If you’re hiring a contractor for a commercial refurbishment, the most useful thing you can do is look at their past projects and the quality of build.
Below are two recent projects from J&D Contracting. Different buildings, different sectors, different challenges. They give you a real sense of how J&D plans, sequences, and delivers commercial work in Queensland.
If you’d like to discuss a specific project or request additional examples relevant to your building type, contact the J&D team directly and we’ll put together something tailored to your situation.
What to look for in a commercial refurbishment contractor
Before getting into the projects, it’s worth highlighting what businesses and organisations consistently look for when choosing a commercial contractor. They want someone who can work around occupied tenancies without disruption, coordinate multiple trades without requiring constant oversight, and deliver a result that meets commercial-grade standards on time.These are exactly the things we implement in every project. You’ll see that in the examples below.
Office and Administration Refurbishment Projects
Wavell State High School Block A Administration Refurbishment
J&D Contracting was engaged by the Department of Education Queensland to reconfigure and modernise the ground floor administration facilities at Wavell State High School. The brief covered a new reception, student services area, meeting rooms, offices, sick bay, and staff kitchen, with custom joinery throughout. The full programme was scheduled to complete during the end-of-year school holiday period so the admin team could return at the start of the new school year.
During demolition, asbestos-containing material was identified in the existing vinyl flooring. J&D classified the works as out-of-scope, engaged licensed remediation contractors, and restaged the programme so construction could continue safely once removal was complete. The school administration was operational for the first day of Term 1, with remaining works completed around them with minimal disruption.
This project is a representative example of J&D’s approach to operational refurbishments under fixed handover dates, including the ability to manage unexpected scope changes mid-programme without losing the deadline.
Consultant: Honeywill Consulting. Project value: under $530K (excl. GST).
Commercial Building Refurbishment Projects
Sims Metal Amenities Building Refurbishment, Pinkenba
Sims Metal needed to upgrade their Pinkenba amenities building to support a growing workforce, with a new lunch room, training rooms, and change areas. The complication was that the entire scope had to be delivered inside a fully operational heavy industrial facility, with no flexibility on Sims’ site safety systems or production schedule.
J&D staged the works to keep the facility running throughout. Ground scanning ahead of hydraulic works uncovered a live mains electrical supply beneath the slab, which was isolated in a controlled window so the penetration could go ahead safely without interrupting operations. The completed scope included a full roof replacement, services upgrades, accessible amenities, and a complete internal fitout brought up to current code.
This project demonstrates J&D’s capability on operational industrial sites, where compliance with the client’s safety systems is non-negotiable and any disruption to production carries a real cost.
Architect: Finn Rasmussen Architects.
Why Businesses and Organisations Choose J&D Contracting
The two projects above share a few consistent themes. Works delivered on programme. Operational sites managed without disruption to staff, students, or production. Multi-trade coordination handled by J&D rather than left to the client, including the unexpected scope that inevitably comes up on older buildings.
J&D understands that businesses, government clients, and facility owners are accountable to multiple stakeholders, and that a contractor who creates problems on site creates problems for everyone. The goal is always to make the process straightforward for the people managing it.
J&D holds the relevant Queensland builder’s licence and insurance required for commercial building work, and has experience working alongside architects, consultants, building certifiers, and government clients across a range of project types. Understanding how to vet a commercial building company is a useful starting point if you’re comparing contractors for the first time.
If you’re assessing contractors for an upcoming commercial or office renovation project, we’d encourage you to look at the full project gallery at janddcontracting.com.au/projects for additional examples across building types and project scales.
Ready to Discuss Your Project?
Whether you’re planning an administration refurbishment, an amenities upgrade, or a more complex commercial building project, the best starting point is a conversation about your building and your brief.
Get in touch with the J&D team to discuss your project requirements. We can talk through what’s involved, give you a realistic sense of programme and scope, and if helpful, point you toward additional portfolio examples relevant to your building type. There’s no commitment required to have that initial conversation.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can J&D complete commercial renovation work in an operational building?
Yes. Managing works in operational buildings is a regular part of J&D’s commercial project delivery, whether that’s a school during term, an industrial facility in full production, or an occupied office building. We sequence programmes to minimise disruption, schedule high impact works around the site’s operating hours where required and maintain clear communication with the building manager or facility owner throughout. The goal is always to keep the site operational while works progress safely around it.
What types of commercial buildings does J&D work on?
J&D works across a range of commercial building types, including government and education facilities, industrial and heavy industrial sites, professional office tenancies, and amenities and services buildings. The two projects on this page represent a cross-section of that work, from a high school administration block for the Department of Education to an amenities upgrade for a heavy industrial client.
Does J&D manage all trades, or do I need to coordinate subcontractors separately?
J&D acts as the principal contractor on commercial renovation projects and manages all subcontract trades. Business owners, facility owners, and government clients deal with one point of contact throughout. This includes scheduling, quality oversight, and compliance management across all trades involved in the project.
How does J&D handle tight timelines, such as school holiday programmes or fixed handover dates?
Fixed-date programmes are a common part of J&D’s commercial portfolio. The Wavell State High School refurbishment is a good example. Despite an asbestos discovery mid-programme that required a full remediation, the admin team was back in operation at the start of the new school year. Where there’s a fixed date in play, we build the programme around it from the outset and communicate any risks early so you can make decisions with full information.
How does J&D handle compliance on industrial or restricted-access sites?
On sites like Sims Metal in Pinkenba, J&D works inside the client’s existing safety systems rather than asking them to adapt to ours. That includes site inductions, permit-to-work systems, and compliance with whatever specific protocols apply on the site. It’s also why we use tools like pre-works ground scanning when there’s a risk of unknown services under the slab, rather than finding out the hard way.
Is J&D licensed and insured for commercial building work in Queensland?
Yes. J&D Contracting holds the relevant Queensland builder’s licence and maintains the insurance coverage required for commercial building projects. If you need to confirm specific licence or insurance details for your project documentation, contact us and we’ll provide what you need.