The Construction Process

Living With Remodeling

Remodeling will disrupt just about every routine you have; including some you are not aware of having. But this noisy, gritty process doesn't necessarily mean you will be tearing out your hair.

With a little advance planning, it is possible to live through even major renovations with your sanity and good nature largely intact.

Check out our remodeling survivors guide for proven approaches to coping with remodeling while maintaining a reasonably normal life.

Construction begins at the completion of design. Construction is a process. It requires the "marshalling of the labor and material resources" necessary to complete your project; ensuring any specialty trade contractors required are scheduled appropriately; inspecting and verifying that work was performed correctly, in compliance with building codes, and to generally accepted standards of workmanship; and that materials required arrive when they are needed.

Project Manager

The person who oversees the process is your Project Manager. He was intimately involved in the design of your project and is completely familiar with your construction plan. He will be your single-point contact for the lifetime of the project, available to you at all times to answer questions and address concerns while the project is underway.

Your Project Manager is not just a manager, he will also be the project's lead carpenter and actually does or closely supervises all of the carpentry work required for the project. Carpentry comprises about 60-80% of the work in any remodeling project.

Construction Plan to Construction Process

The construction blueprint is a static document that specifies what we must build, the construction process, however, is dynamic and specifies how it will be done. Converting the plan into a process is the first job of the project's manager.

He must determine appropriate construction methods, divide all required building activities into logical steps and determine the time, material and crafts required for each step. From this analysis he will create a time-line and schedule for your project. He will consult with you to align our work with your family's routine and activities as much as possible to minimize the disruption of your household. Once the schedule is agreed on, a project management computer program is used to create time-line charts to display the schedule and all of the events in the schedule. You get a copy of these charts and any updates so you will know what activities you can expect on any given day.

Material Acquisition

By the time the project formally begins, some of the materials — especially those items with long lead times — will have already been ordered. The project manager will order the rest, scheduling deliveries to coordinated with the time line. Ideally, materials arrive for a scheduled event just as the event is set to take place. Ideally. But since the "ideal" is a goal that is seldom reached, he also arranges a place for short-term storage of materials until they are needed.

Project Coordination

The project manager oversees the selection of specialty trade contractors to complete specific pieces of the project — which could include everything from structural metalworking and plumbing to painting and carpet installation. He schedules the work of specialty trades, interweaving the schedules of the various trade specialties so that the project proceeds in an organized manner. He determines the labor requirements and supervises the allocation of in-house craftsmen to your project — hiring additional help if required. He also oversees the performance of all crafts on the project and is responsible for ensuring that any work is completed in a workmanlike manner and on schedule.

Safety and Code Compliance

If building permits or special licenses are required, the project manager sees that they are obtained. He ensures that all building and fire codes are complied with, and that the work environment is a safe as possible. StarCraft Custom Builders follows all Occupation Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) requirements for a safe and injury-free work site.

Final Inspection

At the end of the project, it is the project manager’s responsibility to conduct a final walk-through with you before the project is formally handed over to you; and to supervise any remedial work that needs to be done.

Project Administration

Administration is essentially handling all of the volumes of paperwork required to complete a remodeling project. It includes purchase orders for materials, contract agreements with specialty craft providers, change orders, material approval checklists, payments to subcontractors and material providers, and getting lien releases.

To ensure the project is built as specified in your design, the Project Manager regularly reviews project drawings and specifications. He will track and control construction costs against the project budget to avoid cost overruns and meets regularly with you, trade contractors, and vendors to coordinate all phases of the construction project.

The project manager is responsible for all administrative tasks during the process of construction, and final paperwork at the end. This includes preparation and delivery of warranties, and other documentation we deliver to you when the project is done.

End

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