Why does our annual party strengthen collaboration?
At A+, we know projects succeed when relationships are strong. Our annual party is not just a moment to relax, it is a concrete lever to help us work better together. Here are five real-life reasons why this event truly makes a difference in our day-to-day collaboration.
01. We strengthen existing bonds (and our team reflexes)
At A+, we work together every day: design, estimating, project management, coordination, site. Everything is handled in-house and already runs smoothly. The party does not break down silos, it deepens relationships that are already there. By changing the context, we discover each other in a new light, we reinforce trust and we boost our shared reflexes: speaking openly, asking for help early, sharing the right info at the right time.
Concrete impact: even smoother handoffs, faster decisions, and simpler follow-ups because we already know how everyone likes to collaborate.
02. We build bridges between roles that last
Our projects bring together complementary expertise. The informal activities at the party, such as games, workshops and friendly challenges, naturally mix A+ teams and spark new connections.
Concrete impact: when an unexpected issue comes up, we know who to call, how to talk to each other and how to get straight to the point without wasting time.
03. We align on culture by actually living it
Talking about support and sharing is good. Living it is better. During the party, our values become tangible: we celebrate wins, thank people for the invisible effort, and highlight excellence and teamwork.
Concrete impact: everyone leaves with a clear understanding of how we win together. That alignment shows up in our trade-offs, our priorities and how we approach challenges.
04. We fuel the trust that speeds up projects
Trust does not show up in a schedule, but it can save weeks. By creating shared memories, laughs, challenges and small victories, we build relational capital that makes everything flow: fewer back and forths, more autonomy, faster approvals.
Concrete impact: more effective kick-offs, better risk sharing, and a calm, confident project pace.
05. We recharge our energy to perform better
Our industry is demanding. The party is a pause that lets us catch our breath and reconnect with meaning. We are reminded why we love what we do, and who we do it with.
Concrete impact: renewed motivation, refreshed creativity and a climate where good ideas emerge more easily. Often, those are the ideas that unlock a design detail, optimize a construction sequence or improve the client experience.
Frequently asked questions
In the traditional model, you sign separate contracts with the architect, engineers and contractor, each defending their own interests. With integrated project delivery, a single team designs and builds your space under one contract, with a shared target budget and open-book transparency. You make the decisions; we coordinate execution from start to handover.
Coordinating the architect, engineers and trades yourself means juggling multiple contracts, multiple invoices and shared blame when something goes wrong. With one contract, you have a single point of contact accountable for budget, schedule and outcome. The expertise is already aligned and used to working together, which removes the coordination errors that drive most delays.
We set a target budget at the drawing stage using real data from comparable projects, then design within that budget instead of discovering the price at the end. The agreed price does not change unless you request modifications or different materials. Any hidden condition we uncover along the way is on us.
No. The total cost is usually lower and, above all, more predictable. Bringing design and construction under one contract removes stacked margins, the change orders that come from conflicting drawings, and rework. Open-book transparency shows you where every dollar goes. You pay the real cost of the work, not a chain of middlemen.
Timelines depend on size and complexity, but the integrated approach shortens them because design and construction advance in parallel rather than in sequence. As an example, we delivered the 14 Red Bull Music Academy studios in 18 days. By the second meeting you already have a preliminary budget and drawings to plan around.
Far less than with several vendors to coordinate. You have one point of contact who manages the architect, engineers and trades for you. You keep the important decisions; we handle the daily coordination, follow-ups and on-site surprises. In practice, your role comes down to approving key milestones on an agreed communication routine.
We fit out commercial spaces of every kind: offices, medical clinics, restaurants, retail and industrial spaces, across Greater Montreal and up to roughly 90 minutes from the surrounding region. Our projects run from about 2,000 to 60,000 square feet. Our work includes studios, clinics, factories and pre-built suites for landlords and brokers.
The budget agreed at the drawing stage is guaranteed: any overrun that does not come from a change you requested is on us, not you. Hidden conditions uncovered on site are our responsibility too. For schedule, phased planning and one integrated team cut delays at the source. We deliver turnkey, so your teams can move in the next day.
