Why Professional Project Management Makes Such A Big Difference in The Quality of Your Remodel

When you’re about to start a remodel, you’re probably full of excitement and nerves, and have lists of questions. Your home is your most valuable possession–financially and also emotionally–and you want the final product to be perfect. You also hope the process itself will be smooth.

Project management is the tool that contractors use to ensure that these desires are met. It is the bridge between design and project completion and it is the project managers job to execute the designers vision.

When done well it can make the remodelling process easy and enjoyable. When done poorly is can ruin a project and make you regret ever starting.

Read on to learn more about how professional project management will help your remodeling project be everything you dreamed of.

What is a Project Manager?

Construction projects are full of moving parts. There are materials to order and follow up on, permits to apply for, subcontractors to schedule and supervise, a budget to manage, and more.

During design your designer is your main point of contact but during construction your project manager runs the show. A project manager is the hub of the construction project, ensuring that all details are under control and moving along properly.

Ideally your project manager and designer work together as a team, starting early in the design process, so they are on the same page and avoid any mistakes from miscommunication or mismatched expectations. 

A good project manager is on-site every day, making sure the job site stays clean, the builders and subcontractors know what they need to be doing, and keeping you up to date on progress. 

Planning

When you use a design-build company like McManus Kitchen and Bath, you know your project will be well-designed and thoroughly planned. You can also be confident that everyone who is involved in your project knows all the details they need to know–thanks to your project manager. You will not have to communicate with subcontractors or worry if changes need to be made. The project manager will communicate with all the builders and subcontractors who are working on your home and make sure they know what’s going on.

Quality Control

A professional project manager will be at your home every day to ensure that all the subcontractors understand each day’s work. Our project managers also check on the previous day’s work using our quality control checklist to make sure everything was done correctly and up to our standards. With quality control, the old saying is true: the devil is in the details. Project managers will often catch things that others might miss, such as code compliance issues or aesthetic concerns. They also inspect our job site protection and duct control–this ensures your home stays clean, organized, and safe as we work.

Scheduling

Due to the complicated nature of remodeling and construction projects, there are lots of moving parts to manage: your schedule and needs as the homeowner, the materials that need to be ordered and arrive in a timely manner so the project isn’t delayed, the various crews and equipment needed for each part of the process, and so on. A project manager will make sure that a great schedule is in place and that each member of the team knows when their part is coming up.

A project manager will

• know about how long each part of the construction process will take, and communicate that to each team.
• communicate the plan to you and keep you updated about any delays
• know what materials, teams, and equipment are needed and when.
• prioritize tasks and put them in a logical order that keeps the project moving.

We create a detailed project calendar during the design process which you can access through your online project portal. Your project manager review and updates the calendar daily so you always know what to expect. 

Trouble-Shooting

When the inevitable complication arises (you’ve seen Fixer-Upper; there’s always something!), you want a project manager on your team to help smooth out the bumps. A professional project manager will tackle any problems, involving the right people in problem-solving and brainstorming solutions. They’ll also be looking for potential trouble spots before they arise so they can be discussed and resolved immediately.

While change orders are sometimes necessary, a project manager will help minimize the impact they have on your budget and timeline by planning ahead and trying to avoid big changes. And they will keep you up-to-date on all of this, so you’re continually aware of what’s going on with your renovation. 

Communication

Construction projects demand excellent communication between all players: you as the homeowner, the contractors and subcontractors, the suppliers, and more. A good project manager will ensure all parties are up-to-date on everything they need to know. This cuts down on frustration, delays, and budget overruns. Often a project manager will

• use a project management software to schedule builders, make sure tasks are being done on time, keep track of your budget, and more.
• hold meetings with key players so that your team can collaborate and creatively problem-solve any issues that have cropped up, as well as look ahead to see what’s coming.
• prepare detailed schedules that keep everyone on track.
• schedule subcontractors on the correct days and in the correct order, and ensure they have all the equipment and materials they need.

You as the homeowner will communicate directly with the project manager, and they should take care of everything else. They will provide you with access to a detailed schedule that is updated so you know what to expect and when. The project manager will ensure that you’re kept in the loop as much as possible and that the process holds as few surprises as it can.

Our project managers do 3 daily logs each day… one in the morning, one mid day and one at day end… to keep you up to date on progress. 

Jobsite Organization and Cleanliness

As mentioned above, a professional project manager will have an eye toward keeping your home safe and clean. Construction projects always stir up dust and result in some messes. But we do everything we can to make sure the rest of your home and property stay as clean as possible and protected from any damage.

We cover any air vents to keep construction dust from getting into your HVAC system and ductwork. We seal the construction area off from the rest of the house with plastic sheeting or another type of barrier. We protect your floors and countertops to keep them from being scratched. And we make sure that the site is kept clean and organized–no tools lying around or piles of trash anywhere. Overseeing these areas is–you guessed it–the job of the project manager. 

A Valuable Part of the Team

You can see now how vital it is to have a professional project manager as part of your team. They keep everyone and everything on track and moving, serving as the hub of your renovation project. At McManus Kitchen and Bath, our excellent project managers are dedicated to making your experience as smooth as possible and your finished product exactly what you hoped it would be.

If you’re interested in starting a kitchen, bath, addition, or whole home remodel, give us a call. We serve Tallahassee Florida neighborhoods such as Killearn Lakes, Killearn Estates, Golden Eagle, and more. We’d love to get started working on your home!