The following general description of what good construction and project management entails will inform you about the nature of our business. PPM Services, Inc. goes far beyond the duties and protocols of the typical "CM". Our proven system will save you money. Lots of money. Click the link above to get all the details on how our system works and just what it will do for you.
As an owner, it is wise to have a CM on your side even if you elect to hire another general contracting firm to be the contractor of record and build your project. In certain cases it will make sense to do so and in some it is not necessary. A CM can help guide you in that decision.
If the CM is to be the contractor of record then he must be a Licensed and insured Florida State Certified General or Building Contractor. The state of Florida licenses many different contractor categories. However, there is no license available or required to be a construction manager/owner’s agent/consultant.
The contractor of record (one who pulls a permit for the work he is hired to do) becomes responsible for the work included on that permit, by law, in most every way and must comply with all Florida statutes relating to licensing as well as other areas.
It is unlawful for a contractor of any type (General, Building, Residential, Electrical, Plumbing, air-conditioning, Mechanical, Underground Utility, structural specialty, Roofing, Pool, etc) to pull a permit for an owner and then allow the owner to do the work. The contractor which pulls the permit becomes the contractor of record for the scope of work covered by that permit and must supervise all aspects of the project and make sure that anyone working on the project is either a licensed and insured contractor or an employee of a licensed and insured contractor.
The statutes do allow certain commercial owners to pull an owner permit and do the work themselves, however, this only applies to a few situations. One of which is when an owner occupies the property and the scope of work is expected to cost less than $75,000. In such a case, the owner can physically do all the work without any license but still must call for and get inspections from the local building department. If the cost of the work exceeds the $75,000 or if the owner cannot do the work himself. The owner must then hire properly licensed and insured contractors to pull the permits and to do the work.
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Construction Management (CM) is a Professional Project Management practice consisting of a host of services on construction projects from the planning phase to project completion and closeout for the purpose of assuring that the owner realizes a successful project.
Construction projects, regardless of size, are highly complex. There’s an endless list of things that can go wrong, some of which can cause big delays, increase cost, legal problems and in some cases can bring a project to a halt. When a seasoned, professional CM is there to guide the owner from the beginning these pitfalls can be eliminated before they happen.
Construction Managers are on the owner’s side, and protect the owner’s interest in order to deliver the best possible project, on time and within budget. Very few owners have the background experience and skills needed to deal with the complex issues involved with a construction project. The Construction Manager strives to give you, the owner, more effective control, delivering a high quality finished project on time and within budget. The CM is your advocate, combining detailed technical knowledge with a commitment to meeting your needs. Not affected by any conflicting interest, the Construction Manager represents you in every element of the project. By involving a seasoned, professional Construction Manager from the earliest stages of your project, you maximize your chances to achieve a smooth and trouble-free construction process and a facility that meets your needs.
The CM acts as the owner's principal agent in the management of a construction project. The CM is responsible to the owner for managing all phases of the project. The CM represents the interests of the owner in its dealings with other construction professionals, lending institutions, government agencies, etc.
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PRE-CONSTRUCTION PHASE
As soon as you consider planning a new project, the Construction Manager can help you reach sound decisions.
• Overall scope of the project, it’s feasibility and permitability.
• Help find, select and analyze potential site locations.
• Assemble the right team of design and engineering professionals.
• Prepare preliminary budget and preliminary master timeline for the project.
• Assist with preparing presentations to prospective lenders.
When the decision is made to proceed with the design phase, Construction Manager can help you:
• Ensure that design meets the owner’s goals.
• Assure that your finished project will support current and future needs.
• Develop a detailed design schedule and supervise its implementation.
• Review design in progress to assure efficient design and details that will keep construction cost in line.
• Develop detailed cost estimates as needed through the design stages to assure budget targets are met.
When the plans are completed your Construction Manager can:
• Prepare and send out bid invitations to all trade contractors or to general contractors and help with pre-qualification and select final bid list.
• Prepare detailed scope of work and bid instructions for all contractors selected to bid.
• Handle questions and concerns of all bidders
• Help you evaluate and compare bid proposals to make sure everything is covered and that there are no exclusions.
• Recommend bidders for contract award.
• Prepare contract documents for contractor(s)
• Review and approve schedule of values submitted by contractors to avoid heavy front loading of their payments.
• Identify any long lead items that need to be ordered in order to maintain the project schedule.
• Confirm that each contractor has submitted valid insurance certificates proving they have adequate and proper worker’s comp and general liability insurance.
• Submit plans for permitting and if the CM is to be the general contractor of record, to pull the permit.
CONSTRUCTION PHASE
In the construction phase your Construction Manager is your advocate.
• If the CM is to be the general contractor of record, assign an on-site project superintendent to be on-site daily and manage the superintendent’s activities.
• Assure that all contractors and other participants fully understand the project’s design and requirements at every stage.
• Deliver regular progress reports and update the schedule as needed.
• Manage any change orders that come up to make sure you get full value and are not gouged.
• Supervise the construction process to anticipate difficulties and assure control of quality, safety, schedule and cost.
• Review payment requests from contractor(s) to make sure the work, for which payment is being requested, has been satisfactorily completed.
• Assure that the contractor(s) provides a safe workplace and complies with OSHA regulations and oversees weekly safety meetings.
• Inspect the work at the final stage of the project and prepare punch lists for the contractor(s) and assure that these items are completed before approving final payment to the contractor(s).
• Assure that all final inspections are approved and the certificate of occupancy is received.
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