Effects of COVID-19 on the Construction Industry
How COVID-19 Impacts the Construction Industry
Tips to protect the wellbeing of workers and keep projects moving
The construction industry is particularly feeling the impact of the coronavirus outbreak because workers are unable to work from home and must be onsite to do their jobs. While we may not be on the frontlines of fighting the pandemic, there are many practices we can embrace to help reduce the spread of the virus, the seasonal flu, and other respiratory illnesses. First, we want to share some of the ways we’re seeing the coronavirus impact our industry. We then explore how we can help keep worker healthy, stay connected, and adapt our work to changing circumstances.
Coronavirus Impact on the Construction Industry
Some of the impacts we’re seeing include delays of materials from outside the country as well as concerns that delays from US suppliers may be next. In response, general contractors are securing materials domestically and getting them to sites as quickly as possible. Building departments in some areas are beginning to close, which could bring permitting and inspections to a halt. There is a risk that some contractors and subcontractors may suspend operations. With all these uncertainties, we know project timelines may be impacted and are working closely with our teams to create recovery plans.
Taking care of our people is incredibly important to us at The Bridge Group. As construction continues on many projects, we've compiled some measures we can take to help keep everyone healthy and safe. This applies to workers general contractors and sub-contractors on-site and employees in the workplace.
Tips for Staying Healthy and Connected
Healthy Practices on Site
1. Ask general contractors to install additional hand-washing stations at construction sites.
2. Encourage workers to stay home if they feel sick and remind them to cover coughs and sneezes with a tissue, then immediately discarding the tissue in the trash.
3. Ask general contractors to implement social distancing, with employees working at least six feet apart when it is safe to do so.
4. Post notices or posters at worksites reminding employees how they can protect themselves and others from respiratory illnesses. Notices can include reminders to wash hands frequently or use hand sanitizer; to work at least 6 feet apart when safely possible, and to stay home when sick. The CDC offers printable materials online.
5. Wipe down frequently-touched surfaces, such as door handles, bathrooms, railings, kitchen areas, and shared tools and machinery. Provide disinfecting wipes on-site.
Stay Connected and Adjust Project Timelines
1. Stay in close contact with general contractors to understand their concerns about employee health.
2. Discuss timeline implications with project stakeholders if construction slows, and work closely with them on the development of recovery plans. If construction comes to a halt, use the time to plan so the schedule impact can be minimized once construction picks up again.
3. As teams try to reduce travel and follow the shelter in place, we can use technology to communicate and collaborate. Facetime and photography allow architects and stakeholders to monitor progress and reduce concerns of remediation measures later on. We can eliminate in-person meetings by taking advantage of video conferencing and team collaboration tools. Apps and cloud-based tools like Zoom, Google Suite, Trello, Asana, Slack, Jira and Microsoft Teams are all ideal.
In these unprecedented times, we’re all learning how we can continue to safely work together, whether in an office, at home, or on a construction site. We’d love to hear your ideas. How have you seen the coronavirus affect the construction industry or impacted your client projects? We’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments section below.
What Nursing Parents Need from your Workplace Lactation Room
What Nursing Parents Need from your Workplace Lactation Room
How to collect the real requirements and how diversity can help
The designated lactation room in our client’s office was small and empty, without furniture nor decorations. But it existed, which was a crucial step forward for future parents planning to return to work after adding a new member to their family.
Prior to the Affordable Care Act in 2010, not many companies prioritized a space for parents to pump and store breastmilk at the workplace. The new law required employers with over 50 employees to provide a pumping space that was not located in or through a bathroom, locker room, or similar facility, and many smaller companies followed suit.
We recently guided one of our clients through the process of designing an inclusive lactation room that supports the needs of both current and future employees. Here’s a peek at the features and furnishings they used to design a space that feels safe, comfortable, and functional.
