Construction Management: It’s A Daily Double! - Lakewood Construction

Construction Management: It’s A Daily Double!

Nick Nykerk | President

Most people believe that concrete is a pretty solid substance. Right? Would you be surprised to learn that air is a critical component in its basic structure? A typical batch is made up of sand, water, cement, and air. The percentages of each component varies depending on who is making it and what the application will have in its final stages.

While this might be of interest if you’re in the concrete business or a contestant on Jeopardy, why would anyone really need to know this information? You might if you’re growing your business and in need of a new facility and/or are expanding your current operations with an addition. But, if you’re like most business owners, your priority is about running your business, not figuring out the chemical makeup of concrete.

That’s where a Construction Manager (CM) comes in—handling the details of the construction process so you can do what you do best—run your business.

A CM’s job is to oversee the entire building project from start to finish. We manage the team and communicate with everyone on all sides of the project: you, your architect and engineer, city officials, trades, vendors, and everyone in between.

The best CMs are typically experienced general contractors with plenty of field experience in the construction industry. A good CM can hold a complex project together and lead it in the right direction. Our job is to educate and walk you through all the challenges of the design and construction process, so you get the facility you want and need. On schedule and in budget.

We recommend hiring a CM as early on in the project as possible. It will improve budgeting and scheduling—the two areas that will offer the biggest benefit to you in the long-run. We understand scheduling and budgeting in detail. We utilize software and other technology, so we can monitor everything having to do with your project and quickly account for any changes in the process. We can also make instant adjustments to keep everything moving forward.

We are experts in providing the lowest possible project cost based on selecting the lowest bidder from different bid divisions, and we have a network to secure the right contractors for the job. You will have a better advantage in competitive bidding because the markup of the subcontractor’s initial bids and change orders are gone. We can also see when there is the advantage of breaking your project down into individual bid packages to further lower costs.

As your onsite representative, we ensure all contractors and trades follow the project plan and schedule. Our experience provides us with the ability to determine the competency of a contractor’s workers. Quite often, we can provide alternative methods to bring down project costs.

Clear communication on the construction site promotes early and accurate design estimates and the chance to save on materials and supplies. Open and quick communication can lower the potential for problems and disputes between parties and enhance quality control in the building process.

As an objective third party that acts as go-between and can speak the language of each party involved–not only will a CM create cost savings, we also provide the peace of mind knowing that you’re in good hands and your project is going to start off on the right foot— and air in your concrete.