How Collaboration Tools Benefit Project Teams

SAN FRANCISCO—Whether ground-up construction or an extensive remodel, it is not uncommon for assumptions or the silo activity of team members to derail the process. As the design evolves, it is important to routinely take a pulse check to ensure project goals including budget are still being met, says Amy Bradac, founder/CEO and Carlo Torrano, architect and project manager of Bradac Co.

Bradac says there are three strategies that will bring a greater degree of transparency to a project and help to minimize both design and budget surprises. Using these strategies in unison will ensure a high level of alignment within the project team and bring the most benefit to the overall project.

Pre-Construction Services: Get a General Contractor on Board Early

In the traditional design-bid-build project process, it may be the case that a general contractor is not brought on board until a short time before the project is ready to start construction. While the GC should in theory have adequate time to review, price and present a bid to the owner, there are many disadvantages to this method, as any uncertainty in the documents often translates to padded bid numbers, Torrano says. And, this does not allow examining construction costs that may impact design decisions at a time when changes can be more easily incorporated into the design. If construction costs don’t align with the established budget, additional dollars could be wasted on redoing design work.

“Hiring a GC for pre-construction services solves many if not all of these potential pitfalls,” he tells GlobeSt.com. “A GC can provide several rounds of construction cost estimates at various milestones as the project design evolves which would potentially inform design decisions that affect the budget. Where there might be uncertainty or doubt in design documents, the GC can provide immediate feedback to the design team and work to update documents to better illustrate specific details. In any of these scenarios, budget overruns can be identified and mitigated early in the process.”

Page Turns Uncover Uncertainty

Page turns are an effective way to root out unclear details and design elements that could prove costly to execute. Team members gather to run through the design documents page by page, covering any questions and talking through more complex features. This discovery tool might even reveal certain elements or functions that the build team was not aware of, avoiding potential cost spikes further down the line.

“Beyond that, they are a simple way to ensure that the design, build and ownership teams are on the same page and that the project design is understood from all angles,” Bradac tells GlobeSt.com. “These working sessions preferably held with all project stakeholders are most effective prior to issuance of a deliverable, such as design development or construction documents, when pricing is often updated as well. Including ownership will ensure that project programming evolves alongside the client’s needs and any previous design decisions are confirmed by the group at large.”

Mockups: Establish Standards

Prior to the beginning of construction, it’s important to consider which elements will require either a first in place or mock-up review. Oftentimes, a project design will introduce highly complex elements or custom finishes for which there is no precedent. Deciding as a team to review either the first of these built elements in the field or as a separate mock-up ensures that there is adequate time to discuss and strategize about any potential issues. Furthermore, the review of such elements will establish a standard for what the design team and ultimately the owner expects of the final product. Early detection of potential issues and alignment of expectations will help minimize costly re-work.

“While these tools require time and effort by the team as a whole, they are all worthwhile exercises to undergo as your project gets underway,” Torrano tells GlobeSt.com. “Advanced planning will ensure that the project schedule accounts for these events and the subsequent time necessary to incorporate any feedback. Engaging a project manager to develop, execute and oversee a collaboration plan is the easiest way to guarantee that these efforts are effective and add value to the project. In the end, enhanced collaboration should serve to benefit the project when executed properly, bringing transparency to the design and budget every step of the way, and further guaranteeing overall project success.”

Bradac Co. is a full-service real estate construction management firm in San Francisco. With more than a decade of experience on projects that serve both public and private users, Torrano’s project expertise encompasses a range of project types including tech office, hospitality, multifamily and mixed use with both ground up and adaptive re-use construction.