA 30-certified superintendents — averaging 18 years in Phoenix commercial construction — keep every crew on track.

CPM scheduling with 3-week look-ahead updates

Weekly owner progress meetings and photo reports

Daily JHA safety documentation on every crew

Real-time RFI/submittal tracking — 48hr response SLA

Duration: Project-Dependent

Phase Five · Final 4–6 Weeks

Closeout & Handover

We don't hand over keys until the punch list is at zero. Our closeout process is methodical — every system is commissioned, every inspection is passed, and every piece of documentation is organized and delivered to the owner before we leave the job site.

System commissioning and owner training

Zero punch-list policy before certificate of occupancy

Complete as-built drawing set and O&M manuals

12-month workmanship warranty on all self-performed work

Typical Duration: 4–6 Weeks

Step by Step

Detailed Timeline

Every phase broken down into its core activities, owner touchpoints, and deliverables — so you always know exactly what happens next.

Phase One · Discovery

Project Discovery & Feasibility

The first meeting sets the tone for the entire project. Our preconstruction director leads a structured kickoff workshop with your team, covering program requirements, schedule drivers, budget parameters, and critical success factors. Within two weeks, you receive a written feasibility assessment.

Owner Deliverable

Feasibility report with preliminary cost model and master schedule framework

Key Milestone

Signed preconstruction services agreement and project kickoff memo

Duration

2–4 weeks from first meeting to feasibility report delivery

Site AnalysisCost ModelRisk RegisterProgram Review

Phase Two · Design

Design Development & Engineering

Our team embeds alongside your architect and engineering consultants from day one of design development, running BIM coordination and continuous constructability review. Value engineering workshops are held at schematic design, design development, and 50% construction documents — finding savings before they become change orders.

Owner Deliverable

Updated GMP estimate at each design milestone with variance analysis

Key Milestone

100% CD permit submission and city pre-application meeting

Duration

8–16 weeks depending on project complexity and permit track

BIM CoordinationValue EngineeringPermit ExpeditingMEP Review

Phase Three · Procurement

Strategic Procurement & Subcontractor Buyout

Most schedule delays are caused by late material deliveries and last-minute subcontractor buyout. Urban Nova begins procurement as soon as design intent is clear — often 6–8 weeks before permit issuance. All subcontractors are pre-qualified through our trade partner program requiring current licensing, insurance, and bonding capacity.

Owner Deliverable

Complete buyout log with subcontractor commitments and long-lead status tracker

Key Milestone

GMP contract execution with defined allowances, unit prices, and alternates

Duration

Overlaps design — 6–10 weeks for full subcontractor buyout

Long-Lead OrdersBid LevelingGMP ExecutionSub Pre-Qual

Phase Four · Construction

Construction Execution & Field Management

Precision field management starts with a detailed baseline CPM schedule and a three-week look-ahead that is updated every Monday. You receive a written weekly progress report every Friday with photos, schedule variance analysis, budget status, and a list of open items with owners and due dates. Nothing gets buried.

Owner Deliverable

Weekly progress reports, monthly cost reports, and 24/7 dashboard access

Key Milestone

Substantial completion and owner beneficial occupancy

Duration

Project-dependent — from 6 months (TI) to 24+ months (ground-up tower)

CPM ScheduleWeekly ReportsCost ControlSafety Compliance

Phase Five · Closeout

Closeout, Commissioning & Handover

Closeout begins 60 days before substantial completion, not after. Our superintendent leads a pre-closeout inspection walk with the owner, architect, and all major trade contractors to identify and resolve items early. By the time we apply for the certificate of occupancy, the building is genuinely complete.

Owner Deliverable

As-built drawings, O&M manuals, warranty documents, and CO certificate

Key Milestone

Certificate of occupancy issuance and final lien waiver package

Duration

4–6 weeks from substantial completion to final close

CommissioningCO AssistanceAs-Builts12-Mo Warranty

How We Build

Tools & Technology

Urban Nova invests in the best construction technology available so your project benefits from greater accuracy, faster decisions, and fewer surprises in the field.

