Raise your hand if you like having working toilets. We like them too. This is why, at Eclipse Building Corp., we understand the importance of having good dynamics between the teams working plumbing, electric, and HVAC during a construction or renovation project.

Electricity: First things first: Always prioritize the workers’ safety. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has plenty of information about conductor installation, voltage, current capacity, labeling equipment, and working clearances. Following these specifications is essential to prevent fires, explosions, and/or electrocution. Nobody wants to start a project with a tragedy. When hiring a contractor, make sure they are in compliance with all Department of Labor and OSHA specifications.

Plumbing: Potable water and elimination of human waste: The two most basic needs of any civilized society. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), tanks should have an overflow capacity, and pressure vessels should have release valves. WHO also warns about additional plumbing precautions that are necessary in locations where food is processed, such as restaurants and warehouses.

HVAC: For you non-construction people, this means heating, ventilation, and air conditioning. You’re welcome. The safety and functionality requirements will vary according to climate and humidity levels. The last thing you need in a balmy environment like Florida is mold, so take precautions such as replacing your air filters every three months, and regularly inspecting ducts.

All of these elements have to work cohesively to ensure that your construction or renovation project runs smoothly. Therefore, it’s important to coordinate their installations together. This will allow them to foresee any potential issues and correct them as the project moves forward, instead of waiting for the… chocolate pudding to hit the fan once everything is completed.

At Eclipse Building Corp., we make sure that everything works the way it’s supposed to. Contact us and let’s discuss how we can make your vision a reality. We’ll be happy to help.

How many of you played with Legos, Building Blocks, or Tonka when you were a kid? There is something inherently fascinating about building something from scratch, or taking down an outdated façade to replace it with something more inviting and modern.

But starting either a construction or renovation project is not as easy as deciding to do it and getting it done. It involves complex steps such as feasibility studies, constructability reviews, putting together bid packages, conducting due diligence and site surveys… The list is long; and unless you hire the right team to oversee it all, you’re going to end up with either a string of migraines or a series of lawsuits.

Why a constructability review?

At the risk of sounding redundant, this type of review provides your team with an overview of the project and the most efficient ways to get it done. It will also save you money in the long run. For example:

1. This is when a review of all applicable building, safety, and environmental codes get taken into account to ensure compliance.

2. Since it provides contractors with a comprehensive analysis of the project, it allows the team to create an outline of what needs to get done, and the chronological order and deadlines for getting it done. This means potential issues can be identified and resolved before having them cause interruptions that result in additional costs and delays.

3. It keeps clients happy in the sense that they can get a timeline of when the project will be completed. They, in turn, get to schedule grand openings, or any other event to notify the public that they are open for business.

Getting an efficient constructability review requires more than just familiarity with construction terms. This is when practical experience is invaluable. There are only so many things a person can learn from a book. In addition to theory, Eclipse Building Corp. has years of experience that can be used to your advantage if you give us the chance to do so. Contact us and let’s talk about your project.

Living in the Sunshine State, we are no strangers to being surrounded by beautiful things: white sand beaches, palm trees, lakes everywhere, gorgeous sunrises and sunsets, ocean and bay views… You get the picture. This is why so many renowned architects have chosen our home to erect their creations.

1. The Skyway Bridge: Kicking off our list is a construction in our very own Tampa Bay. What better way to remind drivers to forget the stresses of life and work and just relax, than by having ocean views from both sides of the car? The same way that driving down the Courtney Campbell Causeway can make you feel like you’re on vacation, the Skyway Bridge amps up the excitement by making you feel like you’re climbing your way to heaven.

2. St. Augustine: If you travel to the old town of any European city (or if you go to San Juan, Puerto Rico), chances are high that you’d feel charmed by he cobblestone streets and historic buildings and fortresses. And we get to be lucky enough to have a similar environment in our very own State. From Victorian Inns to horse drawn carriages, when you visit St. Augustine’s historic district, you feel like you’ve traveled through time.

3. Dalí Museum: Making our way back to our Bay Area, St. Petersburg waterfront real estate boasts the Dalí Museum. From its impressive glass dome, to the maze right next door to it, you almost feel like you’ve stepped into one of the famous surrealist artist’s paintings. And it’s not just the outside of the building. Walking inside and looking up at the giant spiral staircase underneath the glass dome is a bit reminiscent of being at the Louvre in Paris.

4. Lewis House: Moving on to Tallahassee, Frank Lloyd Wright’s Lewis House aka the Spring House. From the outside, it looks like a ship moored on dry land. From the inside, you feel like you are in some sort of medieval room in the middle of a forest. And honestly, how fun does that sound?

5. Ca’d’zan Mansion: Speaking of medieval, Sarasota is the proud home to Ca’d’zan Mansion, a structure that reflects a perfect cohesion between the riads of Morocco and the medieval castles of Europe.

The truth is that when it comes to architecture, we have nothing to envy of other places. With a creative design, an original vision, and a team of experts working together, you can take a construction idea and turn it into an extraordinary project. And when it comes to hiring a contractor who will make sure that your projects come out as stellar as you envision, Eclipse Building Corp. is ready to help you.

Unless you were born with a silver spoon in your mouth, you probably like to be practical about how you spend your money. Maybe you opened your business 10 years ago, and since you’re profitable, you’re not caring much about upkeeping the façade. And this may be ok if you are renting or own space in a beautiful location.

