Independent building consultant guides new construction project from A to Z

'Shoemaker stick to your last' - goes the well-known saying. If you, as a client, have no experience in supervising a construction project, it's best to call on an external specialist who can relieve you of all your worries. That's how DICTATOR Productie B.V. enlisted the services of independent construction consultant Freek Lammers to oversee the realization of its new building in the De Munt industrial estate in Emmeloord. The first pile for this building with production, assembly, warehouse, offices, training rooms and showroom was driven on December 7, 2020 and the move followed about a year later.

DICTATOR Productie B.V. has been specializing in the production of door catchers, door closers, spring hinges and door hold-openers for almost 90 years and has been part of the international DICTATOR group with headquarters in Neusäß, southern Germany, since 1988. "The previous premises dated back to 1965 and had been expanded and modernized several times over the years. Due to the expansion of the machinery, however, the available space had become too small and the management decided to build new premises in industrial zone De Munt, also in Emmeloord. There, a plot of approximately 13,000 m² was purchased," Lammers says. "The people at DICTATOR are specialists in their field, but 'building' is not their core business. However, they wanted everything to be in order down to the smallest details and started looking for someone who could relieve them of their worries and supervise the construction project. That's how they ended up with me."

Production, assembly, offices and showroom

As a construction manager, Lammers has more than 20 years of experience assisting business owners and individuals with remodeling and new construction plans. "I support the client in the design phase and maintain contacts with the drawing office, structural engineer, municipality and other parties involved.    

I also take care of the permit applications. I then compare contractors' offers, conclude contracts and provide support in the procurement process. In the execution phase, I am responsible for, among other things, construction supervision, site supervision, interim inspections and final acceptance inspection. Finally, the builder also does not have to worry about the final financial settlement. In short: a relief from A to Z," Lammers explains. "This new construction project consisted of an office area of 1,000 m² in two floors that also included a showroom and training rooms. In addition came 3,500 m² of industrial halls, divided into a machine hall for production and a hall for the assembly and storage of semi-finished products."

The office area consists of a load-bearing steel structure with HSB walls and system floors. The facade combines masonry and large areas of glass, which provide transparency and light. Solar control glazing and screens prevent overheating inside. A steel structure and steel roof panels form the basis of the industrial hall. The concrete floor was cast in-situ and finished with a coating tailored to the intensive use of production, assembly and warehouse. The facade consists of a concrete plinth with a metal box structure above. "The entire construction project with Aannemersbedrijf v.d. Heijkant as main contractor was realized in 10 months. This was followed by the furnishing of the rooms. On December 7, 2020, the first pile was struck and on December 1, 2021, DICTATOR employees could start working in their new premises. Good coordination between the various construction partners was crucial to bringing this project to a successful conclusion," Lammers concludes. "We also paid a lot of attention to sustainability and energy efficiency. The new building is energy-neutral and uses energy-efficient air treatment systems and underfloor heating, among other things. We also integrated charging stations for electric cars and over 600 solar panels on the lot. This project is fully prepared for the future."