3D BIM Modeling

Full building information modeling from design through construction, enabling clash detection, quantity takeoffs, and owner visualizations before the first shovel breaks ground.

Autodesk Revit · Navisworks

Owner Dashboard

24/7 web-based project dashboard with real-time schedule, budget status, RFI log, submittal tracker, and photo documentation — accessible from any device.

Procore · Fieldwire

CPM Scheduling

Critical path method scheduling with a baseline master schedule, three-week look-ahead, and monthly schedule health reports flagging any variance before it becomes a delay.

Primavera P6 · MS Project

RFI Management

All RFIs are logged, assigned, tracked, and closed within our project management system with a 48-hour response SLA commitment for all field-generated questions.

Procore · 48hr SLA

Safety Management

Digital daily JHA documentation, near-miss reporting, and OSHA compliance tracking for every crew on every shift — creating an auditable safety culture from the superintendent down.

SafetyCulture · iAuditor

Drone Site Surveys

Weekly aerial drone documentation tracks earthwork progress, structural milestones, and site logistics — providing visual records that protect owners and contractors alike.

DJI Enterprise · FAA Part 107

Cost Control

Real-time budget tracking with committed cost logs, change order forecasting, and monthly owner cost reports showing budget vs. actual at every line item.

Procore Finance · GMP

Quality Inspections

Digital quality control checklists tied to each work package, with photo documentation and sign-off required from both the superintendent and subcontractor foreman before work is accepted.

Procore Quality · Daily Logs

Transparency

How We Communicate

Construction projects fail when communication breaks down. Urban Nova structures every owner relationship around a formal communication cadence — ensuring you always know the status of your project, your budget, and the next decision required from you.

Your dedicated project manager is reachable by phone within 4 business hours. No voicemail maze. No account manager runaround.

Single Point of Contact

One dedicated project manager from kickoff to keys — no handoffs, no confusion about who to call.

4-Hour Response Commitment

All owner calls and emails acknowledged within 4 business hours. Critical field issues escalated within 1 hour.

No Surprise Change Orders

All potential changes are flagged to owners within 24 hours of identification — never after the work is done.

Weekly Progress Report

Every Friday by 5pm

Written report with schedule variance, budget status, photo documentation, open items, and the 3-week look-ahead plan.

Owner Progress Meeting

Weekly On-Site

Structured 60-minute meeting with PM, superintendent, and any relevant subcontractors. Decisions documented and distributed within 24 hours.

Monthly Cost Report

1st of Each Month

Full budget vs. actual breakdown, committed cost log, pending change order log, and projected final cost at every budget line item.

Live Project Dashboard

24/7 Real-Time Access

Web-based owner portal with live schedule, RFI log, submittal tracker, inspection records, and all project photos organized by date and location.

Safety First

A Culture of Safety

Every Urban Nova project operates under a zero-tolerance safety standard. Our EMR of 0.42 is well below the national commercial construction average of 1.0 — a result of systematic safety management, not luck.

0.42

Experience Modification Rate

Years Zero Lost-Time Incidents

100%

Crews OSHA 10-Certified

Daily

Job Hazard Analysis

Pre-Task Planning

Every crew completes a written Job Hazard Analysis before work begins each day. Superintendents review and sign off before any work starts.

OSHA-Certified Supervision

All Urban Nova superintendents carry OSHA 30-Hour certification. Project managers hold OSHA 30 and First Aid/CPR credentials.

Third-Party Safety Audits

Monthly unannounced safety audits by independent consultants. All findings are corrected within 24 hours and tracked to closure.

Near-Miss Reporting Program

Our culture encourages proactive near-miss reporting. Every near-miss is investigated, root-caused, and used to train the entire site crew within 48 hours.

Quality Assurance

Built to Last

Our quality control program is not an inspection checklist — it is a proactive culture of craftsmanship embedded in every scope of work, from concrete to finish carpentry.

