Medical Building Contractor: 8 Critical Requirements You Can’t Afford to Ignore

Hiring the right medical building contractor is critical when constructing healthcare facilities. Medical and healthcare facilities have unique construction requirements that go far beyond typical commercial build outs—and working with an inexperienced contractor can lead to costly compliance failures.

Whether you’re opening a dental practice, medical clinic, urgent care center, or specialty facility, understanding what your medical building contractor must deliver will save you significant time and money.

Why You Need a Specialized Medical Building Contractor

Medical office construction costs typically run $125-$250 per square foot—higher than standard office tenant build outs. This premium reflects the complexity that only an experienced medical building contractor can properly manage.

HIPAA Compliance Considerations Your Medical Building Contractor Must Address

While HIPAA is primarily about policies and procedures, your physical space needs to support privacy compliance. Your medical building contractor should ensure:

• Thoughtful layout design preventing casual observation of patient information
• Acoustic privacy between exam rooms and public areas
• Proper placement of workstations and monitors
• Secure areas for records storage

Acoustic Privacy

Walls between exam rooms and between clinical and public areas often need enhanced soundproofing. Standard drywall won’t cut it—your medical building contractor should specify acoustic insulation, multiple drywall layers, and proper sealing of all penetrations.

Visual Privacy

Frosted glass, proper door placement, and strategic layout design ensure patients can’t inadvertently see other patients’ information or into exam rooms.

ADA Accessibility Requirements

Healthcare facilities must meet ADA standards (and often exceed them). Your medical building contractor must ensure:

• Accessible parking spaces close to entrance
• Automatic door openers or doors with minimal force requirements
• Accessible restrooms with proper clearances
• Exam tables with adjustable heights
• Wide corridors accommodating wheelchairs and mobility devices
• Reception counters at multiple heights

Specialized MEP Systems Your Medical Building Contractor Must Plan

Plumbing

Medical offices require more plumbing than standard offices. Your medical building contractor should plan for sinks in every exam room, specialized equipment connections, and potentially medical gas lines.

Electrical

Medical equipment often requires dedicated circuits, backup power provisions, and more outlets than typical offices. Imaging equipment may need special electrical service that only an experienced medical building contractor will anticipate.

HVAC

Many healthcare spaces need enhanced ventilation, filtered air, and sometimes negative pressure rooms for infection control.

Specialty-Specific Requirements

Different medical practices have unique needs your medical building contractor must understand:

• Dental Offices: Compressed air systems, vacuum systems, nitrous oxide plumbing, lead-lined walls for x-ray rooms
• Urgent Care: Trauma bays, imaging rooms with proper shielding, lab areas with specific ventilation
• Surgery Centers: Operating room HVAC with HEPA filtration, sterilization areas, recovery spaces
• Physical Therapy: Open treatment areas, specialized flooring, equipment mounting, high ceilings

Healthcare Materials That Matter

Healthcare facilities require materials supporting infection control and easy cleaning. Your medical building contractor should specify:

• Seamless flooring (like welded sheet vinyl)
• Antimicrobial surfaces
• Wall protection in high-traffic areas
• Moisture-resistant materials in clinical areas
• Durable finishes withstanding frequent cleaning with harsh chemicals

Choosing the Right Medical Building Contractor

Healthcare construction requires specialized experience. Your medical building contractor should:

• Understand the regulatory environment for healthcare facilities
• Have relationships with specialized subcontractors (like medical gas installers)
• Be familiar with inspection requirements specific to medical facilities
• Provide references from similar healthcare practices

The American Society for Health Care Engineering offers resources on healthcare facility requirements that inform best practices for medical building contractors.

Planning a medical office build out? Contact Bowser Construction Group to discuss your healthcare construction project with our experienced medical building contractor team.