Mistakes to avoid!

 

Mistake #1. Failure to conduct a needs analysis.
Yes, you realize you need more space. But what kind of space do you need? Can existing space be utilized, or will you have to add to your building? Do you have the land to expand?
These questions and others should be answered during a needs analysis or feasibility study. Such a study should be done by an architect before any other phase- even before the selection of an architect to design your plans.
"Having a professional outside source do a "needs and feasibility" study allows a better overall picture view of the church's requirements now, and for several years out, says Alan Stroh of Renaissance Church Consultants LLC. "Once a congregation gets beyond their emotions and personal areas of concern, they can see the overall picture. Otherwise, you can end up with a church poorly designed by committee."
Stroh cautions pastors not to confuse "planning" with buying a set of plans. "Planning," he explains, "is taking us from where we are to where we want to be. A plan- the drawing of a building- is where most architects want to start. The architect asks, ‘What do you want to build?' What most churches need is someone to ask, ‘How can we help you determine your needs?'"
"Don't think of building what you need now," says Johnson. "Plan to build what you will need five years from now." Johnson explains that shortly after the first phase of St. James' building was finished in 1988, they were already overcrowded in classroom space. Wise use of space above several rooms allowed for a temporary solution until the second phase could begin in 1996.
"Build a building that can be added onto," says Johnson. "Start from the end- what you want it all to look like- and work back. Picture what the whole campus should look like after all the phases are completed."
"A healthy church will grow," says Johnson enthusiastically. "Build your church to accommodate growth."
back to top

Mistake #2. Selecting the wrong architect or builder.
Stroh believes it is imperative to choose a Christian church architect.
"His Christian perspective allows him to ask the right questions," Stroh says, "and his expertise in churches allows him to understand the use of your building. After all, a building is a tool for use in your ministry. The fellow down the block who designs strip malls won't have the proper understanding of your needs, no matter the depth of his faith."
Ward chose a Christian builder and trusted that as a Christian he would do everything in an upright manner. Now he wishes he had not been so trusting. The contractor was using money given him by Ward's church to pay subcontractors on other jobs. Money soon ran out for Ward's project.
"If he had been a secular contractor," says Ward, "we would have held his feet to the fire. Now I know that just because a worker is Christian doesn't mean we should fail to hold him accountable. Set up procedures and then stick to them. Don't take excuses."
Ward admits he did not check the builder's references closely enough. He suggests checking the two or three most recent projects completed by the builder rather than ones done several years ago.
"If he has any history of late payments," warns Ward, "you don't want anything to do with him, whether he is the lowest bidder or not."
Stroh warns about attempting to use builders within the congregation itself, and bringing in the builder after plan completion. "For the same reasons as above, it is best to use someone outside the church for the project. Also, be sure your builder, or preferably, your construction manager, is on board early on. This will streamline the design and building process and save money when all "three legs" of the stool are present early in the process."
back to top

Mistake #3. Relying on the architect's cost estimate.
Scott Rolfs, assistant vice president with B. C. Ziegler and Co., a firm specializing in church financing of large-dollar ($1 million or more) projects, sees this problem arise constantly.
"We look at any number of multi-million dollar projects every week," he says. "The architect tells the church it is a $1.2 million to $1.5 million project; then the bids come back from the builders 10 to 20 percent higher. The problem is the pastor has sold the congregation on the architect's price. The congregation gets ‘sticker shock' when they are told what it will really cost to build."
Then there are the costs not written into the original plans that can end up adding tens of thousands of dollars to the project- or shutting it down completely. Things not foreseen by the architect, such as street improvements or the addition of a traffic light can drastically increase the overall cost.
Stroh's firm, Renaissance Church Consultants LLC, has an answer to this issue. "We have a plethora of stock plans available for sale and modification to save the churches money" Stroh says. "To help determine actual construction costs, we can provide the church for a nominal price a ‘full set sample plan' of the church they like, or one similar in size and scope, which they can put out for bid. This verifies the project being within the required budget without the need for a preliminary design or construction drawing contract."
back to top

