A&P Grocery Stores Store Remodeling
Grocery
Open Store Remodel
The Project
A&P/Pathmark asked QPM to refresh 12 existing Pathmark and Superfresh stores within a 5-week period. The project was particularly challenging because all stores had to remain open during the entire process, with food and store product moved out of work areas as needed, and required QPM to manage contractors for flooring, carpentry, plumbing, electrical, paint, refrigeration and signage.
Additionally, A&P was implementing a new concept -- removing the general contractor role from the project and managing the subcontractors directly. A&P needed QPM not only to provide the overall project management for the remodels but also to provide day-to-day management of all subcontractors involved in the project.
The QPM Solution
QPM began the project by reviewing all construction drawings 1-2 weeks prior to work beginning, which allows us to recommend significant savings for equipment that was slated for replacement but which in fact only needed a ‘refresh’. We also shortened the construction schedule to 4 weeks, allowing the final week in the client’s 5-week target for addressing punch items.
In addition to remaining open during construction, a number of stores insisted on work being done during the graveyard shift instead of daytime schedules, complicating scheduling of work crews. Ordering of new equipment had to be staged because the locations had no excess space for storing equipment being installed. Local jurisdictions had city codes forbidding dumpsters, complicating the process of décor and equipment removal.
Lastly, the QPM Project Team instituted new, defined processes for managing over ten subcontractors, on A&P's behalf. QPM acted in the role of General Contractor and was on-site five days a week to monitor the remodel projects and insure all subcontractors were performing to A&P standards.
The Results
QPM completed all work in less than four weeks, well within the target timeline. This was accomplished despite extensive scope changes on the part of the client – in one case, 14 revisions to the original plan drawings at a single store.
In addition to saving the client significant funds by refreshing some equipment instead of replacing it, QPM developed a plan to reduce future labor costs by changing how the company disposed of old fixtures. This plan has since been adopted as a company-wide policy.
Using QPM as the replacement for the historical general contractor role brought substantial savings to A&P. Removal of the General Contractor saved A&P approximately 10% in markup fees for each remodel project, an estimated range of $20,000 to $25,000 depending on the project scope. This resulted in a total program savings of approximately $360,000.
As a result of the cost savings achieved through QPM’s recommendations, store managers were able to get additional, “wish list” projects completed at their stores within the existing budget allowances.
