We have been managing construction projects for decades and have developed a methodical system of management and communication designed to realize all the value of the design/build process. To put it simply, design is aligned with construction to assure value. Here’s how it works.
BUILDING THE TEAM
Projects are built by people, so first and foremost, we are talent scouts. We know what to look for in reliable trade partners and have established a methodical process to recruit, select, orient, train, communicate with, and evaluate everyone we choose to work with. We interview for competence and craft, business basics and management experience, reputation and communication skills, and the ability to perform quality work at fair and accurate costs. Our goal is to build a bench of top talent that we know we can rely on to perform both individually and as a team and provide them the resources to succeed. This is our foundation for good construction management.
DESIGN ALIGNED
Early in the design process, as soon as we discover what the project is likely to require to be built, we begin identifying our trade resources. In short order we will be asking for their input technically, functionally, and financially. We create a written scope of the proposed work and solicit their input thru a series of written forms that assure we are both seeing the project in the same way, and if not, to invite them to offer their insight and perspective.
The “scope of work” is a common document with layers of available detail to use, share, and present as needed by our client, the design team, and our trade partners. Each audience has different needs, at different stages in the process – from reality check budget to construction contract to ordering and scheduling. This single document keeps everyone and everything carefully and dependably aligned. As we achieve greater and greater clarity about the work and materials the project will require, we communicate this to our trade partners and they update and revise whatever effects their scope of the work. This process develops their familiarity with the project early on and that relationship is sustained as construction begins. In this way we assure that construction intelligence is always informing design intention, and vice-versa.
STAGE MANAGEMENT
Getting a project done is all about getting the right people “on stage” with the right materials at the right time. Years of experience allow us to guide this process, preparing for and managing the staging of our cast of characters and all the parts they are there to assemble. It’s our job to know what they need and when they’ll need it. We do this by establishing and communicating a schedule and their place in it, then maintaining constant updates as we progress. As conditions emerge that require adaptation or change, we shift gears and make necessary adjustments, all the while keeping everyone aligned and their effort coordinated. Once the curtain goes up, we’re live!
ON TRACK
The fun part of a project is dreaming up what to build, then watching it get built. Behind the scenes of this exciting ride is a whole world of details that we adeptly manage to keep everything on track. Nearly every item in the scope of work involves people who will both need and provide information, and each piece needs a home. We track costs and payments, drawings and technical specifications, quantities and dimensions, permits and inspections, and make sure that what was supposed to get done, got done. We make sure everyone is properly insured, registered, and licensed. We manage all this so that your attention can stay focused on the important decisions that shape the project and you can enjoy the ride! All the while we are filling binders and file folders with this mundane but essential information and making sure it gets to the people who need it.
MANAGING FOR VALUE
Our collaborative process prepares everyone for action. Our integrated scope of work documents assure that by the time we are ready to start a project all our trade partners are aligned with the plan and ready to play their part. Too often project supervision requires the expense of someone onsite all the time to answer questions and provide direction that should have been made clear from the beginning. Our process aims to provide clear guidance from the start. By hiring carefully and communicating thoroughly our projects require less direct supervision and the associated expense. Our attention can be focused where it matters most, keeping people coordinated, assuring materials are available and on site when they are needed, and keeping clear channels of communication open between everyone involved.
THERE FOR YOU
Throughout the design and construction process we consider providing guidance to be our primary purpose. We guide you and the people we recruit to succesfully build your project. During the course of construction we are in regular communication providing project updates, clarifying final finish choices, and meeting periodically to share what’s going on with you. You will undoubtedly have questions, and sometimes concerns, and on occasion a desire to add or change a project feature. Like a waiter checking in to ask, “Is everything OK?” we take your pulse and respond accordingly.
A COMPLETE PROCESS
After decades of guiding people thru the process of designing and constructing hundreds of projects, we can’t imagine designing and building in any other way. In planning to design and build your project, which part of this process would you want to do without?