Most building owners are busy running their business, school district or government entity and may not have the resources, in-house project management experience or inclination to manage the design and construction of their capital improvement projects. Construction projects are not a part of their everyday lives which can put an owner at a disadvantage when dealing with the various tasks, responsibilities and stakeholders. There are many of these that must be addressed. Some will always remain with the owner. However, many may be assigned to a Construction Manager. The Owner’s role in the division of tasks and responsibilities is generally one of approval and parameter setting rather than specific task performance. Given the presence of highly qualified A/E and CM firms, this is an appropriate as well as desirable role for the owner – active involvement in every step of the process and the sole right of approval and authorization. A major risk to a project is that some of these tasks and responsibilities may not be implemented properly. HCM uses a hands-on, full-service, and full-value approach to the owner’s project requirements to put in place the appropriate project controls in order to minimize and manage that risk.
State, county and larger city governments as well as national chain stores and large developers typically have their own Construction Management professionals on staff. Whereas smaller cities, school districts and individual building owners often times contract for Construction Management/Owner’s Representative services.
Throughout the design and construction process, a construction manager such as HCM will act as the owner’s technical consultant and advisor responsible exclusively to the owner while providing preconstruction and construction services. Designs need to be developed that meet the needs for both function and aesthetic appeal, architects and contractors need to be selected, building plans approved, permits acquired, contract documents prepared and executed, budgets managed, schedules created and maintained, progress payments reviewed, testing and inspections performed and contractors managed. This creates the need for a skilled CM professional who will advocate for and protect the best interests of the owner. The CM works collaboratively as an extension of the client’s staff and in a spirit of teamwork with the design team and contractors to safeguard the owner’s interests with on-time and within budget completion and quality construction as primary objectives. All decisions are ‘Open Book’ for your input, review and approval.
Building owners can most efficiently and economically achieve their building program objectives through the use of an experienced Construction Manager. Hiring an experienced owner's representative will allow you to focus on doing what you do best. Running your business. It will provide you peace of mind knowing that your project will be run in a timely and efficient manner. By incorporating value into each project HCM produces exceptional results for its clients.
There are 3 principal Construction Management Delivery Methods. Each method may vary from project to project.
