The AC Owen Construction team will focus on your project from start to finish ensuring a high quality product. AC Owen works closely with the architects, engineers, sub-contractors, and vendors to control costs and mitigate risk. We also work closely with you directly to ensure appropriate planning, careful scheduling and foresight to handle all phases of construction.

Why do you need a Construction Management firm?

When your faced with a major construction project, there are many moving parts to consider. The scope of the project, how it impacts current operations, what will it cost, and who is going to do the work are just a few of the big picture questions. Then there are the details: which architect to hire, contractors to invite to bid, permitting, code compliance – the list seems endless. Most business owners and executives do not have either the background in construction or even more importantly, the time to bring all these elements together to ensure a successful, on-budget project. Let’s examine the basics of the role of a Construction Management firm on a project to show you why so many companies find their services invaluable.

Project Management Planning

From a project’s inception, you need a plan, and not just a SET of plans from the architect or engineer. An experienced construction manager should be involved from the beginning to help identify what details need to be addressed in order for the project to happen. Are there zoning issues? What are potential pitfalls in terms of scheduling? Who will be the owner’s liaison to the construction team? Is the design of the project compatible with the owner’s schedule? How long is the bidding process going to take? A construction manager has been through all of this before and can help you start the ball rolling by putting together a preliminary master schedule with input from the design professionals and the owner. The Construction Management team will pull all the pieces together, establishing channels of communication that keep the flow of information moving forward and making sure there is accountability in each area of responsibility. Other items such as submittals, coordination drawings, etc. are identified in the planning process by the Construction Management team, who then will coordinate their implementation and completion.

Cost Management

The Construction Management team offers input on budget as the project takes shape, calling on their experience from past projects. As things progress and the bids are in, it is important to make sure that once the final budget is established, someone is overseeing costs. The CM serves as the point of contact for the owner’s interests, and holds everyone on the team accountable for invoices that are submitted. In addition, The Construction Management team will evaluate any change order requests to make sure that they are justified and do not represent an item that should have been included in the contractor or subcontractor’s bid.

Time Management

A major advantage of hiring a professional Construction Management firm is utilizing their expertise to construct, implement and oversee the schedule. Using modern scheduling software, the CM requests and inputs durations from the contractors to come up with a final schedule that is agreed upon by all parties. This creates another layer of accountability for each team member on the project. Typically, there will be weekly or biweekly job meetings presided over by the Construction Management team. At these meetings each party will have the opportunity to report on progress, project future construction activities, and identify any roadblocks that may be a hindrance to progress. The Construction Management team can also recognize opportunities to make up time on the project and work with the team to make it happen.

Quality Management

With any construction project, it’s not just a matter of completing the project. Every owner wants to meet or exceed the level of quality established in the project specifications. That is where Construction Management professional comes in. They will be the owner’s eyes and ears on the job, with the ability and authority to make sure that the project is being constructed according to specs. They will also be aware of the required inspections and inform all parties of the results, distributing lists of deficiencies and setting deadlines for remediation. The Construction Management team also serves as a conduit for all Requests for Information (RFI), logging them and addressing each at the appropriate job meeting. Nothing holds up a project more than unanswered questions.

Contract Administration

With the litigious environment we have in business today, keeping a tight rein on contracts is a must. On a construction project, with all the built-in risk factors, it is even more imperative to have a seasoned Construction Management professional to be your contract administrator. They understand construction contracts because they have both issued them and signed them many times. The CM can make sure the contracts have the proper verbiage to provide the owner with the appropriate level of indemnification, or contain adequate language to hold parties accountable to the specs and schedule. Once the project is underway and even during closeout, your Construction Management team will make sure the right signatures are on the contract and that you are protected contractually from start to finish. They will also make sure the appropriate closeout information is submitted, including lien releases.

Safety Management

Construction can be a dangerous business, with everything from small hammers to large cranes hoisting steel beams in operation for hours at a time. Setting the tone for the safety on a project has to be done from the beginning, and that is where the Construction Management team comes in. If your facility has special safety requirements, the CM will make sure all parties are compliant. They can also require that each contractor submits their own company safety plan as well as signing off on project specific requirements. In addition, since the construction process typically involves the use of chemicals and other hazardous materials, the Construction Management team will oversee the submission of Safety Data Sheets (SDSs) (formerly known as Material Safety Data Sheets or MSDSs) to maintain record on site in the event treatment for exposure to such a substance is required. As the owner’s eyes and ears, the CM can identify any practice that may not meet OSHA (or any Authority Having Jurisdiction) standards before an accident happens.

 

AC Owen Construction has locations in Oklahoma City and Tulsa. Contact us today and learn more about what we can do for your construction projects!

AC Owen Construction in Tulsa and Oklahoma City, OK