As the nation’s largest builder of warehouse and distribution space, ARCO is a trusted warehouse contractor for clients nationwide. ARCO is expertly capable of providing the best, most cost-effective solutions for clients’ warehouse design and construction needs. From speculative developments to large scale distribution facilities for e-commerce end-users, CPGs, and 3PL providers, ARCO has the experience and expertise needed to help developers and owners achieve a successful warehouse development, regardless of complexity or scale.
DESIGN-BUILD SOLUTIONS FOR SUCCESSFUL WAREHOUSE CONSTRUCTION
ARCO’s design/build delivery method provides customers with go to contract pricing based on in-house preliminary design at no cost. Contact us today for more information: [email protected]
EXPERTISE FROM A LEADING WAREHOUSE CONTRACTOR
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MILLION
square feet of space constructed for distribution clientele
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PROJECTS
currently under construction in 38 states nationwide
Being design-build experts with a focus on warehouse development, we felt very comfortable in choosing ARCO as the contractor for Marcus Partners’ first ground-up industrial warehouse. With national offices and subcontractors, they were able to use their resources to secure the most competitive pricing and vendors. The result was an on time, on budget, fully leased Class A industrial warehouse to add to our growing portfolio.
Josh Berman
Senior Vice President of Construction, Marcus Partners
WAREHOUSE DESIGN & CONSTRUCTION CONSIDERATIONS
When it comes to warehouse construction, there are many design and construction details that must be considered to achieve a successful development. Floor systems, exterior wall types, structure, bay sizing, building systems, and site design are all elements that should be explored in the earliest stages of a project to ensure the most functional and cost-effective facility.
Space utilization, pre-existing site conditions, schedule needs, and more can all play a role in determining the most advantageous option for each of these elements. Partnering with an experienced contractor that is actively engaged throughout the design and beginning stages of a project will ensure that the very best design and construction decisions are made, resulting in a superior finished product and the very best customer experience.
Choosing the proper floor system for a warehouse requires the knowledge of concrete types, site dynamics, and how a space will be utilized. Concrete floors can be reinforced or un-reinforced, formulated to be freezer/cooler compatible, shrinkage compensating, and specific to the floor loading and equipment path needs of the user. The needs of the user should be established in the earliest stages of the project to determine the most advantageous floor system choice.
Exterior wall type selection for warehouses is often based on building size, schedule needs, and exterior façade preferences. For larger warehouse facilities, uninsulated concrete panels poured onsite are typically the most cost-effective, and almost any exterior siding, cladding, or veneer can be applied to the outward facing portion. Precast panels are produced offsite year-round and installed prior to floor slab, making them the ideal choice in some circumstances in which schedule restraints are a concern.
When determining the structure of a warehouse facility, roof loads, wall cladding, and storage heights must be considered. Steel joists, girders, and column structures can be engineered to span almost any distance and designed to support significant roof loads. Pre-engineered metal buildings can accommodate almost any wall cladding including insulated metal panels, precast concrete panels, and block/masonry. For warehouses in which large storage heights are necessary, a rack supported structure may be the most appropriate. Rack supported structures maximize warehouse footprint space and are typically associated with AS/RS facilities.
Bay sizing and racking layout options and standards are also important considerations in warehouse construction. Racking layouts, aisle sizes, and travel paths for forklifts are determined based on the width and clear height of the building. A warehouse contractor with the proper knowledge of industry standards regarding these factors is crucial to successful warehouse construction and the overall functionality of the facility.
Dock types, sizes, and specifications must also be determined in the design phase of a warehouse construction project. Owners can choose between mechanical and hydraulic docks based on their functionality needs. Additional building systems that must be considered include electrical service, HVAC, fire protection, and lighting. In addition to evaluating options and standards associated with these systems, it is also critical to understand code requirements to avoid design change orders and occupancy delays.
When it comes to site design, there are several rules of thumb regarding car parking per square foot, truck parking per square foot, docks per square foot, and office space per square foot. There are also standard dimensions for dock aprons, truck drive, truck parking, car parking, and drive aisles. Partnering with an experienced warehouse contractor will ensure that a warehouse facility’s site is designed to utilize the space in the most efficient and functional way possible.
Additionally, the increased competition for prime site locations has made challenging sites the new norm. ARCO’s site feasibility services empower clients to select the very best site for their facility. By providing site-specific cost information prior to construction, ARCO helps clients make decisions with full knowledge of their impact on cost and schedule.
ARCO’s design-build approach is unique in that we offer preliminary design at no cost to our customers to remove the risk of substantial upfront expense. Our project delivery method combines quality of design and construction, management of capital expense, and adherence to schedule into a single point of responsibility. As a result, our customers reap the benefits of total integration. Our team of design-build construction experts effectively gains an understanding of each client’s business and analyzes the key components to reduce exposure and provide the best value to clients.
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DELIVERY
33% faster overall delivery
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SPEED
12% faster construction
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BUDGET
6% less total cost
