“As early as possible” generally answers this question. We believe that the more we can prepare for your project, the smoother it will progress. Also, the sooner we are involved, the more positive our impact will be.

Numerous opportunities to lower costs exist in any development.  Experienced with each area of the office development process, we can identify these opportunities, which often allow for significant financial savings. Areas where tremendous savings may be found include the negotiation points for financing, the real estate transaction, purchases of fixed assets and construction costs. In most situations, our clients can’t afford not to utilize the type of help we provide—and that hasn’t yet taken into consideration the savings associated with sparing clients personal or productive time.

Once its facility is developed, a practice needs to continue its growth into a long-term, self-sustaining business. MREC plans for this growth by conducting the research necessary to develop your practice in the right submarket, site and within the optimal space. This can impact revenues by tens of thousands of dollars annually. Additionally, your facility’s design can have a significant impact on production by a) providing capability and room for growth, and b) allowing for the most efficient operations possible. These are both measurable advantages that add significantly to your bottom line each day. Then, of course, is the creation of a positive impression on new and existing customers, as well as on the daily occupants—an advantage that adds to the bottom line and to the quality of time spent at the location. MREC focuses on providing these advantages so that our clients’ practices can continue to grow for years to come.

For most projects, after conducting an assessment of our client’s situation, MREC sets a flat fee to handle the project. It is not based on a percentage of anything, and the fee is paid to MREC in progress payments over the course of the work, usually directly from the project lender upon approval by our client. Our firm is never engaged by clients until we have shown and documented how the client can afford our fee can as part of the project budget. To help our clients make an informed decision, we also provide detailed project plans, timelines and line item budgets, which show our fee along with all of the other project and financing costs and contingencies. We encourage potential clients to enter a relationship with us based upon valid information and the anticipation of creating a win-win scenario.

Certainly! Very often clients have already decided on a location, or they may have even negotiated a purchase or a lease. Or, a client’s space only requires remodeling or expansion. There is no doubt that at this point, our services still provide significant money and time savings in design, construction administration and management, purchasing help and overall coordination.

Yes. There are always multiple vendors involved in our projects, and since our clients remain in control, they are able to specify the parties they wish to involve. We recognize the value in working with others who are already engaged in the process or have an existing relationship with the client. With that, if other vendors are already performing portions of our typical scope of work, we will alter our fee appropriately, ensuring that our clients do not pay twice for the same service.

Sure. Many of our clients share this consideration, since there are multiple situations where purchasing an existing practice makes the most sense. At the very least, we like to furnish clients with a timeline, budget and basic information regarding the particular scenario they would endure should they decide to pursue a development. Further, we often engage in the market research phase, and we always initiate the financing phase in these situations. Understanding their financial qualifications and abilities, knowing the market and having a grasp on the cost of the opportunity to develop all help clients feel more confident in their ultimate decision.

Yes, indirectly. MREC is familiar with reputable practice transition groups to whom it refers business and recommends to clients. As part of their core business, those groups not only maintain databases and information about available opportunities and buyers, but they are also well equipped to evaluate practices and to negotiate purchases or sales. MREC is sometimes more involved in these situations when it comes to evaluating the office lease or the purchase of real estate or fixed assets, and these real estate parts of the transaction require our help to insure the longevity of the practice is protected and that lender requirements are met. Also, in some cases improvements to a facility are anticipated, and we create a plan and budget for use in the purchase negotiation. Finally, in many cases we solely assist clients in obtaining financing for practice purchases or buyouts.

No. MREC does not sell any actual fixed assets or supplies. We do, however, assist clients with the purchase of everything that is required for their practice, either through dealers or directly from manufacturers. In many cases we know of used equipment that is available for purchase, just as we are aware of the requirements surrounding used equipment. In those cases we help to facilitate a sale between the buyer and seller, and often we assist with the transition of the item to or from our client’s facility.

Yes. There are many vendors who value the numerous purchases made by our clients, and they often extend discounts similar to those found at a trade show. When these discounts are available, they relieve our clients from the pressures associated with time-consuming trade shows or period end sales. And, clients can time purchases to coincide with the progress of their project. In addition to these discounts, we also extend 100% of industry designer discounts typically available on interior finish materials.

No. MREC does not act as a general contractor. However, MREC does help clients to contract directly with a general contractor, and our sole interest is to advocate for our clients as we manage the construction process. MREC never accepts “kickbacks” from general contractors; our interests align only with those of our clients. Also, our firm not only researches and recommends which contractor(s) to use, but also handles the legwork and documentation associated with engaging the contractor and administering the contract.

No. MREC does not mingle client funds, nor does MREC have access to or control of client funds. Our clients can spend their own money as they wish—or as is permitted by their lender—at any time. However, for our clients’ benefit, MREC likes to track their expenditures, and offers advice and recommendations to clients prior to the release or disbursement of such funds. When clients release or authorize disbursements, those payments are made directly to the appropriate vendors from the funding source, and they do not pass through MREC. Because we track clients’ funds, we can ensure that they do not exceed their budgets, and that funds are reallocated properly and within loan parameters if overspending does occur. Constantly monitoring budgets in this way is extremely helpful to clients as we assist them with reconciling costs at the end of the project and with moving into the permanent financing phase. Clients can also use MREC and our review process to shield themselves from vendors who may seek payment pre-maturely.

Most of MREC’s projects are not local to the Houston area, yet each month new projects are successfully completed, and with very happy clients. We attribute this success to a number of factors, including: a) anticipating issues and problems that arise, b) understanding the proper sequence of events that will occur, c) selecting and properly managing the right local team, and finally d) fostering top-notch communications and documentation among all stakeholders. All of these factors, combined with site visits at key project milestones, make up our formula for successfully completing projects remotely.

Whether or note they are remotely located, most of our clients regularly discuss with us their preferences for style, color and the feel of the office. Often, our design team and clients trade websites or pictures that exemplify likes/dislikes or ideas for the impending spaces. Also, during site selection trips, we may visit other spaces with our clients to further establish a design direction for the new interior. Based on the information garnered, our designers can create representative palettes of interior finishes. From there, adjustments are made until the desired scheme comes together. Clients are always able to view renderings of their space’s interior in advance. In certain situations where clients require more face-to-face interaction, we can make other special arrangements.

This is typically not necessary or required, as all of our communications can be sufficiently handled both remotely and during our project site visits. However, it is an option our non-local clients occasionally take advantage of, and our local clients typically do make a visit or two. Our library houses thousands of interior finish product samples from hundreds of suppliers, all specific to the industries that we serve. In many cases we also have large sample sizes available for immediate viewing. While most projects are completed without our client ever visiting our office, those who do visit have some very nice amenities available to them in The Woodlands area. Also, our office is conveniently located to Houston-Bush Intercontinental Airport.

Our team is already thinking about hanging art on the walls of your finished office as they start the market research to determine your location. And, we help you complete every step in-between. No other vendor’s role takes such a comprehensive approach to carrying you across the finish line successfully. Most importantly, by virtue of our role in the process, we are the ONLY party involved that has NO interest in selling you anything, but that has COMPLETE interest in finishing your project on time and with you as a happy customer who will refer other business.