Discover what nursing parents need
My client, a small financial institution, was building out their new office. They didn’t currently have any employees that required a lactation room, but as they designed their new workspace, they wanted to comfortably accommodate employees who would need a clean, private space to pump.
In my work building out tenant improvements, it’s not uncommon for the lactation room, if it’s considered at all, to be a repurposed utility closet or spare nook under a staircase. In this case, the client wanted to be proactive and inclusive and put a lactation room in the first draft of their new office layout. The next step involved finding great furniture and fixtures that would help create a homey, welcoming environment.
My job, furniture procurement, can be very straightforward for certain room types. Conference rooms and private office requirements are well-established, and they existed in the client’s current office space. However, the lactation room was different, and my team had no template to follow.
Design a welcoming lactation space
The client offered a few suggestions for furnishings they would need to get started: a rocking chair, a small fridge, and low lighting. But as I began searching my sources for options to present to the client, something occurred to me. The requirement gathering for that room had consisted of three men, myself included, all of us speculating about what a nursing parent might need.
I could understand the need for a small fridge for storing breastmilk and comfortable seating. However, the idea that we specifically needed a rocking chair struck me as odd. Were we picturing small children being rocked to sleep in this room?
As a result, I realized that we didn’t understand the nuances of this room’s usage. Since the client had never had a lactation room and didn’t have any employees who would currently make use of one, they might also be feeling a little lost.
I reached out to my client, who acknowledged a lack of research behind these requirements and thanked me for volunteering to do more research. After consulting with friends, colleagues and family who had made use of a lactation room before, and with a bit of internet research, I came up with a list of requirements.
How to furnish a lactation room
Since nursing parents often spend 15-20 minutes per session pumping, plus time to set up and break down supplies, lactating employees could expect to potentially spend hours every day in this room. After researching and discussing with colleagues, I decided the following items would help us create a comfortable space that would meet all of a nursing parent’s requirements.
A comfortable, ergonomic chair. As I suspected, rocking wasn’t as important of a feature as we initially thought. Many parents pointed out that a chair that was easily cleanable and had an adjustable height and back support would be a valuable addition.
A small refrigerator. Parents need to be able to immediately store breast milk before transporting it home at the end of each day.
A small table. The table could be used for placing a breast pump, and needed to have easily accessed electrical power.
A privacy lock. Users needed a way to indicate when the room was occupied so they could maintain privacy.
Easy access to cleanup supplies. Parents spoke about the need to have a sink nearby for washing pump parts, antibacterial wipes for sanitizing surfaces, and a waste bin.
A mirror. After pumping, many parents appreciated being able to adjust their clothing before returning to the office.
Sound dampening. Since breast pumps aren’t completely silent, acoustic ceiling tiles and other sound dampening measures were incorporated to increase privacy.
Other features we considered including were individual thermostat control as well as artwork and additional lighting. Additionally, if the office has no employees who are currently using the room, it could potentially double as an additional wellness space for private meditation or stretching.
Key takeaways for facility managers
Lactation rooms are more than just retention aids for the parents in your workforce. They’re spaces that show your organization cares about helping working parents feel included and comfortable in the office after bringing home a new family member.
For me, this project invoked a few key lessons that are applicable for lactation rooms and beyond.
First, gathering project requirements is more than simply collecting a list from your stakeholders. Your stakeholders may not have a full understanding of what they need, and they may not be able to fully understand the experience of a given room’s users. Gently question them to discover assumptions and reach a consensus about what the room really needs.
Next, ensure that you have a full representation of future stakeholders (owners, and in this case, parents, parents-to-be, Facility Manager, PM, architect/designer, general contractor, and acoustical company) when gathering requirements, or you may miss critical input.
Finally, diversity in your stakeholders is fundamental to ensuring requirements are complete and aligned with project objectives. Seek diverse opinions and you’ll be more confident in your final design.
Interested in designing a lactation room at your current office, or planning to include one in your new building? Reach out and schedule a time to chat with our team.