Mistake #4. Improper site selection.
Proper site selection is the key, says Ward. "It makes all the difference," he insists. "We chose a site on a high-traffic road. We get a lot of visitors just from drive-bys."
But it is a much more difficult chore than it was a decade or so ago.
"Gone are the days when you could just go out, buy a chunk of land and build a church on it," says Stroh. "Now there are numerous environmental and zoning issues to deal with."
Stroh and Rolfs both stress the importance of the completion of an environmental study before bidding on property. "It's the best insurance you can buy," insists Rolfs. "It's comparable to having a home inspection before buying a residence. The Phase One environmental study tells if there are contaminants on the property. The owner is responsible for the proper removal of these contaminants, whether or not he is the originator of the hazard. And the removal of these wastes can be very costly."
The cost of the Phase One study, according to Rolfs, covers a broad range. "Sometimes you can get the seller to pay," he says. Stroh suggests you check with local planning commissions to see exactly what environmental studies should be undertaken before deciding on a piece of land, and what zoning issues you will confront. "This is another reason for purchasing a ‘full set sample plan'", says Stroh. "The planning commission will have a greater level of comfort if they can see what the church is thinking of building".
back to top

Mistake #5. Failure to plan for adequate parking.
"Leave room for growth," is the advice of Rolfs. "If your lot is full, visitors won't stop." Ward knows this to be true. They have been in their new building for only two years, and already their parking is overflowing.
"We have 20 cars a week parking across the street," says Ward. "On Easter Sunday it was more than 40."
Most city zoning codes call for a ratio of 1 car to every 4 seats when it comes to planning parking. But both Ward and Stroh believe a more realistic ratio is 1-to-2 or 1-to-2.5. "If the sanctuary is a touch crowded but the message is good, folks will return. But, if they can't find a parking spot, you have lost them" says Stroh.
back to top

Mistake #6. Unrealistic projection of income or inadequate cash on hand.
This sixth mistake can easily outweigh all the others up to this point. You can have great planning, great drawings, a beautiful and environmentally friendly site, and room for all the cars Ford will make in a year. Yet without proper financing, all your plans will lie in a drawer gathering dust.
"Most churches start by talking about their needs," states Stroh. "They should start by talking about their financial health and capabilities. Based on the size of the church, how much money can they realistically raise and borrow?"
Stroh continues "The church financing game has changed. A church can no longer afford to keep financing as a final afterthought. It must be done very early in the process. As little as two years ago, money was easier to get and lending requirements were more relaxed. Now the project equity percentage has risen dramatically, as well as documented disposable cash needed for payments."
"Church financing has become so difficult and so specialized that I no longer hazard a guess on a congregation's ability to borrow" says Stroh. "I have professional associates that work specifically in these areas. I introduce them to the church and work from their conclusions."
Stroh adds "If your church isn't in some sort of formal capital campaign, lending institutions view this as the congregation not being committed to the project. Congregations must remember that financial institutions are no longer looking for reasons to say ‘Yes', they are looking for reasons to say ‘No'."
Rolfs also encourages churches to be realistic about the sale of their existing site. "Church properties don't turn quickly," he says. "The normal marketing time for church property is 8 to 30 months. And, if you are in a smaller town, your prospects are limited."
back to top

Mistake #7. Getting on the bad side of city government.
According to Stroh, zoning issues for churches are getting more difficult every day.
"I think its Satan's last attempt to retard the growth of the church," he says. "Churches don't add to the tax base, therefore most planning commissions have minimal incentive to be assistive."
Says Johnson, "You never want to make the city your enemy.
"We've taken huge shots from the city. Fifty thousand dollars to install storm water management when we first built, another $75,000 during our second phase to correct it. They said it wasn't up to specs- but it was their specs we followed in the first place!"
Ward concurs, "We've had mega-problems with the city. They are extremely inflexible and legalistic." It would seem that "friends" like these could easily become your enemies.
"Be sure your testimony extends to the city," exhorts Johnson. "We're here to minister to the city. We pray for the city officials."
"This is one area we did right," exclaims Ward. "We responded to objections raised at the zoning board hearing. There were concerns raised about drainage, so we made improvements to the plans that helped the situation in the whole neighborhood. We didn't have to do that, but it created a win-win situation. And if the city leaders want to take all the credit, let them!"
back to top

