Success Starts Sooner Than You Think: Why Early Planning for School Facility Projects is the Most Critical Phase

K-12 Principal Steve Siegel, AIA, LEED AP was a recent guest on “Tuesdays with Tony”, hosted by Tony Solimine of Wilentz, Goldman & Spitzer, P.A. During the podcast, Steve discussed potential school facility project risks and the importance of being prepared. Rather than trying to eliminate risk altogether, which simply is not realistic, Steve encourages teams to get ahead of it.

At the beginning of a project, districts are often under pressure to define scope, budgets, and schedules quickly. However, early decisions made without verified conditions can create costly challenges later. As Steve explains, “One of the biggest risks is early decisions based on assumptions instead of verified conditions.” Without a clear and cohesive understanding of the facility, it becomes difficult to align priorities, funding, and project goals with actual site conditions.

This is especially true in older schools, where missing drawings, undocumented renovations, aging infrastructure, and years of patchwork repairs can hide significant unknowns. Both the building and the site itself can introduce challenges, from hidden conditions behind walls and ceilings to drainage issues, utility conflicts, and poor soil conditions, all of which can impact schedule and budget. These issues do not necessarily reflect poor planning; rather, they highlight the reality that new information often surfaces once construction begins. As Steve notes, “Most of the time it’s not because something was done wrong. It’s just because new information shows up after key decisions are made.”

That is why early-stage efforts such as facility assessments, predesign studies, and detailed site observations are so critical. Open communication between districts, facility staff, and design teams also plays an important role in uncovering recurring issues, past repairs, and operational concerns that may not appear in existing documentation. The more information teams can gather and share upfront, the more informed and strategic their decisions become, helping reduce surprises and costly changes later in the project.

Even with thorough facility assessments and detailed planning, some conditions may remain hidden until later in the project. When new issues arise after key decisions have been made, design changes and added costs can follow. The key is identifying challenges as early as possible, before design is finalized or bids are received, when adjustments are more manageable and cost-effective. Risk management also continues throughout construction, where flexibility becomes essential. As Steve explains, “You can reduce the risk, but not eliminate it completely…there’s never a perfect set of drawings [or] field conditions.” Including contingencies and allowances within project budgets allows teams to respond quickly to unforeseen conditions without delaying progress. In time-sensitive projects, such as summer renovations, that flexibility can make a critical difference in maintaining schedule and minimizing disruption.

The success of a project is often determined long before the first shovel hits the ground. As Steve says, “The most expensive time to discover a problem is after you’ve already decided what the solution is.” When districts slow down early, ask more questions, and build flexibility into the process, they move from reacting to problems to preparing for them. This proactive approach is one Spiezle consistently integrates into project planning, helping clients deliver projects that stay on schedule, remain within budget, and meet expectations from day one through completion.

Click here to watch the full podcast on LinkedIn.