But what if you originally chose that location because it was the only one you could afford when you first opened your doors? If you have the means for an upgrade now, you might want to consider remodeling your business. If you’re not sure if it’s the time to do so, consider the following:

Optics: In an age of instant gratification and social media, it’s common knowledge that image is everything. If you visit two different law firms to help you draft a business contract, and one of them looks like it should be featured in Architectural Digest, and the other one looks like the headquarters for a cockroach convention, which one would you hire?

Employee Morale: When you read about the coolest places to work at, Google, Facebook, and Mindvalley always top the list. And it’s not because they have ping pong tables or offer free lunches (although I’m sure that also has a lot to do with it). But people spend the vast majority of waking hours at the office. Look around. If your workers remind you of Joe from Joe vs. the Volcano, you have to be proactive. Study your layout and color scheme carefully. If it looks like a prison or like your grandma’s kitchen in 1962, it’s time for a facelift. Even Forbes agrees with it.

Increased Profits: At the end of the day, profits are the reason you’re in business. Even if you’ve been around for a while and have a handful of loyal customers, competition will continue to pop up at a steady pace. So you need to stay relevant. One of those ways is to renovate your storefront. The return on your investment might be worth it.

Whether you’re ready to get your renovation project started, or would just like to consult with construction experts about its viability and other related issues, at Eclipse Building Corp, we are ready to assist you. Give us a call. You have nothing to lose and a lot to gain.

What did you want to be when you grew up? Most of us had an ideal career choice in our minds when we were barely old enough to ride a bicycle. Whether the projected decision had to do with what our parents did for a living, or what we thought would be the most fun, it was good to dream of the future before adult responsibilities such as bills and supporting a family got in the way.

Fast forward to the current times. A whopping 70% of Americans hate their jobs. Are you one of them? Or are you about to finish school and unsure about your next step? If construction has never been on your radar, below is a list of the top reasons why it might be a beneficial option to pursue:

1. There are available jobs: Millennials make about 40% of unemployment recipients. The problem isn’t that they don’t want to work. The problem is that in this economy, it’s difficult to find a job. Meanwhile, there are over 200,000 construction jobs that need to be filled. This means that unlike over saturated markets, such as the legal field and teaching, once you graduate, there will be available positions to be filled.

2. There are plenty of roles: If you like manual labor and being in the middle of the action, you can be a construction worker. If you’re a nerd, you can go into construction engineering. If you’re into math and accounting, you could be a quantity surveyor. If you like knowing the big picture and coming up with the details to make it happen, you could be a project manager.

3. There’s no time to get bored: We’ve all had those jobs where we constantly look at the clock and wonder if it’s even working. Or jobs where customers are calling all day to complain. Or jobs where you have to do the same exact thing for an 8 hour shift and you can feel your mind getting numb. Construction provides you with different projects that will keep you busy, away from that ringing phone with petty whiners, and with plenty of variety.

4. What you do matters: Ask your friends whether they think what they do at work every day has a significant impact on others’ lives. Granted, a doctor will say yes. *Some* lawyers can honestly answer yes. Teachers get a big, resounding yes. And with construction, you get to join that club of people who do important stuff. The construction industry is essential. Thanks to it, we have places to live, work, and party.

When you’re happy with what you do, it shows; not only in your end product, but also in your quality of life. At Eclipse Building Corp., we love what we do, and have plenty of projects that reflect that. If you’re interested in pursuing a career in the construction industry, we highly encourage it. If you’re not, but need a construction or renovation project, we are your people. Contact us, and let’s get things started.

If you own a restaurant, you know you have to pour your heart and soul into your business. Long working hours, a million things on your To Do List; plus being in compliance with the D.B.P.R. regulations and making sure your employees are all on the same page.

And sometimes, there is one extra item that somehow crept its way onto your extensive wish list: Remodeling your business space. And that’s a great idea. The benefits of giving your restaurant a face lift are many.

But before you get started, there are several things you have to keep in mind to have a successful remodeling project.

1. Review the terms of your business lease: There is nothing that will put a damper on your plans like getting all excited about getting a project started, only to find out that you can’t do what you want to do. If you need assistance in figuring out esoteric construction terms, Eclipse Building Corp. can help you review the document and see what you can do under the existing terms.

2. Your budget. You know how you set aside a specific amount of money for your project? Try setting aside a bit more, because chances are high that additional expenses are going to come up. Prioritize what is non-negotiable, and if the trivialities are racking up your bill beyond what you can realistically spend, modify accordingly.

3. Your target market: Do you cater to hipsters? Make sure you keep a nerd vibe going on in your dining room. Maybe include a few abstract artworks on the walls, or play 90s music from indie bands. It may be your restaurant, but it’s also theirs. If your clientele fits another description, integrate their preferences into your design. Make them feel at home and give them a reason to keep returning.

4. Hire the right construction management firm: This is not the area to scrimp. If you hire a contractor who’s going to cut corners, you’re going to spend a whole lot more money trying to get their mistakes fixed. Research their credentials, look at their past projects, seek out references and reviews.

Eclipse Building Corp. can help you in every step of your renovation project, from planning, to reviewing your lease, to construction, to post-renovation maintenance. Call us and find out firsthand what it is to work with a company whose modus operandi is excellence. Your business and your guests will appreciate it.