Planning professionals can make a huge impact on your building project, saving you time, stress, and money throughout the process. According to one recent survey, unmanaged building projects in the UK overspend by an average of 20 per cent, so finding a reliable project manager could save you tens of thousands of pounds over the course of the project.
What does a project manager do?
A project manager will take ownership of the project from inception to completion and acts as the point person between you and the variety of contractors, suppliers, and service companies involved. They help you design your plans, find the right people to work on the project, and monitor the day-to-day progress of a build to make sure it is delivered on time and on budget.
And if you have any questions throughout the process, from the choice of contractors to the current state of the budget, the project manager is the person to turn to for the answers.
What are the benefits of hiring a project manager?
1. Value for money
A good project manager will ensure that you get the best possible design and build for your budget. From helping to come up with your plans to managing a competitive tender and negotiating the best deal with a supplier, a project manager is there to take control of the project from start to finish and keep costs within your agreed budget.
2. A trustworthy team
An experienced project manager will have contacts throughout the construction industry, and be able to introduce you to the best people to work on your project from architects and surveyors to contractors and structural engineers. These people could be working at your property for weeks or months, and so it is important you find a team that is a good fit, and a trusted project manager will help you decide.
3. Keeping to a timeline
Building projects can overrun their original timeline for a variety of reasons, from bad weather to supplier import and delivery issues. These problems can arise on any project, but a good project manager will plan for these eventualities, so that should a project start to slip behind schedule, remedial measures can be put in place to mitigate the issue.
4. Flexibility
No matter how well planned your project may be in advance, as the build develops you may decide that you want to make some changes. A project manager can offer you advice on the impact of these changes, both in terms of cost and timeframes, and make sure that if you do decide to move forward with them that any additional costs will be reasonable and well understood.
5. Trade discounts
An experienced project manager will have strong contacts throughout the construction industry and will be able to negotiate trade discounts with suppliers and service providers that may be unavailable for those planning a project on their own. A project managers will leverage their contacts to give you the best prices and will be able to deliver more for your budget.
6. Work quality and finish
If you employ a project manager, you will have a seasoned professional constantly monitoring the quality of the work throughout the build from start to finish. This means that any potential issues are spotted quickly and promptly remedied, reducing the chance of having to redo any significant elements later on.
How do you find an experienced and reliable project manager?
The best way to find an experienced project manager is by word of mouth, as happy customers will tell you how they helped them bring their ideas a reality, and the results should speak for themselves.
