Many construction-oriented professionals in our industry study for years learning to manage tenant finish projects. After formal education, they inch into the discipline by performing menial, related job tasks; move to assisting more experienced colleagues; increasing their knowledge and expertise over time; then eventually earning the right to supervise and control all the players with the title “Project Manager.” At least, that’s the way it’s supposed to work.
Now consider the reality of today’s workplace with the following scenario: You and the property owner are standing in the building lobby and she informs you the building has just completed a new lease, that she does not have the resources to engage a professional construction supervisor to act on the building’s behalf, and has decided to conduct those duties in-house. At this, you look around and see no one else standing near. You sheepishly point a finger at yourself with a quizzical look on your face and see the owner nodding affirmatively.
As alarming as this scenario may sound, you would be surprised how many property team members are introduced to project management in a similar manner. Many are thrust into the job with no background, no training and possibly not a construction-oriented bone in our bodies! When we protest, the boss may respond with “No knowledge? No skill? No problem!” Congratulations. You just became a Project Manager. What now?
If only you had suspected this day would come. There are lots of activities you could have pursued to prepare for this new assignment. For example, you could have:
- Learned to review and understand leases. After all, the most important information to the tenant will be contained there — perhaps in a work letter or construction addendum detailing specifics of their project.
- Studied blueprints in order to translate plans, elevations, symbols and technical information. It takes study and practice, but once you master these, you own them.
- Educated yourself about different construction materials, building specifications and common construction methods. There are a lot of courses out there that provide training in building trades and practices.
- Studied building system components, especially those in the mechanical, electrical and plumbing (MEP) trades. Knowing how these function will take you a long way on the road to construction savvy.
- Explored building codes and regulations that govern tenant finish activities. While your General Contractor or Architect (if you have them) will be familiar with these, having a personal knowledge of required compliance issues will add to your credibility.
- Acquainted yourself with local enforcement agency permit procedures and timeframes. These will have a direct impact on your ability to timely begin and keep your project rolling along.
So where might one find resources for addressing these and other important aspects of project management to inform and equip you to handle these assignments? I have some suggestions.
BOMA webinars and seminars are an excellent source of industry knowledge and insight. No, this is not a commercial; the facts speak for themselves. BOMA has been in the business of equipping its members with advanced information and technical know-how for a long time. They continue to get it right. Take a close look at education offerings, past Annual Conference recordings and reference library resources they offer by way of comprehensive industry topics and myriad ways of conveying these to those who need them.
Another great resource is the Building Owners and Managers Institute (BOMI). You know, the folks who offer the RPA, FMA, SMA and SMT designations. They have a great curricula chock full of useful training. In particular, for the purpose of this article, I highly recommend BOMI’s “Design, Operation and Maintenance of Building Systems” (both courses 1 and 2) and “Facilities Planning and Project Management.” These are laser focused at conveying foundational information needed by all industry professionals to create, operate and maintain the physical premises we manage.
The most important roles of a project manager are to provide structure and control to the process. Yes, project management is a multi-faceted “process.” It’s necessary to understand the various parts separately and how these combine to produce a program of meaningful actions. For simplicity, I can suggest three tools you may use to achieve these objectives.
First, whether experienced or not, I recommend the use of control documents to guide every part of the job. Some practitioners may have devised their own methods of recruiting, conducting bids, and contracting with architects and contractors. Since most of us have not, where might we find a suitable collection of documents that would accomplish this purpose for us?
The American Institute of Architects (AIA) has been ” … promoting the scientific and practical perfection of its members” and “elevating the standing of the profession” since 1857. Their efforts are directed to education and professionalism. One of their most important achievements has been to produce standardized contract documents that are:
- Fair to all parties (architects, contractors, engineers, owners, surety bond producers, insurers and attorneys)
- Reflect industry practices, not theory
- Regularly updated
- Flexible and easy to interpret
- Copyrighted – content is owned by AIA
The good news for us is that we have access to this incredible resource. AIA contracts may be purchased from the Institute for use by industry practitioners – that includes you and me. Yes, we have to buy them; they are copyrighted. But the documents are extremely inexpensive for the expertise and value they provide.
AIA documents are available to help you evaluate and then contract with an architect, evaluate and contract with a contractor, provide instructions to bidders, implement change orders, and arrange for periodic and final payments to members of the construction team. These are only a few options available in a variety of combinations of parties to a specific contract; the possibilities are numerous. A more complete list of contract documents is available on line at www.AIA.org.
Second, you will need a way to oversee the project schedule from start to finish. While there are many scheduling programs available, my personal favorite is Microsoft Project. It is easy to learn, simple and provides the entire construction team with timelines, waypoints and deadlines for completion of assigned tasks in a prioritized document everyone can use.
Third, a budget is a must. Formats differ between firms, but basic construction line items in a chart of accounts are fairly standard. Your Architect or G.C. can provide you with a baseline in their bid and the numbers may be negotiated to achieve an agreed price for the work.
Structure and control may be instigated through use of quality contract documents, scheduling software and a budget all parties buy into. These can provide the uninitiated with a guideline for action if no other exists.
Haven’t been challenged with a project management assignment yet? Good. There’s still time to prepare. Don’t wait any longer. You never know when this opportunity might present itself. Take action now to develop a new industry expertise that can enhance your professional growth and value to your team!
Then when the owner has that meeting with you in the lobby…well, you’ll know what to do.
