Unexpected Site Conditions in Commercial Construction: An 8th & Roast Case Study

Unexpected site conditions in commercial construction can affect even a carefully planned project. The real measure of a commercial general contractor is how those conditions are investigated, communicated and controlled once they are discovered.

During construction of a new operations facility for 8th & Roast Coffee Co. in Nashville, unexpected site water was discovered in and around the building’s footing areas.

Resolving the condition required coordinated input from the geotechnical surveyor and engineer, structural engineer, civil engineer, architect and applicable municipal departments. VBG kept work moving wherever conditions allowed while the team investigated the problem and developed a durable solution.

The project reached completion approximately two months beyond its original target, a contained schedule impact considering the investigation and multidisciplinary coordination required. On an approximately $1.2 million project, the final cost remained less than $20,000 over the original budget.

Unforeseen conditions are inevitable. Uncontrolled outcomes are not.

Project at a Glance

• Client: 8th & Roast Coffee Co.

• Location: Nashville, Tennessee

• Project type: Ground-up operations expansion

• Approximate project value: $1.2 million

• Primary challenge: Unexpected site water around foundation and footing areas

• Budget result: Less than $20,000 over the original budget

• Schedule result: Approximately two months beyond the original target while coordinating a multidisciplinary technical and municipal response

• Business result: Additional operating capacity to support continued growth

  
  

Building Capacity for a Growing Nashville Company

8th & Roast has grown from a neighborhood coffee shop into a Nashville brand with multiple locations, an expanding wholesale business and partner locations throughout the city. In August 2025, the company was also named the Official Coffee Partner of the Tennessee Titans.

That growth created the need for additional operational capacity.

The new facility supports the work behind the company’s retail and wholesale operations, including roasting, grinding, packaging and preparing coffee for distribution. This was more than a building project. It was an investment in 8th & Roast’s ability to serve a growing customer base.

When Conditions in the Ground Changed the Plan

The project’s original water-management approach was developed around the conditions and information available during planning.

Once foundation work began, however, the field conditions told a different story. Water was discovered in and around areas where the building footings were being constructed.

Water near foundation work must be addressed carefully. Depending on the circumstances, it can affect:

• Soil and excavation stability

• Footing installation

• Concrete placement

• Construction sequencing

• Long-term moisture management

• Foundation performance and durability

Continuing without addressing the condition would have placed the building and the owner’s investment at unnecessary risk.

Turning an Unknown Condition Into a Defined Response

VBG evaluated the condition and developed a revised approach designed to keep water away from the building foundation and prevent it from collecting beneath the footing areas.

The objective was not simply to make the immediate water disappear. The objective was to protect the permanent building and create a durable path forward. This distinction matters. A temporary field fix can allow construction to continue while leaving the owner with a long-term problem. Effective commercial construction problem-solving considers the completed building, not just the next activity on the schedule.

The revised work created additional cost and affected the construction timeline. However, its cost was absorbed within the contingency already established for the project.

Why Construction Contingency Matters

A construction contingency is not unnecessary padding in a project budget. It is a controlled allowance for legitimate conditions that cannot always be identified before work begins.

Examples may include:

• Unforeseen soil or water conditions

• Undocumented underground utilities

• Concealed conditions in existing buildings

• Material or equipment changes

• Required adjustments discovered during construction

Without an appropriate contingency, an unforeseen condition can immediately become an unplanned funding request. With a properly established and carefully managed contingency, the project team has a financial tool for responding without allowing one discovery to destabilize the entire project.

Learn more about commercial construction contingency planning and how owners can prepare for uncertainty before work begins.

The Final Result

Calling the outcome simply a two-month delay would miss most of what occurred.

The unexpected water condition required investigation and coordinated input from multiple technical disciplines, the project architect and municipal contacts. Throughout that process, VBG maintained progress wherever site conditions allowed and worked to prevent the issue from affecting unrelated portions of the project.

The completed project reached turnover approximately two months beyond its original target. Considering the investigation, engineering coordination and long-term importance of protecting the foundation, the schedule impact remained contained.

Financially, the outcome was equally disciplined. On an approximately $1.2 million project, the final cost was less than $20,000 over the original budget, less than 1.7%.

The result was:

• A properly protected foundation

• A complex site condition resolved through multidisciplinary coordination

• Construction momentum maintained wherever possible

• Unforeseen work managed within the project’s contingency

• A ground-up facility delivering additional operational capacity

• Limited financial and schedule impact relative to the project’s scale

The project demonstrates an important distinction: speed does not mean rushing through a condition that could affect the permanent building. It means assembling the right expertise, maintaining momentum and reaching a responsible decision without allowing one problem to consume the entire project.

What Commercial Property Owners Can Learn From This Project

Good construction management does not mean claiming that every project risk can be eliminated. It means identifying risk early, preparing for uncertainty and responding decisively when actual conditions differ from the plan.

Commercial property owners evaluating contractors should ask:

1. How will unforeseen conditions be evaluated and communicated?

2. What contingency has been included in the budget?

3. Who controls the use of that contingency?

4. How will cost and schedule implications be documented?

5. Does the contractor have examples of managing real project problems?

6. Will proposed solutions protect the permanent building or merely keep construction moving?

The lowest initial proposal is not necessarily the lowest final project cost. The contractor’s ability to manage uncertainty can be just as important as the number on bid day.

The same principle applies to commercial construction change orders: owners need clear information, disciplined documentation and a defined decision-making process.

The Difference Is How the Problem Gets Managed

Unexpected site conditions in commercial construction cannot always be prevented. Their effect on the project can be managed. The 8th & Roast operations expansion demonstrates what that looks like in practice: identify the condition, protect the building, develop a workable response and keep the financial impact in proportion to the overall project.

That is the purpose of Construction Intelligence - giving owners the information and structure they need to make sound decisions before and during construction.

If you are planning a new commercial facility or expansion in Middle Tennessee, explore VBG’s ground-up commercial construction services or contact our team to discuss the project.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are unexpected site conditions in commercial construction?

Unexpected site conditions are physical conditions discovered during construction that were not fully apparent from the information available during planning. Examples can include groundwater, unsuitable soils, undocumented utilities and concealed structural conditions.

Who pays for unexpected site conditions?

Responsibility depends on the construction contract, the nature of the condition, available site information and how project risk was allocated. A properly planned construction contingency may provide funding, but the condition should still be documented and evaluated before additional work proceeds.

Can site investigations eliminate unexpected conditions?

Site investigations can significantly reduce uncertainty, but they cannot expose every condition across an entire property. Preconstruction investigation, design coordination and appropriate contingency planning work together to reduce the financial risk.

How much construction contingency should an owner carry?

There is no universal percentage for every project. The appropriate contingency depends on the project type, design completeness, site conditions, existing-building risks and stage of planning. It should be established intentionally during preconstruction rather than added arbitrarily.