Healthcare Construction in Santa Fe and Northern New Mexico

A patient room that holds one bed and no roommate is now the standard that hospitals build toward, and in Santa Fe the regional medical center completed a $44 million project in 2018 that added all-private patient rooms to a hospital listed with 206 all-private beds. That change shows what healthcare owners are asking builders to do: rework an operating building in stages, keep care going next door, and deliver rooms that are quieter, more private and easier to clean. We build for that kind of owner, with an understanding that a hospital is never closed for construction.

Healthcare construction differs from other commercial work in the risks it manages. Dust, vibration, noise, water leaks and utility shutdowns that would be a nuisance in an office can harm a patient, so every task is planned with the people on the other side of the wall in mind. Infection control risk assessments, negative-pressure enclosures, sticky mats and daily cleaning are part of the routine, and the builder's superintendent works alongside the hospital's infection prevention staff as a regular partner.

The market in northern New Mexico includes a regional medical center in the capital, clinics in the northern towns, and care facilities that serve a large rural area. Education and health services together employ about 11,600 people in the city. For owners, that means a skilled local workforce and a healthy appetite for upgrades, and for us it means a steady line of projects that range from a clinic suite to a major hospital addition.

Hospitals, clinics and care buildings

Our healthcare work covers inpatient additions, renovations of patient floors, surgical and imaging suites, emergency department changes, outpatient clinics, behavioral health spaces and the central plants that support them. Each has its own rules about finishes, air changes, medical gas, nurse call, data and security. We build with a checklist per room type and confirm with the owner's clinical staff before closing walls.

Smaller outpatient projects are often handled under our medical office construction practice, while larger projects involve phased work inside an operating building. For owners who run both, we keep the same superintendent and project engineer across the two, so lessons from one project are carried to the next.

Infection control and life safety as daily routines

Before work begins, we take part in the infection control risk assessment and agree on barriers, pressure relationships, cleaning frequency and the route that materials and debris will travel. Workers are briefed on the rules, and the barrier is inspected every day, with readings logged. If a measurement drifts, work stops and the cause is fixed before it resumes.

Life safety is protected equally. Exits, fire alarm coverage and sprinkler protection must remain in service or be replaced with approved temporary measures whenever a wall is opened. We schedule shutdowns with the hospital's facilities team in advance, give notice to the fire official and test the system before it goes back into service.

Codes that apply to a healthcare building

Healthcare facilities in New Mexico are built under the 2021 New Mexico Commercial Building Code, with licensing and plan review by the agencies that oversee care facilities. The state's Regulation and Licensing Department lists the 2024 New Mexico Plumbing Code and Mechanical Code, effective August 1, 2026, with permits issued under either the 2021 or 2024 edition until January 1, 2027, and only under the 2024 edition after that. The 2021 New Mexico Existing Building Code is also listed, which matters for renovations.

Because a hospital renovation can span months and cross that transition date, we confirm with the plans examiner which edition governs each permit package, and we avoid design changes that would trigger a re-review midway. Mechanical systems for operating rooms, isolation rooms and pharmacies are some of the most detailed in any building, and we plan their review time with the engineer.

Building in stages without losing a bed

The central question on an occupied hospital job is how to build in stages without losing capacity. We study the floor plan with the clinical team and draw a phasing sequence that moves one zone at a time, with a swing space to receive displaced functions. Each phase has a defined start, a defined turnover and a punch list that is completed before the next begins. Our experience in phased construction on occupied sites is the backbone of this method.

Surprises behind existing walls are common in older buildings, so we open selected ceilings and walls during preconstruction to see what is there. That survey seldom adds cost and frequently saves weeks, because the unknowns are found while the design can still respond.

Equipment, long lead items and turnover

Medical equipment, air-handling units, electrical switchgear and generators often have long delivery times, and owners may supply imaging equipment that needs a prepared room on a certain date. We build the schedule around those dates, and our long-lead procurement process tracks each order from release to delivery.

At turnover, a healthcare space needs more than a certificate of occupancy. Commissioning of air systems, testing of medical gas, verification of nurse call and the owner's own licensing inspections come first. A planned commissioning and closeout process lets the space be opened to patients on the date the owner announced.

Reaching the north, serving distant patients

Healthcare in this region serves patients from far away, and the buildings that care for them are spread across a large geography. A clinic in a northern town may be reached by a single highway or a regional bus, and staff may drive a long way to work. We think about construction logistics accordingly, with deliveries scheduled to avoid winter closures and crews housed or scheduled to reduce long daily drives.

Owners also ask about healthcare systems that operate in several communities at once. For them we offer a consistent set of standards for finishes, signage and details, so that a clinic in Espanola feels related to a clinic in the capital, and maintenance staff find familiar systems in each.

Talk with us about the care you provide

Describe the unit, the clinical program and the constraints on shutdowns. We will propose a phasing plan, a schedule and a budget range, and we will explain how we protect patients while the work goes on.

Questions Owners Ask

Can you build a hospital addition while the hospital stays open?

Yes, and that is the normal way. We draw a phasing plan with the clinical team, isolate work areas with barriers and negative air, protect egress and utilities, and schedule shutdowns during agreed windows. Daily inspections confirm that the controls are working.

What code edition applies to a project that spans the 2026 plumbing and mechanical transition?

The state allows permits under either the 2021 or 2024 plumbing and mechanical editions until January 1, 2027, and only the 2024 edition afterward. We check with the plans examiner which edition applies to each permit and plan the submittal timing to avoid mid-project changes.

How early should the contractor be involved in the design?

As early as the owner is willing. In a healthcare building, constructability and phasing influence the design in a major way. A contractor at the table during schematic design can point out where existing conditions, utility routing or equipment lead times will drive cost.

Do all-private patient rooms change the way a building is built?

They change the floor plan, the plumbing count and the mechanical load. Each room needs its own bathroom, and a floor of private rooms has more plumbing risers and more exterior wall than a floor of shared rooms. The recent local expansion to all-private rooms is an example of how much work that conversion can involve.

How do you control cost in renovation work?

By investigating before pricing. Opening ceilings, scanning slabs and checking above-ceiling utilities during preconstruction reduces the number of surprises. We also carry a clear contingency and report against it monthly.