What Makes a Team Successful?
What Makes a Team Successful?
Lessons learned after three years of The Bridge Group
As we celebrate our third anniversary here at The Bridge Group (three years!), and start a new year, I’ve been reflecting on the successes we’ve had as a firm.
I went into construction project management because I love the dynamic challenges the field presents. No two projects are alike, and I enjoy getting to know my clients and their needs and then creating and executing specific project plans to deliver the space they require. In recent years, I’ve had the opportunity to work with clients on a variety of technology facilities and research labs. I’ve been inspired by how these people and projects are primed to change the world, and it’s exciting to play a small role in their success story.
The Bridge Group’s success story
My success story has been shaped by others, too. The company has grown faster than I ever imagined, and I give all the credit to my team. Each and every one of my employees has contributed to the firm’s growth in pivotal ways, whether by tapping into their personal networks to grow our client list, by advising me on ways to help the company succeed, or by tactical execution of project management.
I am grateful to all of my employees for pouring their hearts and souls into helping me build The Bridge Group, but I feel especially indebted to my first employee Stephanie Hamilton. Stephanie took a chance on me three years ago when I had nothing to offer except the promise of a supportive and hardworking boss who wanted to build a collaborative team and great company. Thanks again, Stephanie! Your support has meant the world to me.
Lessons learned after three years of The Bridge Group
Mentors make the difference
I’ve been really fortunate to work with some amazing people in the industry, from architects and engineers to general contractors and dynamic clients, who have helped me learn some of my most important lessons. In particular, I’d like to acknowledge Ed Smith who agreed to let me help him at the beginning of my career and introduced me to the industry. I’d also like to acknowledge Jurgen Decker at Facebook who has been a mentor to me over the years and continues to be. It takes time and courage to give honest feedback and his interest in my development has made me the project manager I am today.
If you want to break into the industry, here’s my advice: seek out great mentors. You’ll strike gold in finding someone to help guide you in your journey. I’ve found people in the industry to be generous with their time and experience, and eager to give back to the next generation. Sometimes all you have to do is ask.
Harness the power of your team
Above all else, The Bridge Group’s success is about people: The endlessly hardworking employees I’m grateful to employ, the trusting clients who work with us, and the project partners and vendors we collaborate with. I’ve found that overcoming challenges lies in our ability to engage the project team to find solutions. This includes everyone from the client to the design team to the sub-contractors. The success of a project is about harnessing the power of a team, and the ability to navigate tough conversations with care.
Invest in your people
Hire people who truly care. If you can attract and hire people who are driven by a desire to help, you’ll build a team of supportive, diligent people eager to support their colleagues. Do your best to support them as well. As a business owner, I find that if I can support my people, whether by enabling work-life balance or helping to solve problems they’re having on their projects, they’ll return the favor 110%.
Let your motivations guide you
I am a problem solver by nature. I’m energized by finding creative solutions to help people solve their problems. Oftentimes my work is a small but vital piece of the puzzle, but it feels good to help bring a client’s ideal space to fruition and support them in their on-going success story. Seeing our clients’ faces on their first day in their new facility brings me great satisfaction and makes all the hard work well worth it.
Say thanks
Make your appreciation known. Success is a team sport, and acknowledging those who make your successes possible will bring you far.
Thank you to all the clients we’ve worked with over these three years. You’ve helped The Bridge Group family push past our own limits to become the team of project managers we are today. We’ve had a busy three years and attribute our continued success to the clients and partners who provide us with on-going work, project referrals, and of course, the hardworking team members who make up The Bridge Group’s family. Here’s to continued success for all for the new decade!
Construction Project Management in the Digital (or Modern) Age
Construction Project Management in the Digital (or Modern) Age
The tools ushering in a new era of PM for the AEC industry
Surprising and delighting your clients can be a great thing. Whether it's a handwritten thank you note, an innovative solution to their problem, or a design project completed under budget. But for anyone who works in the AEC industry knows, you don’t want surprises in a construction project. However, they happen, and too often. Whether it’s the rising cost of building materials, errors or omissions in design documents, or differing site conditions, surprises on a construction site mean costly delays. Fortunately, today’s tools and processes help us eliminate construction project surprises like never before.
