The Dewitt Tilton Group hosted luncheon workshop at the Savannah Golf Club, presenting “From Buying the Dirt to Obtaining the Permit: The Critical Steps to Starting a Commercial Construction Project.”

Kim Thomas, director of operations for the Dewitt Tilton Group discussed the permitting process and zoning regulations, and Chris Tilton, president and co-founder of the Dewitt Tilton Group, spoke on selecting the perfect location for a project and what unexpected road bumps you might encounter when you find it.

“Unforeseen site work to prepare the land for building is easily the most troublesome issue among our clients,” said Tilton, “It’s important to look at a lot holistically, rather than focusing on its price per acre. Purchasing land without considering the quality of the dirt already on it, for example, can be an enormous oversight.”

Tilton also talked about how crucial it is to be aware of details such as how flood zones will affect building codes, the presence of zoning laws and local regulations and whether the lot has existing access to utilities, all of which can significantly delay construction projects if they catch buyers off-guard.

“We wanted to share some of the lessons our years of experience have taught us about commercial construction,” said Tilton, “For example, it’s easy for people to fall into the trap of believing they have found a great deal purchasing land, only to incur huge setbacks when faced with site work and permitting. Buying land for commercial construction is a big investment, so we want to provide prospective buyers with the resources they need to make informed decisions that will benefit them in the long run.”