Top Tips for Repositioning that Resonate
According to NIC, senior living occupancy was up 30 basis points in the first quarter of 2023. While the industry isn’t back in full force yet, there clearly is a need to put effort into creating cutting-edge communities of the future. When new buildings aren’t possible or practical, many owners/operators are looking to repositioning.
Lucas McCurdy, Founder & Senior Living General Contractor of The Bridge Group Construction
In our last newsletter, Pi’s Greg Hunteman and Jamie Shepard shared their insights and expertise on repositioning. “Coming out of COVID, many communities have changing needs,” Hunteman. “They have outgrown some spaces, or they may have unused spaces that could be utilized differently,” he said. Not only can renovations attract and engage residents; they also can improve staffing by increasing efficiencies and creating a workplace that has appealing amenities and a safe, comfortable environment.
Talking with Lucas McCurdy, senior living general contractor and founder of The Bridge Group Construction, we created a list of 10 considerations that need to go into successful repositioning from the contractor’s viewpoint:
Have a team of people with a deep involvement in senior living. “Senior living is specialized and has its own nuances and constraints. When you are repositioning, you want people involved to understand it’s the residents’ home. These conversations are important to get things started on the right foot,” says McCurdy.
Don’t underestimate the value of a pre-construction kick-off meeting. McCurdy says, “We have a detailed list we follow. The operator can add to or revise it, but it’s a good starting point.” He adds, “We do everything from start to finish – startup, safety protocols/procedures, staging areas, calendars, etc. We go over everything, and we want to know everything.”
Understand the importance of upfront work. It is important for the contractor, as well as the architect, to understand the operator’s vision to start the conversation and create budgets. “You really need to be strategic about how many people you send it to when you start,” McCurdy says. Each building is unique, so the same phasing plan won’t work for all communities.
Look at economies of scale. It is important for the contractor to understand the operator’s goals. Are they looking to rebrand? Do they just want a fresh look? Or do they want to create something totally different? If they are just looking to refresh, it may be possible to save some costs, for example, by using some old lighting or flooring and investing in paint and some new furniture. At the same time, it is important to use materials and products that are senior-living friendly. For instance, carpeting or flooring needs to be stain resistant and hold up under heavy traffic.
Integrate with the team as early as possible. “Time is money, so get the team together early to start the conversation,” says McCurdy. He adds, “Sometimes you need to hear things more than once to get a good grasp on their goals. Getting involved from the beginning enables you to get a grasp on all the players.” He noted that projects often go bad when relationships aren’t strong, and people don’t know each other.
Know the regulations. No one should assume that someone else is paying attention to the regulations. “It really is important to have the right architect in place who is very familiar with the state and its regulations and requirements,” McCurdy says, stressing that each state and municipality has its own rules and regulations and it’s important how these things come together.
Flexibility is key. Being inflexible can cost time and money. Having a team with relationships with suppliers can help when, for instance, the light fixtures you want aren’t available. At the same time, McCurdy says, “Lean on your team to be proactive and identify and solve problems early on.” Don’t rush to get started; look realistically at lead times.
Maintain constant communication. Even if you are confident, you’ve got all your ducks in a row when construction starts, it’s still important to maintain ongoing communication with the team. McCurdy says, “We do daily reporting, and we are onsite and provide logs so people can state updated along with the and know about any new issues or decisions.” That level of communication is important, and everything needs to be documented so that you can go back and check or review details at any time or track any decision or change to its origin.
Repositioning can be rewarding, productive, and cost-effective effort when the right players are on the team, and everyone has a common vision and understands their individual roles. McCurdy says, “We get to be part of a community’s stories while we’re there, and that’s really rewarding.”
Hunteman noted, “Every project is different, and the team needs to consider the impact of repositioning will have on residents and staff alike; and resident comfort and safety need to be priorities.” Plan ahead, he stressed. For instance, if the dining hall will be closed or moved, there needs to be an acceptable and clearly communicated alternative; or if water or power will be shut off, everyone needs to be notified well in advance.
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