Construction Project Management Tools Changing the Game
Building Information Modeling (BIM)
Technical industries are changing rapidly, and the architecture, engineering, and construction (AEC) industry is no exception. The most impactful change as of late is the widespread adoption of Building Information Modeling (BIM) workflows. BIM is a 3D model-based process that gives AEC professionals the visibility and best practices to expertly manage construction projects from start to finish. Architects have been using BIM since the 90s, but in recent years contractors and mechanical, electrical, and plumbing consultants have adopted the workflow as well.
The clear snapshot enabled by BIM gives architects, engineers, and contractors the insight and tools to prevent setbacks and strategize building methods before the job site opens. For instance, complete BIM models can run “clash detection” to automatically flag any conflicting trades like plumbing lines overlapping mechanical ducts. Additionally, the common lexicon of BIM means all of the trades speak the same language, decreasing the miscommunication that can quickly derail construction projects. With all the relevant players in construction on the same page with BIM, we’re getting complete digital models of projects that were previously inaccessible.
3D Scanning
3D scanning is another technology quickly securing its place in construction project management. Originally used for existing space surveys, 3D scanners are now producing highly accurate as-built dimensions. These scans avoid the potential errors of analog measurements like marked up drawings. Those errors would mean expensive change orders during the construction phase. Another benefit of 3D scanning is the technology’s ability to record the changes of a building that were not previously incorporated into complete, up-to-date drawing sets.
Less expensive and easier to use than ever, 3D scanning devices tie directly to BIM models for a fluid transfer of accurate data to create precise digital models. Time is saved by skipping the step of translating analog measurements to a digital format, and 3D scanning produces a complete picture of the environment that is exact enough to build from.
Augmented Reality (AR)
If you’ve used a Snapchat filter, you know how fun AR can be. But the same digital canvas overlay is quickly becoming the go-to tool for bringing designs to life. Virtual reality (VR) and time-tested renderings are good for a representation of a project, but AR is the clear winner when it comes to visualizing future-built conditions and projecting a tangible sense of space for clients.
And with iOS and Android heavily investing in smartphones with AR capabilities, AEC professionals can view and export richly detailed AR models with ease. The use of AR for “x-ray” vision capabilities is also rising. Using tablets or smartphones, facilities teams can understand what plumbing lines, conduits, or columns lurk behind walls and ceilings by holding the device to a specific area.
Data
One of the most valuable technologies available today also happens to be one of the least tangible—data. Data is streaming in from all aspects of our lives, including the spaces we inhabit. Sensors can now provide insight as to how spaces are being used by tracking individuals as they move through a space. Data show teams what areas could better perform with HVAC, identify zones that are underutilized, and forecast better methods for conserving energy.
This information together with temperature, location, and acoustics tells a story that can be used to shape spaces and functions, much like having a suit tailored to fit perfectly.
Facing Forward with Construction Project Management
It’s an exciting time to work in construction project management. The tools and processes available today are changing the dynamic AEC industry. Highly collaborative processes like BIM are encouraging fluency amongst trades like never before, while 3D scanning and big data are giving us access to huge pools of information. What remains to be seen is what we will do with it all.
Whether you’re a seasoned architect, facility manager, or industry newbie, we want to hear from you. Comment below and let us know what tools and processes you’re most excited about today and in the future.
A project management firm's advice for an effective open-office strategy
A Project Management Firm's Advice for an effective open-office strategy
Successful workplaces to harmonize productivity and collaboration
The open-plan office continues to be popular for companies seeking a leaner, more mobile work environment. At the same time, critics cite excessive noise levels and lack of privacy as major concerns for open-plan spaces.
