About Company
We are an applied technical building envelope consulting services
company dedicated to assisting Owners, Developers, Property
Managers, Construction Managers, General Contractors and Architects
with the design, build and ownership of a watertight structure with
minimal expected maintenance. Our consultants work as an experienced
and knowledgeable team to assist clients to identify and remedy
potential and active sources for objectionable water entry. With
accurate building science, we can offer cost effective "rifle
approach" solutions and provide quality assurance during
implementation.
Client Types
Owners/Developers
Owner clients range from those occupying their building to those
with part time outside management firms. We particularly enjoy the
challenge of helping an Owner solve problems with their roofs,
walls, glazing, windows, doors storefronts and curtain/walls in a
manner that is cost efficient with long-term expected performance.
We avoid the costly "high road" that always gravitates to complete
tear-outs, tear-offs and replacements, when other options are
feasible. This is only one example where our services can pay, not
cost, when the combination of our fees and remedial construction
work is less than a total replacement approach.
Owners benefiting from our services include: universities,
hospitals, banks, county and city schools, military facilities,
state, county and city governments, commercial, retail, condominium
associations, industrial, custom-built residences, churches and
synagogues.
HCI's "rifle-approach" remedial and replacement recommendations have
saved Owners tremendous sums when compared with more costly
"shotgun-approach" options. Accurate condition discovery leads to
project specific recommendations to create or to restore the desired
watertight facility.
We provide educational technical seminars to help keep Owner
decision-makers current with building science concepts affecting
their facilities. Owners / Developers hire us for water testing
installations and for infrared surveys.
Developers, with their inherent interest in quality, schedule, and
cost, have used us in the same manner as other Owner clients.
Property Managers
Like conventional Owners, our property management clients are
interested in long-term performance of their facilities, and are
responsible for the on-going cost and effectiveness of maintenance
and major expenditures like re-roofing and re-glazing. Our services
include leak investigation, condition surveys, and solutions to a
variety of deficiency
and deterioration problems on their
buildings exteriors. We also provide
seminars to property managers and their facility engineering and
maintenance staffs.
Property Managers also appreciate HCI's ability to economically
present the most cost effective solutions for moisture problems.
Additionally, Property Managers consistently benefit from HCI's
quality assurance monitoring of the work to completion.
General Contractors/Construction Managers
HCI is hired to reduce risk of water intrusion and to offer cost
effective recommendations for real world constructability. For new
construction and existing facilities, we offer a variety of services
ranging from review and comment on architectural specifications,
plans, elevations and details, shop drawing and submittal review to
quality assurance site visits monitoring system installations. The
subcontractors are sometimes not as skilled as in past years and
with the tighter building construction and the vast amount of
products available for construction, this combination may cause some
significant installation problems. Our Services are extremely
economical compared to the cost of remediating water damage and
mold. Contractors see us as a part of a successful team effort to
finish new projects on time and in a quality manner.
Because
the Project Managers and Superintendents have so many tasks, several
General Contractors have hired HCI to present training seminars for
the many aspects of constructing the building enclosure General
Contractors also hire HCI for water testing doors and windows and
flood testing plazas, terraces, parking decks and roofs. Our
infrared thermography surveys for suspected moisture can protect the
building enclosure performance integrity.
Architects
For new construction, we are very effective for the team when we
have the opportunity to review and offer comments on Design and
Development phase plans, elevations, drawings and specifications.
Our involvement should make the designer's job easier, so we work
hard to be a valued resource of the team. Our experience is very
focused and we expect to help reduce risks for the designer and
Owner on every project. Many Architects have also used us for site
condition discovery and remedial recommendations, reviewing shop
drawing submittals, assisting with pre-installation meetings, for
making on site Q/A observations and for assisting with substantial
completion inspections. All of these tasks are geared to reducing
risks while increasing the opportunity for a successful project.
Architects hire HCI consultants to perform infrared thermography and
dielectric capacitance moisture meter surveys to detect concealed
moisture and to document its locations.
HCI's water hose testing and chamber water pressure testing of
windows, storefronts and curtain walls has proven beneficial with
early detection of problematic installations and faulty systems.
"THINK LIKE WATER"
Hixson Consultants assisted the design-build team on the two, Grand
Central at Kennedy Retail and Residential buildings that comprise
most of a city block in the heart of Tampa.
HCI consultants assist Owners, Designers, Construction Managers and
Contractors to identify optimal waterproofing for constructability
and optimal life-cycle cost.