We provide construction management services to home owners on large and small projects. We assure them of an experienced, communicative, and forceful advocate at their side  throughout the often bewildering process of building or remodeling a home. From the initial stages of selecting design professionals, through the selection of a contractor and onwards to completion of the project, we represent the owner’s interests.

 

I love being a Construction Manager. First and foremost I am the Owner’s strongest advocate. I have 45 years of training as an architect and experience in design and construction. I have seen hundreds of iterations of the design/build cycle, on three continents, on a diverse series of residential and commercial projects, from $50,000 to $20 million, including 30 years as a leader in one of San Francisco’s most eminent construction firms.

 

To an owner who is bewildered, frustrated, or just inexperienced with the process of design and construction I can, on their behalf, explain, clarify, and put into context most issues that arise. And there are always more issues.

 

To an owner that is too busy to respond to the multitude of requests for their attention, I can explain, filter, prioritize, and render into detail their broader expectations. And there are always more questions.

 

Trace is the flimsy tracing paper, a “thinking tool” that is ubiquitous in design offices. Trace captures the evolving ideas but ultimately it is ephemeral and discarded, as the resolved ideas are communicated more precisely in construction drawings and ultimately in building materials. Trace is a metaphor for my role as an an owner’s advocate: an active and powerful tool for the owner during the process of design and construction. Ultimately, my participation is ephemeral, a scaffolding that falls away, leaving rendered the Owner’s expectation, the Architect’s vision and the Contractor’s craftsmanship.

 

These other team members are focused on Tasks: The Owner on Decision-making, the Architect on Design, the Contractor on Schedule. I focus on the Team as a whole by taking action on the questions: Is the Owner making timely decisions, is the Architect responding to the Contractor’s requests for information, is the Contractor communicating his needs, his progress? I can synchronize their efforts, for the good of the project, while their efforts are focused on applying their skills to their own tasks.