But a new report suggests that successful open-plan offices are all about thoughtful design. In other words, planning every last square foot matters, and companies who want happy, productive employees should think carefully about how their employees will best use the space.
Along with her design team, Stephanie Hamilton, a Senior Project Manager at The Bridge Group, recently completed an open-plan office design for a Silicon Valley medical services company. Here, she shares a few ideas that enable collaboration, concentration, and privacy.
1. Work Lounges
Sit-down work lounges can help organizations optimize their real estate by delivering a high-performance workspace in a more compact footprint.
The design team suggested Steelcase’s Brody WorkLounge seating solution, which provides more privacy in open layouts and incorporates ergonomics for the user into its overall design. However, a Herman Miller product was implemented for the client instead. The team arranged these lounges around the office window’s perimeter so employees could enjoy outdoor views, designate heads-down space and truly focus on their work without interruption.
Consider placing similar solutions around window areas to embrace biophilic design and bring a sense of privacy to employees.
2. Huddle Rooms
During Stephanie’s project, the client’s HR and engineering departments expressed a need for heads-down work, privacy, and the ability to take video conferencing calls in the same space.
Huddle rooms, which hold between two to four people and incorporate video conferencing technology, provided the ideal solution. This setup was especially important for HR, who needed additional privacy frequently to talk about confidential matters.
We recommend introducing a reservation system for these rooms so that employees can sign up in advance to use the video features. Since these spaces are also ideal for holding interviews, consider placing a couple near reception and a few in the middle of an office’s floor plan.
3. Benching Solutions
For benching solutions, the client needed something as modular as possible to fit many different teams, individuals, working styles, and tasks.
Stephanie and her design team recommended Herman Miller’s Canvas Channel workstations for their needs. It's a freestanding structure with height-adjustable desks and clean, simple boundaries between workstations. They also proposed and implemented mobile whiteboards and automated panels to configure workstations around the office.
For your own workspace, consider the different working styles at your company and how these modular benching solutions can accommodate those needs.
4. Phone Booths
One-man phone booths were another invaluable addition to the client’s office when it came to addressing privacy needs. The single phone booths, also from Herman Miller, provided a place for all of the client’s employees to step away from the noise to make private phone calls.
Some offices require larger solutions than a one-person booth can provide. In this case, similar solutions such as One Workplace’s Architectural Solutions, integrate acoustics, air circulation, removable roof panels, and lighting and power sockets into pod-like spaces around the office.
Companies planning open offices should consider some of these options for their designs. And since there are more products and solutions on the market than any Facility Manager could possibly sift through, it can help the process along to have an experienced PM assist you.
Ready to start designing your open office workplace but need guidance on privacy and collaborative work solutions? Reach out today for solutions tailored to your company’s needs.
Project management skills to help you transcend borders when working abroad
Project Management Skills to Transcend Borders When Working Abroad
You'll translate a lot more than words when you work internationally
For as global as we’ve become in this day and age, there are still big changes you have to face when you work abroad especially when it comes to customs, language, currency, and other pieces of local life.
This doesn’t have to be overwhelming. A little extra prep before you arrive can enhance both your project and your time spent on international ground.
With that in mind, here’s a list of tips to keep handy when you’re project managing abroad:
- Engage with your new team immediately
If you can, choose team members in the new country before the start of the actual project. If you don’t get to choose, at least familiarize yourself with names and job titles beforehand.
The best way to do this is to visit the new country in advance of the project and hold a team meeting. This way you can set expectations, whether they’re around maintaining the project budget or ensuring the project site meets governmental or environmental regulations.
If you alone are “the team,” it’s still useful to learn who else will be working on the site and connect with them.
- Get familiar with local customs and culture
Find out what’s normal in your new culture’s business. Understand dress code, the most acceptable greetings, and subtle changes like whether or not to small talk at meetings and how you address others in the room when it’s time to make a decision.
