Design-build Partner
Design-build Partner | Commercial Plumbing | Plumbing | Cleveland
From concept sketches to final inspection, HEP brings seamless coordination to every stage of your project. Our design-build approach means architects, engineers, and plumbers collaborate from day one, eliminating costly surprises and accelerating schedules. Whether you’re renovating a historic warehouse in the Flats or breaking ground on a new healthcare facility in University Circle, you’ll have a single, accountable team focused on efficiency, code compliance, and craft.
As Cleveland’s trusted choice for commercial plumbing, we size systems for peak demand, integrate energy-saving fixtures, and implement smart controls that keep maintenance predictable. Our licensed crews arrive with fully stocked trucks, BIM-driven plans, and a commitment to job-site safety that keeps your operation running. When you need a partner who can think like a designer and work like a builder, HEP is ready to deliver.
FAQs
What does “design-build” mean in commercial plumbing, and how is it different from the traditional bid-build approach?
In a design-build project our plumbing designers, estimators, and field crews work under one contract with you and your general contractor from day one. We create the plumbing concepts, drawings, budgets, and final installation as one integrated team. This eliminates the hand-offs and gaps that often occur when an architect engineers the plumbing and a separate contractor is hired later to install it. For owners, the advantages are faster schedules, earlier and more accurate cost information, fewer change orders, and a single point of accountability for all plumbing work.
How early should we involve your plumbing team in our Cleveland commercial build or renovation?
The earlier the better—ideally at schematic or conceptual design. When we are engaged up front we can help lay out equipment rooms, core restrooms, and pipe chases before walls and structural elements are locked in. Early involvement allows us to produce reliable budgets, perform clash detection in BIM, and value-engineer alternatives (for example switching to CPVC or PEX-A in appropriate areas). It also shortens the permit review cycle with the City of Cleveland because the drawings we submit are already coordinated and stamped by our Ohio-licensed designers.
Are you familiar with Cleveland and Ohio plumbing codes and permitting requirements?
Yes. Our firm holds an Ohio state plumbing license and regularly pulls permits with the Cleveland Department of Building & Housing as well as surrounding suburbs. We design to the current Ohio Plumbing Code (based on the International Plumbing Code) and understand local amendments such as Cleveland’s backflow-prevention and storm-water ordinances. We also coordinate with Cleveland Division of Water, Ohio EPA requirements for grease interceptors, ADA accessibility rules, and, when applicable, NFPA 99 for medical gas systems. We handle all plan submissions, respond to examiner comments, and attend on-site inspections so you receive a compliant, approved system without administrative headaches.
How do you control costs and keep the plumbing portion of a design-build project on budget?
Cost control starts with accurate take-offs in preconstruction. We establish a target value, then model the system in 3D to eliminate excess fittings and make pipe runs as efficient as possible. Because we also install what we design, we know current material and labor pricing and can suggest cost-saving alternates such as carrier groups, prefabricated skids, or fixture packages that meet performance specs at lower price points. Throughout construction we issue open-book budget updates, purchase major materials early to lock in pricing, and prefabricate assemblies in our Cleveland shop to reduce job-site labor and weather delays—keeping surprises and change orders to a minimum.
Can you incorporate water-saving fixtures and energy-efficient systems into the design?
Absolutely. Our designers routinely specify low-flow faucets (0.35 gpm), dual-flush or 1.28 gpf water closets, and WaterSense-certified urinals to cut water usage by 30–40 %. We also design high-efficiency condensing boilers, variable-speed domestic booster pumps, point-of-use tankless water heaters, and options such as rainwater harvesting or graywater reuse when the building program and Ohio code allow. If your project is pursuing LEED, WELL, or other sustainability certifications, we provide the calculations and documentation needed for those credits.
What happens after the project is complete—do you offer ongoing maintenance or service agreements?
Yes. Upon turnover we provide detailed as-built drawings, BIM files, and O&M manuals, then train your facilities staff on proper operation. Our service department offers 24/7 emergency response across Greater Cleveland as well as preventive maintenance contracts that include annual backflow testing, water heater descale, grease trap cleaning schedules, and seasonal winterization. Staying with a single partner who already knows your system helps you avoid breakdowns, maintain code compliance, and extend equipment life.