Whether you’re renovating or building from the ground up there is one thing that seems to be consistent, and that’s changes. There seem to be two kinds of changes in construction.

Site Conditions

One is Site Conditions. For example once you open up a wall you may come across some rot or mold. The other kind of change is homeowner driven. As a Construction Project Manager I want to see my clients move in to their new space and absolutely love it. A lot of what influences their enjoyment is the finishing material. That special marble countertop that has crystals that sparkle, or that high tech home entertainment system, or getting the layout of the home just right. There are a lot of details that go into the design of a new space. It is very difficult for homeowners to imagine all of these details without being able to see it finished. Our homeowners might walk into their space after we started construction and want to move a wall or change the layout of the cabinets. They might choose their plumbing fixtures for us to order and install, only to find a new faucet that they really love at a later date. The only question about change, and what makes all the difference, is how it is handled.

Be as Informed as Possible for Every Decision

The most important part of making a change is making an informed decision. How does the change effect the price? Can the previously selected material be returned and is there a re-stocking fee? How much would it cost for the labour to make the change? Does it affect other finishes or scopes of work, if so, how? Will it delay the project and if so by how much? There is a lot to take into consideration for each selection and change and when multiple changes are happening one after another it can bring confusion along with it.

Being able to organize all of the information and changes is a sign of a great Project Manager. I am fortunate to be working with a company that has a software program that sets up a webpage for each project that the Construction Manager and Homeowner can both view at any time. This Webpage tracks and fully discloses where all of the costs and approved changes are at, on a daily basis, giving the homeowner the power and information they need in order to make decisions. The Software also shows a schedule that is continuously updated, along with a place for the homeowner and builder to communicate and of course a section where the builder can upload the latest pictures.

There are hundreds of things to consider and countless selections for a custom home or renovation. The quality and understanding of construction and how the builder organizes and presents this information is what makes a world of difference for the homeowners they work for.