About Project Management
Imagine building your dream property with less Stress, for less cost, in less time, AND achieving a BETTER RESULT!
To succeed in life, we have to work smarter, not just harder – we have to work ON our life (getting the big picture right), not just IN it (managing the detail).
No one person knows everything – that’s why we get experts in when we need to (mechanics for cars, technicians for washing machines, ‘computer types’ for IT stuff, etc.). Sure, many of us could perform many of these tasks ourselves if we had the tools, skills and time, but if we busy ourselves with every detail, we lose sight of the big picture.
Professional Project Managers have been used in business for many years – Project Management is now a specialised profession, not just a process. However, not many people know that such a service exists in the domestic market.
So, what is Project Management?
When building a new home, or a knock-down and rebuild, there will be competing demands that need to be kept in balance – such as: Scope / Time / Cost / Quality / Resources / Communication / Risk / Procurement / and Integration (satisfying the needs and expectations of the various parties involved).
Project Management is exactly this – balancing the competing demands of a project. The Project Manager will manage the detail, and enable you to get on with your life.
In other words, your Project Manager is an extension of you – your advocate, working for you to ensure your desired outcome is achieved, whilst managing the project to make it happen.
How does Project Management save money?
Better planning, management, financial control and coordination ensure that the project takes less time and with fewer variations – it is as simple as that. You have the freedom to delegate as much or as little of these to your Project Manager as your needs dictate.
All it takes sometimes is to invest a few hours to have your documentation reviewed by a Professional Project Manager who can highlight incorrect / missing information, or hidden / undocumented costs that often result in thousands of dollars in variations.
It is common for DIY home building projects to run 20% over budget. Many people are forced to cut corners or never completely finish the project (bed sheets for curtains, bare earth instead of landscaped gardens, and so on.) This is the other, way to “save” money.
Project Management is an investment, not a cost.
A specialist Property Project Manager will leverage on technical skills and practical experience, which is an investment with a high return for your project. The higher return will not only be in saving time and money, but also in delivering a better quality result, with less stress for you.
When should I get a Project Manager involved?
The Project Manager is usually involved through the entire building process – however, some clients prefer to have their Project Manager for certain phases only.
The following is a basic outline of the phases required in building.
1. Feasibility Analysis – To confirm your best option (Knock-Down/Rebuild versus Renovate/Extend – there may also be other options).
2. Planning – To review the plans, building specifications and documentation.
3. Development Application – Every Council has their own processes. This phase can be long, frustrating and arduous for the uninitiated. A Project Manager will have specialist Consultants to smooth this process.
4. Budget and Management Preparation – a Professional Project Manager will prepare a detailed budget, which gives you an estimate of the total project cost. This can be managed with / for / by you, as you require. An accurate budget is essential to enable informed decisions, and still have enough money to finish the project.
5. Procurement of Resources – Preparing Tenders, sourcing Builders, Landscapers, Consultants, Trades and Contractors as required. No two quotes are exactly the same; a Professional Project Manager can help you compare “apples with apples.”
6. Managing the Builder – Most quality Builders will have a Site Supervisor; however it is the Project Manager that adds significant value by controlling the quality of the works and solving problems before they become “show stoppers.”
7. Programme Management – When building a new home, managing the builder is a project of its own. There are also many other mini-projects, each with their own phases. Some examples include: landscaping, interior design, fixtures and fittings, swimming pool, kitchens and bathrooms – even the relocation of the family into the new home! These mini-projects require managing in their own right, and also integration into the total programme of building a new house.
What separates the best Project Managers from the rest?
A good Project Manager will be able to handle multiple tasks, be efficient, responsive and decisive, with excellent communication skills (not only with the client, but also with councils, builders, trades people), technical knowledge, and be financially astute.
What differentiates the best from the rest is passion and drive, coupled with knowledge and experience of how to keep the builder focussed, and the project on time.
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