What is a Cannabis Construction Consultant?

If you are building or remodeling a facility to grow or process cannabis, a cannabis construction consultant may be your best friend. The industry is relatively new, and regulations, which can vary by state, county, and city, are evolving much more rapidly than in other industries. Hiring an experienced industry professional/consultant will help you avoid some of the common pitfalls that can slow your project, or even bring it to a financially devastating halt.

How to Choose a Cannabis Construction Consultant

The cannabis industry is worth billions of dollars, and that means a lot of people want to cash in on it. This means some folks may use unscrupulous tactics to win your business and your hard-earned cash. It’s wise to follow a few steps that are proven to result in making better choices.

Cannabis Construction Experience

Of course, you want someone with solid experience and a history of success. The length of experience is going to vary some, depending on how long cannabis has been legal in your region. In California, for example, it’s relatively easy to find established cannabis construction consultants that bring years of experience. In Maryland, it may be more of a challenge to find local consultants, as the industry is in its infancy in that state.

Further Considerations for Choosing a Cannabis Construction Consultant

You should also look into your prospective consultant’s reputation in the industry and talk to some of their previous clients. This is a time when participating in local industry groups is valuable. You can use your network to find vendors that are recommended by people you know and trust.

Consider whether your prospective cannabis construction consultant is willing and able to put up a bond if they are the direct building contractor, or if they work with building contractors who will put up a bond. Construction bonds are there to protect you, the owner, from issues of non-performance, default, or warrantee issues.

A cannabis construction consultant should help keep your project running on time and within budget. When selecting your consultant, ask for statistics about their completion dates and their success rate of delivering projects within the proposed budgets.

Benefits of Working with a Cannabis Construction Consultant

A good construction consultant will keep your project on track. They can also help you rescue a project that has gone off the rails and help you regain lost time and minimize future costly problems. Cannabis construction consultants are more than project managers. They will also make sure your project meets the crucial requirements that apply to the specific functions of your facility. Whether you’re an indoor grow, a processor, a dispensary, or a combination that you envision as a tourist destination site, there will be a host of considerations. A cannabis construction consultant will know other industry professionals and can introduce you to other consultants who will help you get the most from other aspects of your business.

Regulatory Compliance in Cannabis Construction

As a growth industry, cannabis regulations change quickly and vary based on location and who is interpreting the standards. Particularly for those folks who are planning extraction labs, regulatory compliance is an absolute necessity for your future success. A good team of consultants can help you get it right the first time. You’ll save time and money in the long run.

Life Safety in Cannabis Facility Design and Construction

Life safety is a critical subsection of the strong regulations surrounding cannabis. This is particularly true for cannabis processors using any kind of solvents. The regulations for location, setbacks, storage, ventilation, and alarm systems are quite strict and have been a stumbling block for many new businesses as they seek occupancy permits. An experienced cannabis construction consultant will be well-versed in the regulations and will advise you on how best to meet them. They may also be able to communicate directly with local authorities to smooth out any potential problems before they slow down your schedule.

CE+C Cannabis Construction Administration

In addition to engineering and design services, at CE+C, we are experienced in construction administration. We have a long history of leading multi-disciplinary teams to create the facility that will be the foundation of your business. Click for a full list of our services.

Our parent company has thousands of completed projects, and nearly 40 years of engineering, managing projects that can amount to nearly $1M dollars. With all of this background, we are still small enough to give you personal attention and service. We like to think we offer you the best of both worlds.