When building a state-of-the-art environmental science campus on the seaside bluff of a national marine sanctuary, 1888-founded General Contractor, Swinerton Builders, leveraged Multivista’s construction progress photography and documentation service to capture construction milestones and regular progress throughout this complex state-funded build.
Swinerton’s Project Manager, Jeff Stephenson, originally planned to leverage Multivista to meet the construction project’s progress photography requirement but found significant additional benefits throughout the 24-month project.
progress & milestone images
total savings
month project
rework savings (backing)
rework savings (rust)
salary time savings
hours/week saved for PEs
Building a state-of-the-art environmental science campus on the seaside bluff of a national marine sanctuary presented unique challenges. The multi-use facility included both laboratories and offices for school personnel, requiring precise documentation of critical in-wall systems.
The coastal location exposed all building elements to a corrosive, salt-water atmosphere, creating additional concerns around material integrity and proper installation verification. With remote project stakeholders involved, providing regular project updates was critical without tying up on-site resources.
The Owner needed visual confirmation that critical elements like wall backing for cabinet installations were properly completed, but verifying these elements after drywall installation would require costly destructive investigation.
Swinerton Builders leveraged Multivista’s construction progress photography and MEP Exact-Built service to capture construction milestones and critical in-wall systems before coverup. The documentation provided date-stamped, location-indexed images that served as a comprehensive visual record of every construction phase.
When the Owner’s Representative needed to verify backing installation after being away on vacation, Stephenson used Multivista’s progress photos to show the time lapse of rooms from wall framing install to final paint, clearly demonstrating proper backing installation without any destructive investigation.
When an inspector noted rusting on exposed steel due to the corrosive coastal atmosphere, the date-stamped photos proved the rust had been removed before painting proceeded, avoiding the need to strip and repaint.
Multivista’s team of construction photo documentation specialists captured just under 12,000 progress and milestone images throughout the 24-month project, enabling Swinerton to share real-time construction progress without tying up critical resources.
The documentation delivered approximately $40,000 in total savings across three key areas: $15,000 in avoided rework from destructive verification of backing installation, $12,000 in avoided costs from proving rust removal without stripping and repainting steel, and $10,000 in salary time savings by reducing PE hours spent on photo documentation by approximately two hours per week over the project duration.
Each lab and office in the building required wall-hung cabinets, so proper backing was crucial for the stability of the casework install. During the casework install, the Owner’s Representative was away on vacation and, upon their return, they wanted to make sure that a number of important rooms had the backing installed per plans.
Instead of slowing the construction process down and tearing out freshly-painted drywall, Stephenson used Multivista’s progress photos to show the time lapse of the rooms in question – from wall framing install to final paint. The photos clearly showed the backing installed at the proper locations.
Estimated rework savings: $15,000
The project was on the coastline of the Pacific Ocean, which exposed all building elements to a corrosive, salt-water atmosphere. An inspector noted some rusting on exposed steel on the jobsite. The team removed the noted rust, and the painter moved forward painting the steel.
When the inspector returned and questioned the rust removal, Stephenson showed the inspector Multivista’s date-stamped and location-indexed images captured the day after the rust was removed. As a result, work did not need to stop.
Estimated rework savings: $12,000
“For us, it’s a no-brainer to have an unbiased independent party creating a comprehensive photographic record of construction progress.”
“I would recommend this tool on every job and to every owner…”
“Thoroughly documenting the rough conditions of a finished space to show compliance allows us to give our client peace of mind and adhere to the demands of the project schedule. Multivista has been instrumental in this way by capturing the in-wall and above-ceiling in an organized fashion.”
“I would recommend Multivista to any PM, contractor or owner seeking to reduce project risks and save time and money on their construction projects.”
“I have had the pleasure of using Multivista’s services on two projects now and the experience just keeps getting better. Multivista’s photo documentation services provide me all of the as-built information and protection I need in a professional platform without tying up a member of my staff. I fully intend to use them on every project in the future.”
“Multivista’s platform is easy to use and allows us to solve issues quickly and efficiently. It provides you with the peace of mind to go through your process and get your building done. We can’t recommend Multivista enough.”
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