Learn the language — or at least the basics. These signals respect to your team and colleagues since you took the time to learn some of their language, and it’s also just practical. Nowadays, apps and other software programs will walk you through basic greetings and questions, and even help you practice speaking the words.
- Adjust your thinking to local metrics, currency, and time
It’s crucial to understand local currency. If the budget is in something other than U.S. dollars, get a currency converting app so you can translate the numbers in real time — which you’ll probably have to do at more than one meeting.
Same goes for measuring systems. Do the drawings for the new site use the metric or imperial system? If it’s metric, do you know how to quickly convert meters to feet?
Also, be aware of time differences. Your smartphone’s clock feature makes it easy to see the time in just about any place in the world, so use it as a resource if you’re unsure what time it is back home; you don’t want to schedule a meeting that lands in the middle of the night for someone else.
- Be picky about your technology.
Technology can make working abroad easier, but there’s a right and wrong way to use it.
For example, with video conferencing, sound quality is an issue anywhere; it can get worse when there’s a language barrier in play, so ask yourself if a meeting really warrants video. Meanwhile, social media messaging and other forms of text-based communication are also tricky when they start crossing cultural boundaries; words easily get lost in translation — literally — and can slow a project down.
Everyone on the project — back home and abroad — should use the same cloud-based collaboration tools, to cut down on confusion. Microsoft, Google, and IBM all offer their own productivity platforms. Find one that best serves every country involved in the project. Here’s another good resource for online collaboration tools.
Preparing for international work is a bit like packing a bag: you’ll need certain things for certain settings, and planning ahead is the best way to ensure you haven’t missed something you might need. The extra prep could also save you the frustration of an unwelcome surprise at the last minute. If you’re lucky, your thoroughness may even get you closer to an earlier completion date or reduced budget.
How do you prepare for work on international projects? Share your thoughts below.
How to encourage cross-generation collaboration at work
How to encourage cross-generation collaboration at work
Meet the needs of all 5 generations using our handy guide
Familiarizing yourself with what different generations of employees need at work is a great place to start if you’re seeking to improve employee collaboration. But what actionable steps can you take to create workplaces that set every employee up for success?
We’ve outlined four ideas you can use to plan and design spaces that bring diverse groups of workers together.
Create opportunities for spontaneous collaboration
Café-style areas allow for warm community settings that accommodate a wide variety of purposes and create an opportunity to connect for everyone. Kitchen at HGA’s San Jose Office. Photo credit: Corey Gaffer Photography
Most offices have a micro-kitchen or office cafe where folks naturally socialize. However, more facilities are designing spaces specifically for spontaneous interaction, often called in-house social hubs. Think attractive, well-lit break rooms that are easily accessible for several teams and benches in hallways where employees can sit and chat. These spaces are for “accidental collision,” where unplanned dialogues lead to new, creative ideas. Consider providing snacks or beverages in these locations to encourage people to linger.
Design cross-functional spaces
Cross-functional space at LendingHome San Francisco headquarters designed by Studio Blitz. The space serves as a presentation area and work-cafe. Photo credit: Adam Rouse Photography
The trend of nesting coworking spaces inside your office space is one approach to creating cross-functional spaces where different people can meet. Also known as innovation hubs, they double as showcase rooms. Inviting freelancers and other innovators into your space is one way to infuse your employees with a fresh perspective and expose them to diverse ideas. If you aren’t able to build a dedicated co-working space, consider setting up regular events for the community, like a meetup geared towards designers or a happy hour for product managers.
Add connectivity options
Make sure that all new public spaces you design include wifi and easy power access. Power and connectivity must be ubiquitous throughout your facility or office to promote productivity and collaboration. This is especially critical for outdoor spaces, which need to be fully fitted with the right utilities if you want employees to utilize them. Adding outlets along hallways and in other places employees might spontaneously choose to work is another way to encourage random interactions.
