JCP Construction’s James Phelps recently contributed the following article to BizTimes.

Deciding to embark on a construction project is a big decision. Whether a remodel, historic renovation or new build, a lot of factors have been evaluated and it probably has taken a considerable amount of time to reach the decision to proceed. While you are finally ready and can’t wait for the project to be complete, the success of your project depends upon working collaboratively with your team and establishing realistic expectations to guide the process.

In order to start a project off on the right foot, there are a few questions owners can ask when selecting their construction partner. These questions will help determine if this partnership is the best fit.

  1. What is a typical construction timeline?
  2. What is the construction company’s capacity to complete the project by the desired deadline?
  3. What requirements need to be fulfilled to keep the project on track?
  4. Can the company share references from recent relevant work?
  5. Who will be the direct point of contact throughout the project for quality control?

Once the owner and contractor partnership has been solidified, it is important to set expectations for the construction process. The following are important considerations:

Complete Communication

Seamless and consistent communication is the key to construction project success. Both the owner and contractor should identify a single point of contact to manage all communication. The owner’s rep should have the authority to make final decisions to keep the project moving forward. The main contractor contact can address field issues, manage decision making and  connect with the architect as needed for design updates. 

Read the full article here.