Mistake #8. Allowing the project to overwhelm your life.
The very week Don Ward was to witness the dedication of his new church building to the service of the Lord, he almost left the church.
"I got too emotionally involved," he says. "I felt I was carrying it all on my back. As a result, my wife and I felt burned out. I had a job offer the week before our dedication service." He turned it down and is glad today he did.
"It would have been a mistake," he admits. "We have had dramatic growth since the dedication. I just didn't have a good infrastructure under me in the church. Now we are talking expansion again, but I won't make the same mistake. I've told the church, ‘If you want to build, you do the work.' I'm not even going to all the meetings."
back to top

Mistake #9. Not praying for the construction workers.
How easy it is for us to miss opportunities to see God work right in front of us each day! Johnson was able to see God's faithfulness in answering prayer as the first phase of St. James was being built in 1988.
"We prayed for the safety of the workers everyday," says Johnson. "One afternoon a carpenter put his foot through the roof and fell what would have been about 40 feet. He reached out and grabbed a beam in the sanctuary. One of our members walked in right then and was able to get him down. What a miracle from our Lord! And that worker was in church the next Sunday."
Perhaps not the ideal church growth method, but if it works...
back to top

Mistake #10. Waiting to celebrate until the building is complete.
Johnson tells how his church celebrated the completion of various steps. For instance, when they had completed their fund-raiser for the second construction phase, the church hosted a catered dinner at a nice restaurant for all the adults in the congregation. They held an "Enlarge the "Harvest" concert one Friday night just to gather the members in an attitude of praise to God for His faithfulness thus far in the project.
"And celebrate big when you finish," suggests Johnson. "Be sure to recognize all those who helped make it possible."
back to top

Mistake # 11. Ordering that "On Sale for a Limited Time Steel Building Package"
Many church boards are lured into the possibility of saving a substantial amount of money by ordering a "package deal" offered by steel building dealers. In many instances, the building package has a limited number of door and window openings; any additional openings create a heavy additional charge or surcharge.
These buildings are usually designed as a single story open structure with a warehouse effect. The surcharge for increasing the steel sizes to accommodate for future second floor expansions is again very heavy. The steel members and panels that create the exterior walls may also need to be re-sized depending on the requirements of the final exterior finish whether it is brick masonry, stucco, etc. We have assisted several churches that have purchased these "package deals" only to discover the costs to upgrade doubles or triples the original price for what they want or need. These costs can equal or surpass regular steel building quotes.
Some churches have purchased these kits without having the land to build upon. It is much wiser to build from the ground up, than to buy a box and build from the inside out.
back to top

Mistake # 12. Failing to understand the need or value of a Registered Architect.
Lots of people will spend time to sketch and draw their building themselves, planning for all they need in their church. Folks also purchase "uncertified"drawings because their particular jurisdiction doesn't require certification.
Even if your jurisdiction doesn't require certification, there is an inspector waiting to red tag your project. When a city or county says "Not Required", it's their way of kicking it upstairs. Somewhere up the line, ending with the State Fire Marshal, someone needs to see those certifications and approve those drawings.
With today's national codes for construction, energy compliance, ADA accessibility, fire suppression, life safety... the list goes on and on. A licensed architect and engineer registered in your state eliminates these issues, for once they stamp and certify your drawings, they accept responsibility for complying to these codes. And remember, these codes are a moving target and subject to interpretation. Don't spend dollars to save pennies... make sure your architect and engineer agree to cover revisions to compensate for differing code interpretations.
back to top

 

 

The Church Plans offered on this site are provided as a service of:

Church Development Services, LLC
Copyright © 2011 All rights reserved
Privacy Statement