Include areas for focused work
A recent survey by Gensler revealed that while employees value collaboration, they also need more private, enclosed spaces. Many companies offer areas like phone booths, huddle rooms, private hubs and semi-private booths. Offices are increasingly desiring communal libraries where employees can go when they need time to focus alone are. Make sure your office offers these spaces so your workers have the opportunity to recharge when they need to.
Designing workspaces where diverse groups of employees can socialize doesn’t have to be a daunting task. Many employees genuinely want to build a relationship with their coworkers, which can quickly lead to the birth of new, innovative ideas. By providing them with spaces for socializing and collaboration, you can foster an enduring workplace community.
Ready to bridge the communication gap between the employee generation gap in your office? Reach out for ideas on how we can help bring everyone together.
6 Strategies To Integrate Technology Into Your Project Management Process
6 Strategies To Integrate Technology Into Your Project Management Process
Technology can’t save your project— but these tips can help you work better
by Nick Suarez, Sr. Project Manager
How often do you create a great project plan, but fall short when the time comes to keep track of all the moving pieces?
Managing projects with only a calendar and a pen can be difficult even for the best project manager. With the help of tools like Smartsheets and Plan Grid, I was able to manage my time, communicate with clients, vendors, and contractors, and store all of my documents in one location.
Still, just having the tool isn’t enough: you have to create processes and workflows that include these tools in a meaningful way. These six strategies can help you merge your existing work methods with a few of the tools I’ve found most useful so you can finish projects on time and within budget.
Use Conditional Formatting
Many project management platforms will automatically highlight tasks in yellow (due soon) or red (overdue), so you can quickly see what you need to focus on next.
Set up Reminders and Alerts
Even if you’re not the forgetful type, reminders can keep you on track by bringing tasks that need to be completed soon to your attention.
Incorporate a Client/Vendor Dashboard
We all know how important it is to keep clients and vendors in the know. Instead of sending frequent update emails, many types of software let you automatically update them in one central location.
Take Advantage of a Centralized Repository
Instead of having documents scattered across your computer’s hard drive, upload them into your project management platform so you have everything all in one place.
Pull Data From Your Email
Connecting your project management software to your email inbox helps you keep track of all project communication in one place.
Stay on Top of Your Budget
Financial reporting features make it simple to see how well you’re sticking to your client’s budget without needing to crunch the numbers by hand.
How do you use project management software to keep your projects running smoothly? I’d love to hear your strategies in the comments section!
Strategies to control costs on your construction project
3 Simple Ways to Control Costs On Your Next Construction Project
Construction costs spiraling out of control? Here’s how to handle it.
As project managers, it’s our job to make sure our client’s office build-out is completed on time and within budget. We frequently partner with startups and companies who are growing rapidly and have a strict budget with little room for the costly overruns that can become an insidious part of the construction process. As a result, we’ve fine-tuned our ability to get our clients the best value for their money.
Here are three strategies Construction Managers, Facility Managers and Operations Teams can employ to keep costs low while ensuring that your new space meets your needs.
1. Bring in a contractor early
By hiring a general contractor early in the project, you can price the plans at various stages during the design process. Then, your team can conduct value engineering exercises as they design and prevent costly surprises once the construction documents are complete.
2. Find opportunities to cut costs
A general contractor can also identify where the costs are coming in high and make suggestions for places you can cut back. Ideally, your project management firm will work closely with the design team and general contractor at this stage to ensure sure they’re reducing costs without sacrificing quality.
3. Utilize cost comparisons
Skyline Construction created a tool called the Bay Area Cost Comparison to help guide you towards a less expensive project. This white paper will give you an idea of what an average project might cost in your area, what factors drive escalation, and what cost saving measures to look for.
We brought all these strategies together during our recent work for RocketSpace, a San Francisco based co-working space. Our team partnered with Skyline Construction, while we were still finalizing the fit plan so they were contracted and ready to price at the end of the schematic design phase. We conducted a second round of pricing after the design development phase and then, of course, at the end of construction documentation.