Pre-Installation Meetings

Before any major scope begins, the subcontractor, superintendent, and PM conduct a pre-installation meeting to review shop drawings, submittals, and sequencing.

Applies to: structural, roofing, glazing, MEP, flooring, and all specialty systems. Required sign-off from all parties before work commences.

In-Process Inspections

Milestone inspections at defined hold points — formwork, rebar, mechanical rough-in, above-ceiling — before work is covered. Digital photo documentation required.

All inspection results are logged in Procore with time-stamped photos. Owner and architect can access all inspection records in real time.

Third-Party Testing

Independent special inspections and materials testing for concrete, steel, soils, roofing, and fireproofing — all coordinated by Urban Nova and reported directly to the owner and AHJ.

Testing labs are selected by the owner or their representative. Urban Nova coordinates scheduling and ensures no work proceeds past tested hold points.

Subcontractor Acceptance

No work is accepted from a subcontractor until the superintendent completes a formal acceptance inspection. Deficient work is documented and corrected before payment.

Acceptance inspections are performed with the subcontractor foreman present. Punchlist items are assigned, dated, and tracked to closure in real time.

Owner Walkthrough Program

Formal owner walkthroughs at 50%, 75%, and 95% completion milestones — giving you eyes on the building before the critical closeout period begins.

Each walkthrough produces a formal observation report. All items are assigned to the responsible party with a resolution deadline tied to the master schedule.

12-Month Warranty

Urban Nova provides a full 12-month workmanship warranty on all self-performed work, with a dedicated warranty manager responding to all requests within 48 hours.

Warranty period begins at certificate of occupancy. Manufacturer warranties on all equipment and systems are assigned to the owner at closeout.

Questions

Frequently Asked

We believe in complete transparency about how we work. Here are the questions our clients ask most often before signing with Urban Nova.

Ask Us Directly

Our GMP (Guaranteed Maximum Price) contract caps your construction cost. If the project comes in under budget, we split the savings with you per our contract terms. All potential changes are flagged before work begins, and our monthly cost reports show every dollar committed and spent.

We offer Design-Build, Design-Bid-Build, and Construction Manager at Risk (CMAR) depending on what best fits your project and risk profile. We'll recommend the best delivery method during our initial feasibility consultation — and explain the trade-offs of each.

As involved as you want to be. At minimum, we ask for a weekly 60-minute progress meeting and timely decisions on open items (typically within 48–72 hours to avoid schedule impacts). Many of our clients prefer to review our weekly report and let us manage the day-to-day — that's what you're hiring us for.

Yes — the vast majority of our trade partners are based in the Phoenix metro area. We maintain a pre-qualified subcontractor database of 200+ Arizona-licensed trades. Local subs mean faster mobilization, better responsiveness during the warranty period, and more competitive pricing.

We invest in thorough pre-construction site investigation to minimize surprises — geotechnical reports, utility locating, and environmental Phase I assessments. If something unexpected occurs in the field, we notify you within 24 hours with a written description, proposed solution, and estimated cost and schedule impact before any remediation work begins.

Urban Nova provides a 12-month workmanship warranty on all self-performed work from the date of certificate of occupancy. All equipment and system manufacturer warranties are assigned to the owner at closeout. Our warranty manager responds to all requests within 48 hours and mobilizes repair crews within 5 business days for non-emergency items.

Five Phases.
Zero Gaps.

Detailed Timeline

Tools & Technology

How We Communicate

A Culture of Safety

Built to Last

Frequently Asked

Process Pays Off

Let's Walk Through
Your Project Together

Our Process

Five Phases.Zero Gaps.

Detailed Timeline

Tools & Technology

How We Communicate

A Culture of Safety

Built to Last

Frequently Asked

Process Pays Off

Let's Walk ThroughYour Project Together

Five Phases.
Zero Gaps.

Let's Walk Through
Your Project Together