BAM Construction
Data Center Builder
Miami and South Florida
Licensed Florida GC delivering hardened data center construction from structural shell through raised floor, generator pad, and MEP rough-in. One bonded contractor. One permit package. Federal-grade documentation.
The Build Problem
Most GCs Are Not Built for This Project Type
A data center is not a standard commercial build. The structural slab must handle 200 to 400 lbs per square foot of live load for raised floor systems and battery banks. The roof must carry rooftop cooling and generator exhaust penetrations. Walls must achieve fire-rated and acoustic separation between white space, mechanical, and electrical rooms.
In South Florida, every wall, roof panel, and opening must also comply with Miami-Dade High Velocity Hurricane Zone standards. NOA-listed assemblies, PE-stamped drawings, and special inspection are mandatory. A GC without this experience will substitute materials mid-project when NOA compliance fails inspection, creating cascading delays across the mechanical and electrical subs waiting on the shell.
The cost is timeline, not just money. A 90-day shell delay on a colocation facility represents 90 days of pre-sold rack capacity that cannot be delivered. Tenant SLAs and MSA commitments are at risk before a single server is racked.
Construction Scope
What BAM Self-Performs
Six structural and civil scopes executed under one GC license with a single permit package and one chain of quality documentation.
Hardened Concrete Shell
Tilt-up, CMU, or cast-in-place concrete walls and roof structure engineered to HVHZ wind load requirements. NOA-listed assemblies specified before permit submission.
Raised-Floor Slab System
High-load slab design coordinated with raised floor system point loads and under-floor plenum depth. Pedestal anchor layout cast-in to avoid post-pour drilling.
Generator and UPS Pads
Reinforced concrete pads engineered to generator and UPS weights, vibration isolation requirements, and fuel day-tank secondary containment specs from mechanical drawings.
Penetrations and Blockouts
All mechanical, electrical, and plumbing sleeves coordinated against MEP drawings and cast-in before pours. No core-drilling through structural concrete post-completion.
Roof and Waterproofing
HVHZ-rated roofing assemblies with penetration boots for CRAC unit curbs, exhaust fans, and conduit entry points. Waterproofing membrane at all slab-on-grade transitions.
Expansion and Fit-Out
Existing facility expansions, white-space fit-out, structural reinforcement for added load, and fire-rating upgrades to bring legacy facilities up to current Tier standards.
Build Sequence
From Site Permit to Rack-Ready Shell
Design Coordination
PE-stamped structural drawings coordinated against MEP and data-center-specific loads. NOA materials specified. Permit package assembled.
Foundation and Slab
High-load slab poured with cast-in sleeves and pedestal anchors. Generator pad and UPS pad formed and reinforced per mechanical spec.
Shell and Envelope
HVHZ-hardened wall system erected. Roofing installed with penetration boots. Fire-rated assemblies built per approved fire schedule.
MEP Rough-In Coordination
Structural GC coordinates open-wall inspections with mechanical and electrical subs. Hangers, seismic bracing, and conduit support cast-in per spec.
Inspection and Closeout
Special inspections documented throughout. Licensed GC delivers permit closeout package to authority having jurisdiction. Shell turnover package issued to owner.
Why It Matters
Self-Performing GC vs. Coordinator
On a data center project, who holds the hammer determines who controls the schedule.
Common Questions
Before the Scope Call
BAM Construction holds the Florida Certified GC license for the structural, civil, and envelope scope of the project. This includes the shell, slab, foundation, generator pads, roofing, and MEP rough-in coordination. Mechanical, electrical, and low-voltage work is performed by licensed specialty contractors who pull their own permits. BAM coordinates their work sequences, holds the structural permit of record, and delivers the unified closeout package. You receive one GC contract for the physical plant and one liability chain for the building.
BAM's structural scope supports Tier II and Tier III designs as specified by the mechanical and electrical engineers of record. Tier classification is driven by the redundancy of power and cooling systems, which are MEP responsibilities. The structural GC's role is to build the physical plant to the load, fire-rating, separation, and clearance requirements those MEP systems demand. BAM builds the shell and civil scope to whatever specification the design team provides. For Tier IV facilities requiring fully fault-tolerant concurrent maintainability, we recommend contacting us early in the design phase so structural requirements are captured before drawings are issued for permit.
HVHZ compliance adds lead time if it is not planned for at design. NOA-listed products often have 4-to-8-week fabrication lead times for custom opening sizes, impact-rated louvers, and roofing system components. When a GC substitutes non-listed materials mid-project because the specified product is on back order, the permit office issues a stop-work order pending re-approval of the alternate. BAM's process starts NOA procurement at permit submission, not at construction start. The two months between permit submission and approval is used for material procurement, so listed assemblies arrive when the structure is ready for them. GCs who start procurement at permit approval lose that window and typically encounter a 30-to-60-day delay at the shell enclosure phase.
Yes. Retrofit and expansion work includes structural reinforcement for additional floor load, fire-wall additions or modifications for new room separations, generator pad additions, roof penetrations for new cooling equipment, and white-space fit-out including raised floor and overhead cable management structure. Live-facility retrofit requires careful phasing to keep existing infrastructure operational. BAM develops a phasing plan with the facility operations team before mobilization, and maintains a no-disruption protocol for any work that shares a wall or overhead structure with active equipment rooms.
Yes. BAM Construction holds a documented DOD performance record from armory construction at Arcadia, FL, covering exterior and interior structural work under federal quality control requirements. The company is surety bonded and carries the insurance coverage required for federal and municipal contracts. Government data center and critical infrastructure projects can be delivered as prime contractor or under a larger federal construction program. RFP, T&M, GMP, and unit-price contract structures are all supported. Contact us to discuss procurement structure and pre-qualification documentation.
Start the Conversation
Request a Scope Review
Share your project type and location. We respond within one business day with a scoping framework and any questions we need answered to develop a proposal.
Scope Request Received
A member of the BAM Construction team will review your project and follow up within one business day.
BAM Construction
One GC. One Permit. Built to Stay Online.
HVHZ-hardened shell, high-load slab, generator pads, and MEP coordination under a Florida Certified GC with DOD-grade documentation standards and federal procurement eligibility.
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