2 September 2026, 09:03 PM
We recently finished a church construction project, and it certainly presented unexpected challenges compared to my usual commercial work. I thought I’d pass on what I learned to anyone doing similar bidding and ask for ideas for the situation we encountered.
The most significant issue we faced was that the approval process took much longer than expected. Instead of requesting the approval of one client on the drawing, we had to refer to a whole building committee, so each decision seemed to require a vote, so the process was very slow.
We also had to consider acoustics in our planning, which wasn’t on my radar screen. A consultant was hired halfway through the project due to complications caused by the size and acoustics of the sanctuary. The experience taught me that it’s best to find a consultant earlier.
Another surprise was that we had to work around the schedule of the site as they didn’t want to completely stop the services during construction.
Anyway — curious if anyone else here has done church or religious builds and how you dealt with committee-style decision making vs a normal single client. Feels like a totally different animal.
The experience also made me realize that bidding a religious facility requires looking beyond the physical construction itself. There is often a much larger group of people involved in the project, and their priorities can be different. Some may be focused on budget, others on appearance, others on functionality, and others on how the finished space will serve the congregation. That can make communication and expectation management just as important as the construction schedule.
If I were bidding another church project, I would probably build additional time into the schedule for approvals, clarify exactly who has authority to make decisions, identify all major consultants before construction begins, and ask detailed questions about how the facility will continue to operate during construction. I’d also want to understand the church’s service schedule, special events, access requirements, and any areas that absolutely cannot be disrupted.
The most significant issue we faced was that the approval process took much longer than expected. Instead of requesting the approval of one client on the drawing, we had to refer to a whole building committee, so each decision seemed to require a vote, so the process was very slow.
We also had to consider acoustics in our planning, which wasn’t on my radar screen. A consultant was hired halfway through the project due to complications caused by the size and acoustics of the sanctuary. The experience taught me that it’s best to find a consultant earlier.
Another surprise was that we had to work around the schedule of the site as they didn’t want to completely stop the services during construction.
Anyway — curious if anyone else here has done church or religious builds and how you dealt with committee-style decision making vs a normal single client. Feels like a totally different animal.
The experience also made me realize that bidding a religious facility requires looking beyond the physical construction itself. There is often a much larger group of people involved in the project, and their priorities can be different. Some may be focused on budget, others on appearance, others on functionality, and others on how the finished space will serve the congregation. That can make communication and expectation management just as important as the construction schedule.
If I were bidding another church project, I would probably build additional time into the schedule for approvals, clarify exactly who has authority to make decisions, identify all major consultants before construction begins, and ask detailed questions about how the facility will continue to operate during construction. I’d also want to understand the church’s service schedule, special events, access requirements, and any areas that absolutely cannot be disrupted.