Do not base project budgets on cost studies done 2-3 years before construction – do real-time cost modeling. If value-engineering decision-making is left to people who have not worked in a vivarium, or who will have nothing to do with the facility when the project is done, you are in trouble. It is also wise to try to retain as much money for FF&E (Furniture, Fixtures and Equipment) as possible duing the project for use AFTER the project closes, because at that point FF&E funding is hard to come by.

- From Tradeline’s Animal Research Facilities 2006 Conference

Learn more about FF&E.