Our partnership with Skyline Construction helped us discover several ways to save on construction project costs. Project savings included; re-working the mechanical design, selecting less expensive light fixtures, re-thinking the door selection to each office space and finding a less expensive finish for the millwork. It would have been disastrous if we had discovered these expenses after our construction documents were complete, since it would have delayed the project and led to change orders from our design team. As it was, our team was able to make these decisions while the plans were coming together, which resulted in construction costs meeting our budget and staying on track with our timeline.
We’re not afraid of a small construction project budget. Find out how we can help with your next project or discuss some costs savings alternatives. Contact us now for your free project consultation.
6 tips to improve your vendor relationships
Six Tips for Improving Your Vendor Relationships
Vendors are a critical part of every project’s success. Here’s how to keep them happy.
By Stephanie Hamilton, Senior Project Manager
Every project manager has a story about a time a project unexpectedly went sideways after an unforeseeable delay.
My story involves a large multi-floor high rise project that was on schedule until a delivery of key lighting components landed on back order. We were under the gun to meet landlord leasing terms, deliver the project on time and on budget while keeping this difficult client happy.
To stay on track, I asked the team “What can we do to work around this challenge?” This question launched us into a discussion that ultimately landed on a solution that left everyone satisfied.
Here are six things every project manager can start doing today to help your team, vendors included, work together through your next difficult problem.
- Value their time
We all lead busy lives and have lengthy to-do lists. When you hold a meeting with your vendors, make sure it is productive, on time and to task. Don’t be afraid to speak up, reel in the chatter and get back on track. When you respect your vendor’s time, they are more likely to respect yours. - Keep them informed
Make sure your team is kept up to date on schedule changes, product delays and overall scope definition. When you hoard information, you prevent your vendors from performing to their fullest, delivering on time and feeling like part of the team. - Ask for opinions
When I start up a new team, I always ask the same simple question to encourage vendors to share their knowledge: What do you think? Getting to know everyone’s opinion makes the team stronger, the project more successful, and leaves the vendor feeling like they made a strong contribution. - Bring in the most outspoken person last
There is always one person in the room that is more eager to give their opinion. Try waiting until there is one minute left in the meeting before you ask for their feedback so other people can get a word in. This will also encourage them to present their input in a condensed, concise fashion.
- Ask about challenges, not issues
Instead of asking what issues vendors are having, try digging into the challenges they’re encountering. For example, a vendor might volunteer that they’re having a challenge with product delivery, and suggest changing manufacturers. By turning this thought process around, it gives the team an opportunity to develop a plan and quickly execute it. - Treat those around you like you would like to be treated
Remember that people are people, not titles. When you build teams, think about how to create a cohesive group instead of focusing on the organizational hierarchy. From the COO to the delivery truck driver, always remain friendly, courteous and professional. Don’t be afraid to ask them what they had for lunch or how their daughter’s graduation went. You might be surprised how simple questions grow relationships.
When our lighting components were delayed, I depended on the resources and ingenuity of our team of vendors to come up with a way to keep the project on schedule.
Working as a team, we looked at all angels of escalating the delivery of the product and different ways of managing the manufacturer. Unfortunately, this path was too costly and would take too much time to obtain.
But then a non-lighting team member suggested we look at a different manufacturer with a similar product. That supplier’s parts were local, less expensive and could be delivered ahead of schedule. This simple suggestion ended up being a brilliant idea which kept us on track, saved money and adhered to the client’s high standards. And it all happened because I encouraged our team to think outside the box.
Without buy-in from your entire team, vendors included, meetings can stall, projects can flounder, and clients can become unhappy. By encouraging team members to speak their minds, offer solutions and not dwell on the impossible, you can come up with workable solutions for almost any type of problem.
How has your relationship with a vendor helped you lead a project to success? Share your story below.