Church Master Plans
Since relocating to Huntsville in June of 2023, my team has worked on more than 20 church and ministry-related building projects. Most of these projects are repeat clients for Chapman Sisson Architects (CSA). However, several churches are new clients.
The first step in most church projects is developing a facility Master Plan. Even for our repeat clients, we revisit the Master Plan to make sure the long-term goals still line up with the ministry needs of the congregation.
Why is a Master Plan so important?
- Approximately 50% of church building projects never get built.
- Many church facilities are designed and/or built by companies that do not understand ministry.
- Ministry and culture today is different than it was even 5 years ago.
Eight of our recent projects are churches that hired local, cheap Design-Build firms to build a building for them in the past. I emphasize cheap and build a building. Our first task on these projects is finding ways to fix problems created by Contractor-led Design-Builders. These companies provide cheap buildings and do not design spaces for long-term ministry success. National and regional Design-Build firms exist that understand the importance of Master Plans and Ministry Planning for Facilities, but most local companies do not. You get what you pay for, and will regret it sometime down the road.
Since I arrived at CSA, we developed a Master Planning process that builds on our 28+ years of experience working with churches. This process includes ministry partners such as Capital Campaign Consultants, Contractors, and ministry consulting. Because of our partnerships, we plan projects that fit ministry needs and project budgets … two key factors aimed at overcoming the reality that approximately 50% of all church building projects never get built.
CSA’s primary focus is Alabama and Central Tennessee. If your church is considering facility improvements, reach out and ask for me. I’d be glad to open up a conversation. We would love the opportunity to add you to our list of over 160 church projects!