Project Management: A Sober Look By a Sober Contractor

-- Tim Callahan

No matter how big or small, every undertaking requires project management. If I am washing the dishes all by myself at home, I can pretty well handle the task. When there is more than one person, somebody usually washes, and someone else dries. A decision must be made. This is generally a simple management decision, unless it involves my two young daughters.

In contrast, the number of decisions that are required in most construction projects fall somewhere on this scale:

 

LOTS = Give Me a Break

LOTS MORE = You Must Be Kidding!

TOO MUCH = Get Me a Valium!

 

Some people are good at making decisions, and moving on to the next challenge. Some folks have a tendency to second-guess themselves after making a commitment to go in a particular direction, while others may be overwhelmed and paralyzed at the thought of what it might mean if they make the wrong choice. Where are you in this spectrum?

The need for one “point-person” increases with the size of a project. If you are building a small cottage with some friends, and have a lot of time, it is nice to be able to hash out issues over coffee at your leisure. When you are dealing with hired individuals, and the accompanying payroll costs, it becomes much more important that there is an individual who knows the score.

Managing the many aspects of a project is akin to conducting an orchestra. The different players, and sub-contractors, enter and play their parts at different times in a coordinated effort to produce a seamless piece. This is often done outside, in the rain and snow, and without a rehearsal. Taking the podium and the baton is not for the faint of heart.

On smaller, and residential projects, it is generally assumed that the General Contractor performs the management role. You know what is said about making assumptions. People often spend a great deal of time hammering out the details of a contract, and leave out altogether the finer points of how the contract is, in fact, executed. The execution of the contract is project management.

Lawyers that specialize in construction law can be very helpful in covering most of the legal bases related to identifying the specific extent and nature of the work to be performed. They can also be most helpful in structuring a contract to help you avoid litigation. Avail yourselves of their services- they have seen many construction dramas, and you do not want to be involved in a lawsuit. As much as many of us would like to believe that it is possible to work on a handshake, do not make that assumption.

If you have a job in mind that has unanswered questions about the real world execution of the work, we may be able to help. We work with clients to help fill in the gaps that lawyers may have left. We do this by asking questions. We will review your requirements and pending contracts. Having confirmed the scope of the work, we will talk with you, the players, and the Contractor to clarify how that goal will be met.

The value of this process is that it helps to quickly identify a problem when things begin to go awry. It will also provide a mechanism for getting the work back on track.

I could go on for a long time about all of the potential pitfalls inherent in this work; suffice it to say that, with the proper planning, many of them can be avoided. If you need help, contact me and we'll discuss it.

© Clarke Snell, 2005